Limerick manager Jimmy Lee reflects on his side's Tailteann Cup final defeat

Limerick senior football manager Jimmy Lee was full of praise for his side following The Shannonsiders two-point defeat at the hands of Kildare in the  Tailteann Cup final at Croke Park.

READ MORE: Limerick fall short against Kildare in Tailteann Cup final 

The Newcastle West native had 'mixed emotions' in the aftermath of Saturday's defeat.

'I'm gutted for the boys but I'm just delighted we put in a performance. Disappointing that we didn't get over the line so mixed emotions really," he said. 

"So near yet so far but at the same time I wouldn't look back and say it was because of this, that or the other thing. I just spoke to them inside and to a man they have put their shoulder to the wheel all year and that's all you can ever ask of them."

Lee commended the attitude and resolve of this Limerick team, highlighting the past injuries of goalkeeper Josh Ryan and centre-back Iain Corbett as just two examples of the resolve shown by players within the squad.

The Limerick manager also praised the efforts of his backroom team.

"The whole group, be it the management team or the backroom team have been fantastic and from my point of view, it makes my job easier but in fairness to these lads, credit where credit is due," he said.

"The likes of Josh (Ryan), Iain (Corbett) who tore the hamstring off the bone and yet they keep coming back and putting the jersey on with pride, giving it their all when it could've been easier for them to walk away," he added.

In terms of where it potentially went wrong on the day for his side, Lee says the warm conditions mixed with keeping the team fresh proved precarious.

"We tried, I think we had a few opportunities, I'll have to look back on it. We knew some of the lads were beginning to tire as well."

"For both teams, the heat, the exhaustion of it, we just felt we needed to freshen things up and you're trying to do that in the middle of trying to keep the scoreboard ticking as well which can be tricky because you can lose that momentum as well with subs at times and unfortunately that's the way it happens," he said. 

Lee, who was named as Limerick manager in September of last year, took time to reflect on the journey his team have been on this season.

"We've been on a phenomenal journey all year. We went up to Longford, it was a two-pointer at the very end that took us to a drawn game, there was the 17 game unbeaten run and then we were in Rathkeale against Wexford and lost but from London on it's been a phenomenal journey," he remarked.

"You're building it week on week, you're with them three nights a week since early December. We have spent a lot of them with them and you get to know people, you get to know the ins and outs of them," he said.

"These lads are very special in their own way because they're mad about the jersey and they have fierce pride and passion in what they do," Lee concluded.