Roscrea heading to Cork for Munster Final
By Shane Brophy
Roscrea will feel more festive than usual in early December as the towns premier intermediate hurlers prepare for a Munster final.
It will be red and white all over as the Rossie’s get set to face Monaleen of Limerick in the Munster Intermediate Hurling final on Sunday, 4th December. However, both teams will have to make the trek to Cork for the game, despite just 41 kilometres between Roscrea and Monaleen, located in Limerick City.
MacDonagh Park in Nenagh would appear the logical venue but Munster Council regulations state that venues have floodlights for finals, even for a 1.00pm throw-in, which it will be on Sunday week, as there is a proviso for extra time.
With that ruled out, a secondary option to toss for venue between FBD Semple Stadium in Tipperary and the TUS Gaelic Grounds isn’t available as the Limerick venue is not taking any more games this year, despite it hosting last Sunday’s Munster senior hurling semi-final between Ballygunner and Na Piarsaigh.
The Gaelic Grounds had a new pitch installed during the summer and has only hosted two games since, the Limerick county final and last Sunday’s game and are keen not to overuse it to allow it to settle in fully.
This all means that both Roscrea and Monaleen will have to travel to Cork for the final which has been fixed for Pairc Ui Rinn at 1.00pm.
Munster Council will likely have to conduct a toss for jerseys and both Roscrea and Monaleen wear red, while their respective changed strips are also the same.
The Munster Council have also confirmed that FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles will host the Munster club senior hurling final between defending provincial and All-Ireland champions Ballygunner and Ballyea on Sunday, 3rd December at 3.15pm.
ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS
With the split-season calendar, the semi-finals of the All-Ireland club hurling championships will be played before Christmas so it could be an exiting time for Roscrea if they get there.
However, one club who know they will be in an All-Ireland semi-final are the Drom & Inch senior camogie team. Following their Munster final win earlier this month, they now know they will be facing Loughgiel Shamrocks in the All-Ireland semi-final in Ashbourne on Saturday 10th December, following the Antrim champions surprise win over Slaughtneil of Derry in the Ulster final last Saturday.
There was also a surprise in the Leinster final where St Vincent’s of Dublin defeated 2020 All-Ireland champions Oulart-the-Ballagh of Wexford to set up an All-Ireland semi-final with defending champions, Sarsfields of Galway.
The incentive is huge for Drom to get to the final which will be played at Croke Park on Saturday 17th December.