Kerry's Kennedy Cup manager Diggins proud of eighth-place finish at schoolboys soccer tournament
While their 1-0 loss to Galway in Friday's 7th/8th place play-off – going down to a stoppage-time winner from Galway – was a cruel way to finish the five-day competition in the University of Limerick, it was still a positive experience overall for a talented and determined Kerry squad, who played with pride, discipline, and attacking flair throughout the tournament.
'It was a super week for us. When we came up here, I suppose we were looking at maybe the Bowl. We might be able to get into that and win it, but to top our group against all the top teams that we played and won every game and nine points. It was a super week for the boys,' manager Danny Diggins said.
'The Donegal defeat I think really sucked the energy out of the lads. These things happen in sport. You don't get the rub of the green every time. And I just thought that those results really knocked the lads back, for all the effort that they had put into the previous three games.
'After that game they didn't really have much in the tank for the last two games. But we had got what we really came for. And the top eight finish in Ireland after finishing twenty-fourth in the last competition when we won our All Ireland competition up here earlier in the year. We got silverware for that, and we jumped sixteen places to eighth. You have to be proud of that.
'In the last game there, Galway and ourselves were making substitutions for the penalty shoot-out. We were preparing for the penalty shoot-out. And maybe that cost us there with the ball in over the top. And fellas weren't in the right position, look that happens.
'We're still very proud of the lads, the effort they put in for the last six months for this. But it is not until they come up to see how fit they have to be. The draining of the games, the two on Tuesday, and then you're going back on Wednesday and trying to win that game to get into the semi-final. It just really does take it out of them.'
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The 42
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The 42
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RTÉ News
4 hours ago
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