Club championship helped Downey to get over Cork disappointment
August 19, 2026
Galway's Cathal Mannion comes up against Robert Downey of Cork ©INPHO/James Crombie
A return to club action was just the tonic Rob Downey needed after Cork’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final defeat to Galway.
For the second year-in-a-row, the Rebels suffered a second half Croke Park collapse, but Downey has since moved on from that disappointment and is firmly focused on Glen Rovers’ crucial Cork SHC clash with Kanturk on Sunday after an opening round loss to city rivals Blackrock.
"It was disappointing," the centre back told gaa.ie at the launch of the 2026 Club Championship with Clubber.
"The overriding emotion for the couple of days after the game is one of disappointment, but we were quite lucky that the club championship was coming up in two or three weeks’ time.
"We were ready to go back in with the club, to change the focus. To give yourself something else to focus on, to get back into a bit of routine.
"So, they're big games, and they're big losses. They take a while to get over, but we're quite lucky to get back in with the Glen, and into the swing of things."
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