Cork manager Pat Ryan says his family have been united from support following the sudden death of his brother Ray earlier this week.
The former Cork and Sarsfields hurler died aged 43 and was laid to rest on Friday.
He is survived by his wife Ashling and three children, McKenna, Rory and Elliot.
The Cork boss was back on the sideline at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening as the Rebels put in a strong finish to defeat Kilkenny 1-22 to 2-16.
Prior to throw-in there was a minute's applause, with the entire Cork panel and backroom team lined up across the 45 wearing black armbands in Ray’s honour.
"We’re struggling, to be honest with you," he said. "It’s really tough, especially on Ray’s wonderful wife Aishling and three wonderful kids, McKenna, Rory and Elliot.
"We got great support, great support from the GAA community, from the Glanmire area. Family and friends were really good to us.
"It’s a tough time. Lots of families are touched by this. We are very united. We are very proud of him and we will miss him."
To matters on the pitch and the Rebels recorded a second win of their 1A campaign in front of 22,193 supporters.
Given the nature of the week, Ryan said his brother would have only wanted the best for the team.
"It was a week where we were all over the place," he said. "I was very anxious, because I know that’s what Ray would have liked, that nothing got in the way of the lads being able to play here Saturday.
"Kilkenny were good tonight. I thought they were very sharp and really took the game to us. We just got over the line in the last 15 or 20 minutes. I think the reaction we got off the bench was excellent and we had some good performances."
Lisgoold’s Healy was the stand-out performer on Leeside, the Under-20 All-Ireland winner marking his first league start with a scintillating display at wing-forward.
His manager insisted it comes off the back of solid early season form.
"You are always trying to find players," Ryan said. "If they play well in training, that creates the opportunities for them. In fairness to Diarmuid, he has been playing excellently for us, and MTU as well in the Fitzgibbon Cup.
"He got a taste of it above in Tipperary the last day. The plan was always to give him a home game here. That’s great for us going forward."
