GAA
Two late goals sealed a place in January’s final for the City side after a level contest throughout.
Monaleen are All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Club Championship finalists following Sunday’s dramatic 2-19 to 0-20 semi-final win over Wicklow’s Bray Emmets in Tullamore.
The two teams fought tooth and nail in a dogged semi-final clash, matching each other’s scores throughout until ten minutes before the final whistle.
Christy Moorhouse opened the scoring for Bray after a minute from a placed ball, his first of eleven, which was levelled just seconds later by Luke Murphy. Moorhouse doubled his tally from another free but was levelled again, this time by Donnacha O’ Dalaigh.
O’Dalaigh gave Monaleen the lead for the first time and went four to the good before Michael Boland sent two over the bar in quick succession. Three more scores with no reply put Bray one ahead in what was already a nail-biting clash.
Talisman Mark O’Dwyer bagged two points himself and Ed Doyle put the City side two ahead. Leading 0-10 : 0-8 with four minutes to play in the first half, Monaleen ended up 0-11 to 0-10 behind at the interval after Bray scored three without reply.
The second half began in the same fashion as two points from the off restored Monaleen’s lead but found themself behind from a pair of Moorhouse frees in a matter of minutes. Three more points in Monaleen’s favour gave the Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Champions a 0-15 : 0-14 lead but they levelled yet again minutes later.
A point each later and there still nothing to separate the two sides. Brian Nesbitt put the Wicklow champions ahead but his score was squandered by an Andrew La Touche Cosgrave goal, the first of the game which was bound to give Monaleen serious momentum.
However, Moorhouse was clinical yet again and levelled proceedings but Monaleen hit the back of the net once again, this time through Dan Power after fantastic work from Luke Murphy.
The second goal would prove to be the dagger for Bray, who only split the posts once in the remaining minutes compared to Monaleen’s four as they rallied to a memorable win in Offaly.
They set up an All-Ireland Intermediate final clash with Mayo and Connacht champions Tooreen following their victory over Liatroim in the other semi-final. The decider is scheduled to take place in January.
Watch the highlights in full below: