Limerick's Monaleen crowned Munster intermediate club hurling champions

MARK O’DWYER starred as Limerick champions Monaleen were crowned Munster Intermediate hurling champions following a hard-fought but ultimately comprehensive seven-point win over Roscrea in in Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday afternoon.

An Ed Doyle goal two minutes from time sealed the win for Monaleen as it finished 1-22 to 0-18 with O’Dwyer scoring 0-15 after a flawless free taking performance saw the impressive 24-year-old half-forward score 0-11 frees.

A flurry of scores after the half time break, during which O’Dwyer scored eight points as Monaleen outscored the Tipperary champions by 0-9 to 0-3 in the third quarter, was enough to put the Castletroy men into the driving seat heading into the final 15 minutes.

It was Monaleen 0-11 Roscrea 0-10 at half time after Andrew La Touche Cosgrave slotted over a late stoppage time point.

Outscoring their Tipperary counterparts by 1-11 to eight points in the second half, boosted by an impressive nine-point return from O’Dwyer, Monaleen secured the historic win, becoming the third ever Limerick side to win the Munster Intermediate title after success for South Liberties and Effin in 2009 and 2011 respectively.

Eoin Brisbane’s charges will now face the Leinster champions, Bray Emmets or Trim who face each other next Saturday, in the All-Ireland semi-finals on the weekend ending December 18th.

Just 14 months after relegation from the Senior ranks in Limerick, Monaleen now are one game away from Croke Park.

SCORERS: MONALEEN: Mark O’Dwyer 0-15 (0-11 frees); Ed Doyle 1-1; Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-2; Lochlann McHale, Andrew La Touche Cosgrave, Ronan Lyons, Joseph Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

ROSCREA: Luke Cashin 0-11 (nine frees); Conor Sheedy, Evan Fitzpartick 0-3 each; Sam Conlon 0-1