FRANK O'Brien paid a glowing tribute to his Brian Boru's players following last Sunday's historic victory in the Tesco All-Ireland Ladies intermediate club football final.
O'Brien was one of the founder members of the club in 1986 and cut an ecstatic figure on the St Peregrine's pitch after Brian Boru's emerged victorious by just a single point against Dublin club St Brigid's.
O'Brien smiled: "You have to say, there w
as a panel of 28 players and every single one of them played our part. Our goalie was absolutely brilliant - she made some great saves there today.
"I'm absolutely elated; never as happy in all my 25 years involved with this club. This day, I thought would never come. I won't deny that but it came today.
"Our girls have shown courage and determination all year long. I just said to them; ye have a Tipperary jersey on ye there but ye also have a Brian Boru's jersey. You have the courage for Tipperary and you have to have it for Brian Boru's. It was an unbelievable battle."
Fellow selector John O'Dwyer was lost for words as he struggled to take in the enormity of this achievement.
O'Dwyer's daughters Aoife and wing forward Cliodhna, who scored a first half point, played key roles and he gasped: "Words can't describe it - they're some bunch of girls. They have hearts like lions. They fought and fought and never gave up. That's the type they are and always have been. I'm so proud."
Brian Boru's crowned an unforgettable year as they entered the Lion's den and dug deep for victory against St Brigid's at the Mulhuddart home of St Peregrine's in north-west Dublin.
The game was switched from Kilkenny's unplayable Nowlan Park to the Dublin venue but Brian Boru's ignored the fact that this was almost a 'home' venue for opponents St Brigid's, who are based just a couple of kilometres away.
Not content with becoming the first Tipperary team to win a Munster intermediate title this year, Brian Boru's kicked on from there and finished the season as national champions.
They did it the hard way too, clinging onto a first half lead built up in dreadful conditions as wind and rain swept through the pitch.
Brian Boru's played with the aid of an icy gale in the first half and at the break, had established a 1-8 to 0-0 lead against their fellow first-time finalists, with all scores coming from play.
With the wind advantage after half-time, and boosted by a goal within a minute of the restart, St Brigid's came roaring back into contention and with eight minutes remaining, they were back to within a single point, 1-7 to 1-8.
A minute later, a rare foray into enemy territory yielded a crucial point for Trisha Hickey, the only point of the second half for Brian Boru's.
St Brigid's captain Elaine Kelly cut the deficit back to the bare minimum with five minutes remaining but Brian Boru's held strong until the finish, also surviving three additional minutes.
In the first half, Brian Boru's had scoring contributions from five players, including the hugely-influential Eimear Myles, as former All-Ireland camogie medallist Claire Grogan bagged an 18th minute goal.
Grogan's speculative shot from 30 yards dropped into the net over the head of St Brigid's goalkeeper Ciara Lowry, as the Dublin team was held scoreless before the break.
Scorers for Brian Boru's: Claire Grogan 1-2, Eimear Myles & Mairead Morrissey 0-2 each, Jennifer Grant, Cliodhna O'Dwyer & Trisha Hickey 0-1 each.
Scorers for St Brigid's: Noelle Healy 1-1, Elaine Kelly 0-4 (2f), Coleen Barrett, Áine Burke & Aisling Kelly 0-1 each.
BRIAN Boru's: Nora Noonan; Nicki Gilmore, Aoife O'Dwyer, Joanne Peters; Katie Sweeney, Carmel Condon, Aishling Kenneally; Orla Fleming, Jennifer Grant; Eimear Myles, Claire Grogan, Cliodhna O'Dwyer; Trisha Hickey, Linda Grogan, Mairead Morrissey.
Subs: Claire Ryan for Gilmore (40), Michelle Slattery for L Grogan (46), Karen Barry for Kenneally (56).
ST BRIGID'S: Ciara Lowry; Paula Bruen, Shona Barrett, Áine Cullen; Coleen Barrett, Aimee Molloy, Ailish McKenna; Roisin Kelly, Sorcha Furlong; Katie Murphy, Elaine Kelly, Orla Brennan; Áine Burke, Noelle Healy, Aisling Kelly.
Subs: Emma Sweeney for Burke (51), Sarah Fay for A Kelly (59).
Referee: Gavin Corrigan (Down)
Sinead Goldsboro
Tipperary Star
P please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to
