Monaleen [Limerick] 2-19
Bray Emmets [Wicklow] 0-20
Tom Clancy reports in O’Connor Park, Tullamore
TWO GOALS INSIDE the final ten minutes helped Monaleen see off the sternest of challenges from Bray Emmets in their All-Ireland intermediate semi-final at O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
The Limerick side struggled to shake off the Christy Moorehouse inspired Leinster champions, until Dan Power raised their second green flag on 58 minutes.
The Wicklow side had led 0-11 to 0-10 at the interval, after playing with a strong breeze. They’d trailed 0-5 to 0-2 after fine scores from Ed Doyle and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh for Monaleen.
But a brace from Michael Boland and points from Moorehouse kept them in touch.
Ronan Lyons, who scored four times in the second half, inched Monaleen clear early in the second half but Paul Carley’s troops didn’t go away. Monaleen lost scorer in chief, Mark O’Dwyer, to injury early in the second half.
Brian Nesbitt put the Wicklow senior champions one up before Andrew La Touche Cosgrave buried to the net off an Ed Doyle pass.
But Bray would level it again, before Power blasted home from a tight angle. Efforts from Ronan Lyons, Ó Dalaigh and La Touche Cosgrave sealed the victory. The five point margin was the largest of the contest.
Relegated from Senior last year, Monaleen have enjoyed a near perfect season, after county and provincial honours, ahead of a first trip to Croke Park, against Tooreen next month.
They will hope to follow Blackrock (junior) and Na Piarsaigh (senior) in securing All-Ireland titles, with no Limerick side ever reaching the decider in the second tier.
Scorers for Monaleen: D Ó Dálaigh (0-5, 0-1f); A La Touche Cosgrave 1-1; L Lyons 0-4; D Power 1-0, E Doyle 0-3, M O’Dwyer (0-2f) 0-3 each, L Murphy 0-2.
Scorers for Bray Emmets: C Moorehouse 0-13 (0-11f); D Masterson, M Boland 0-2 each, P Doyle, M Lennon, B Nesbitt 0-1 each.
Monaleen: J Power; L Morrison, B Canny, J Porter; S Griffin, L Lyons (C), R Lyons, J Fitzgerald, L McHale (0-1); D Power, M O’Dwyer, L Murphy, D Ó Dálaigh, E Doyle, A La Touche Cosgrave.
Subs: David Moloney for O’Dwyer (37 mins – inj), Eoghan O’Driscoll for La Touche Cosgrave (66 mins).
Bray Emmets: P Reilly; B Kearney, J Anders, S Maloney; C Lohan, P Doyle, J Henderson; D Masterson, A Murphy; D Maloney, M Lennon (C), R McMahon; M Boland, C Moorehouse, B McCormack.
Subs: S Lohan for Murphy (half-time), E McCormack for McMahon (39 mins), B Nesbitt for Lennon (42 mins).
Referee: C McDonald (Antrim).
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