No talk of bonus territory for ‘The Church

By Michael Dundon

The notion that Upperchurch/Drombane’s campaign in the Munster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship was “bonus territory” for the county premier intermediate title winners was dismissed by manager Liam Dunphy in the aftermath of his team’s win over Cork’s Ballinhassig in the provincial semi-final on Sunday.

Their win over Carrick Swan in the county final reclaimed their senior status after two years in the lower grade but the Mid club’s ambitions go further as the Roscrea native explained.

“I don’t see this as bonus territory,” he said.

“We won the county championship and are now representing Tipperary in the Munster championship. We want to do this to the best of our ability and to do justice to the club and the county. Tipperary hurling is at the top at present.

“We were regarded as underdogs in some quarters going into this match. I thought that a great injustice to our team.”

Referring to his side’s slow start to the county championship, he said that the team gained momentum.

“We set out to win every match from the start,” Dunphy continued.

“It didn’t happen but as time went on we began to get things right”, he added, paying tribute to the coaches and backroom staff who worked to hard to enable the players to achieved success.

Next up for Upperchurch/Drombane in their first foray into Munster club hurling is a provincial final against O’Callaghan Mills of Clare on Saturday week in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

“They are something similar to ourselves and it is going to be a mighty battle”, Liam Dunphy offers.

Importantly for Upperchurch/Drombane they have been naming the same starting fifteen consistently in recent games. There were no reports of injuries from Sunday’s encounter but players’ fitness will be monitored in the coming days with Dunphy hoping to have a full deck to choose from for the final.