Magic Monaleen Crowned All-Ireland Intermediate Champions

Monaleen are Intermediate All-Ireland Champions after a fightback over Mayo’s Tooreen in Croke Park.

Monaleen 1-17
Tooreen 1-15

By Tom Clancy, in Croke Park

Monaleen made a steady and telling come back to eventually overhaul Tooreen of Mayo in the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling final.

Lorcan Lyons collected the silverware on behalf of the City club, to cap a fantastic 2022/23 season adding to Premier Intermediate honours locally and provincial honours secured in early winter.

Neither county had ever been represented at this stage in the intermediate grade – Monaleen now follow Na Piarsaigh and Blackrock, who returned senior and junior crowns to the Treaty county.

Tooreen flew out of the blocks and landed the first four scores, all from play. These came from Fergal Bolan, Liam Lavin and long rang efforts from Cathal Freeman and Seán O’Regan. Ed Doyle eventually got Monaleen on the board after 12 minutes.

Monaleen did eventually settle but were unable to get level. When Dan Power drilled home a 20^th minute goal, the feeling was that they would kick on, but back came the Mayo men with scores from Eoin Delaney and David Kenny. The half closed with scores for Mark O’Dwyer (free) and Andrew La Touche Cosgrave to leave it 1-9 to 1-7 at half-time.

Monaleen did get nearer but again, the Mayo senior champions found replies. It wasn’t until Donnacha Ó Dálaigh clicked into gear alongside Mark O’Dwyer that the men in red looked at their best. The formidable Ó Dálaigh landed five second halves in a superb showing, and this helped them into the lead on 53 minutes, their first of the game.

The closed the game with three of the final four white flags, with Ó Dálaigh landing a beauty from the Hogan Stand side in front of his clubmates and supporters to see off the Tooreen challenge.

Scorers for Monaleen:
Mark O’Dwyer 0-7 (0-4 frees); Donnacha O’Dálaigh 0-5; Dan Power 1-0; Andrew La Touche Cosgrave 0-2; Ed Doyle, Simon Griffin, Joseph Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tooreen: Shane Boland 0-4 (0-2 frees); Liam Lavin 1-1; Cathal Freeman 0-3; Seán Regan, Fergal Boland, Eoin Delaney 0-2 each; David Kenny 0-1.

MONALEEN: Jamie Power; Simon Griffin, Bryan Canny, Jamie Porter; Leo Morrison, Lorcan Lyons (C), Ronan Lyons, Joesph Fitzgerald, Lochlann McHale; Dan Power, Mark O’Dwyer, Luke Murphy, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Ed Doyle, Andrew La Touche Cosgrave.

Subs: David Moloney for Power (54), Eoghan O’Driscoll for O’Dwyer (61).

Tooreen: Bobby Douglas; Conor Henry, Michael Morley, Oisín Greally; Joe Boyle, Stephen Coyne, Daniel Kenny; Seán Kenny, Daniel Huane; Cathal Freeman, Fergal Boland, Liam Lavin; Shane Boland, Seán Regan, Eoin Delaney.

Subs: Kenny Feeney for Huane (51), Gary Nolan for Henry (59)

Referee: Colum Cunning (Antrim)