“We have like-minded people, like-minded coaches, all going in the one direction” | Eoin Brislane praises Monaleen after Munster triumph

The City side claimed a first Munster title on Sunday with a comprehensive win over the pre match favourites.

Monaleen paid little heed to their underdogs tag in Sunday’s Munster Intermediate Hurling final with Roscrea as they deservedly claimed the title with a 1-22 to 0-18 victory.

The Limerick side were one point to the good at the half before powering clear with Ed Doyle adding the gloss to the game with a late green flag.

Monaleen are under the guidance of Tipp native Eoin Brislane who has overseen the transformation of the club following their relegation last year.

They responded in style by claiming the Premier Intermediate title before going on to win provincial honours. The side were also in the Premier U19 Final for the second successive season with Brislane praising the efforts of those in the club.

“We have like-minded people, like-minded coaches, all going in the one direction and that’s a huge difference. And a club that’s backing us that believe that ‘this is what we put out at the start of the year, this is what we recommend and they said ok, let’s go with this.”

It was a slow-burning first quarter before the sides found their shooting boots. They then went tit for tat for the remainder of the opening period with Andrew La Touche Cosgrave’s effort the difference at the interval.

But Monaleen tore out of the blocks in the third quarter to move eight points clear as Roscrea never looked like clawing it back. Brislane says the third quarter was the target as they stemmed the considerable Roscrea tide.

“Roscrea have been targeting the first ten minutes after half-time all year, they’ve been really performing so that’s an area that we really targeted and Mark celebrated winning a turnover free there directly after half-time like a goal because it was an area and a time in the game that we targeted, that we knew that if we could break even at half-time and break even after ten minutes, we had the fitness and the legs to see out the game down the straight.”

Monaleen’s reward for beating Roscrea is a place in the All-Ireland championship on the weekend of December 17/18. Their oppponents will be confirmed next weekend but Brislane will not be taking Bray Emmets or Trim lightly with Monaleen just an hour from Croke Park.

“We weren’t even looking at a Munster Championship to be honest with you. Bray Emmets are playing Trim next weekend, I was manager of D.I.T for a couple of years I know a couple of Bray lads, I know a couple of the John Henderson’s and these boys above in Bray – these boys can hurl now and people look at Bray Emmets of Wicklow and Trim of Meath, I hurled in Meath as well so there’s a bit of history there.

“I know what it means to these. there’s a lot of good hurlers up there and if you take them for granted , God help you. So you’re in an All-Ireland semi-final and it’s really nip and tuck, but were looking forward to it.”

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