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Colin O'Riordan: game ended on sour note but I'm not bitter

Tyrone’s Ruairi McGlone and Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan during the All-Ireland U21 Football Championship final between Tyrone and Tipperary
Tyrone’s Ruairi McGlone and Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan during the All-Ireland U21 Football Championship final between Tyrone and Tipperary Tyrone’s Ruairi McGlone and Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan during the All-Ireland U21 Football Championship final between Tyrone and Tipperary

Colin O'Riordan has admitted he still has nightmares about Tipperary's All-Ireland U21 final defeat to Tyrone but insists he holds no bitterness about the game's sour ending.

Tipp manager Tommy Toomey accused Tyrone of cynicism throughout his team's one-point loss and Red Hands manager Fergal Logan was subsequently denied access to the Tipp dressing-room.

O'Riordan captained the Tipp U21s and is currently preparing for Sunday's Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final with holders and All-Ireland champions Kerry.

He said that he remains hugely frustrated about the U21 defeat generally but isn't at all bitter about how Tyrone won the tie with suggestions that they engaged in 'sledging' and verbal abuse.

"There was a lot that went on about 'sledging' and not letting the manager into the dressing-room but this is the GAA, you get on with it," said O'Riordan. "It's hard to swallow, you have nightmares over the match but you don't really have nightmares over what was said to you or anything.

"That stuff is part and parcel of the game. Nasty stuff is said and maybe it's going too far, not just Tyrone but other counties as well. I'm sure we're not completely innocent as well and every county would admit it.

"Look, I'm not bitter anyway. We had a good year up to the final and were two points up at half-time, it's our own fault we didn't win it."

There was some consolation at least for O'Riordan who was yesterday named EirGrid U21 Player of the Year.

As for Kerry, O'Riordan isn't intimidated by the task of facing a team he has never lost to in Championship football, albeit those games took place at underage level.

"We feel that we are able to put it up to them now," he said. "It is no more a case of travelling with hope more than expectation. We are going for the win and there is no point saying otherwise because this is why you play, to win. You don't play to make up the numbers. That is the mentality that we are trying to get into the group every time we go out rather than making up the numbers."