“It’s a bonus for us to be here” | Monaleen selector Dermot Gleeson reflects on challenging season at Premier Intermediate level

Monaleen were relegated to the premier intermediate hurling championship from the Senior ranks last season.

Dermot Gleeson and Monaleen are preparing to face Bruff in the Premier IHC final this Saturday as they aim to get themselves back to the senior grade at their first attempt.

The side stumbled into the Premier Intermediate after losing their relegation play-off against Blackrock twelve months ago but six wins, one draw and one loss later in the PIHC, they find themselves one game away from returning to the fold.

However, the journey hasn’t been as simple as they’d have hoped it would be with a handful of tight matches that the side had to squeeze through, including their semi-final bout with Effin.

Monaleen selector Dermot Gleeson commented on the game, praising Effin for their effort and has been impressed by their performances on their return to the PIHC.

“We were under no illusions (against Effin), everyone can have a bad day and I know the manager of Effin very well, Stephen Kelleher and I spoke to Steven afterwards and I said to him ‘ye are in a better position than we are here’, because we psychologically get these lads right and it was a tough week.

“We watched Effin a few times and I was impressed with the way they can play hurling and I think Effin are a coming team to be honest with some really good hurlers you know O’Donovan there and O’Connor, really good hurlers and they caused us problems last week so that was tough game.”

All focus turns to Bruff now as the side prepare to take the field on Saturday. One point was the difference between the teams in the group stages with the game swinging in Monaleen’s favour back in September.

But Gleeson believes that Bruff are the favourites this time around and highlighted Sean Finn and Danny O’Leary as their particular threats ahead of Saturday’s final.

The Monaleen selector was also full of praise for his own side who would’ve found it difficult to muster up the confidence to get into the final.

“There’s no doubt that Bruff are the favourites here, they have the experience. It’s not every day you have a Player of the Year contender, a multiple All-Star at centre-back, I’d love to have him, but we don’t.

“But as I said (Danny) O’Leary, I’ve watched him play in the four or five games I think he’s a super talent, one of the best forwards I’ve seen in Limerick to be honest about it.

“Put them two together and we’d want to be beating them by more than a point to be in with (a chance). But look, it’s a bonus for us to be here, that’s the big thing. Five U19s, coming down from Senior, I suppose your confidence is dented.

“But look, we’ve dug in, as I said we haven’t wiped anyone in a match but we’ve won them, a point here and there and we’ve got to the final and it’s a massive bonus.”

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Monaleen face Bruff at 3pm on Saturday in Kilmallock in the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final.