Joyce rues missed goal chance but is optimistic for next year

St Geralds College manager David Joyce said he is disappointed for his players in sixth year that a chance to win a Hogan Cup has passed them by but he is confident that the younger players will go again next year.

Joyce and his backroom team, made up of Mayo players past and present in Mickey Conroy and Diarmuid O’Connor and Kilmeena coach Eoin Sweeney, guided the school to an eighth Connacht title this year but fell short against reigning Hogan Cup champions Omagh CBS on Saturday in Ballyshannon.

“We were disappointed in the day overall,” said Joyce. “Things didn’t go our way. There were certain chances we could have taken in the first half that could have brought us back into the game.”

“There were ten minutes in the first half where the game got away from us and it kind of opened the game up a little.” He said he was proud of the effort they put in this year, particularly that provincial title win against Claregalway.

“These boys will rally and keep going and always fight. Things just didn’t happen for us today but that doesn’t define what these lads are and their journey for the year.”

“We had our moments throughout the year, we won a Connacht title. It is not a disappointing season, it just had a disappointing finish to it and we should that into account.”

He said that he has confidence in what the younger players in the team can achieve next year.

“Those boys that are in fourth and fifth year will come back again next year. They have seen what the standards are, the level we have to get to and they’ll drive on next year, I have no doubt of that.”

“It is disappointing for the boys, the sixth years who will move on this year. They wore that jersey for six years and it’s a special thing. They represent that jersey really well and it’s just a shame it had to finish today.”

He pointed to Ryan Gibbons hitting the crossbar at the end of the first half as a moment that could have changed the game. If it had gone in, it would have reduced the gap to just three points going into the interval.

“It was always going to be a nervy start,” said Joyce. “A big occasion and we were battling back and forth. It was three-all after the first 15 and these games always balance on certain moments and they took their goal opportunity when they got it.”

“We hit the crossbar and missed our chance. It may have pulled us back in and given us a little bit more of a fighting chance second half, and it just didn't happen.