The stuff sporting dreams are made of, says Dunne

TOMMY DUNNE has seen some glory days. Captaining Tipperary to the All-Ireland SHC final in 2001 surely ranks high on the list.

So, too, was the Player of the Year accolade.

But one suspects that yesterday’s Munster club SHC title with his brothers and boyhood friends of Toomevara may now overtake anything done in service of the county.

It was a victory that seemed beyond them 10 minutes into the second half against Mount Sion until this final underwent the most dramatic and unexpected of transformations, culminating in John O’Brien’s winning point deep into added time.

“It’s the stuff sporting dreams are made of,” said Dunne.

“People may have had us written off when we went seven points down early in the second half, but every player has complete and absolute belief in their own ability and in the collective ability of the team,” he added.

Dunne said the Tipperary county champions pride themselves in their strong finishing power and their refusal to panic in pressurised situations.

“We finished strongly in the final quarter, and that has been an aspect of our play in virtually all our games this year,” he said. “We have learned not to panic in these kind of situations. We succeeded in keeping our shape, and we should have had it won before John’s (O’Brien) point eventually sealed it for us.”

Team manager and former Clare stalwart Seán Hehir was delighted at the outcome. But he also described it is a great privilege to be involved with such a committed, determined, and loyal group of players.

“I’m more satisfied than elated about the result, because it took a combination of a lot of things for us to forge this super win,” he said.

He singled out Francis Devanney for special praise following his second-half display when switched from centre to wing forward.

“Francis was superb in the closing stages, winning vital possession, and was a hero among heroes,” Hehir said before turning his attention towards the scorer of their match-winning point

“John has come back after a lengthy injury lay-off and showed his true class with that last-gasp point,” he added.

But there was sympathy for the Waterford champions. “They played very well for three-quarters of the game and looked to be heading for victory, but in the end our unquenchable spirit carried us through,” he said. Hehir said he wouldn’t even contemplate their impending All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Athenry.

“That’s not until 2005, and right now as we prepare to celebrate a very special win we won’t be giving as much thought to that next game.

“When the time comes we’ll be prepared, we’ll be ready,” he pledged.

Goalkeeper Justin Cottrell agreed that things looked anything but good for them when Mount Sion eased into a 1-13 to 0-9 lead by the 39th minute. “But we’ve been down that road more than once before,” he said, “and the self-belief we all have was always going to leave us in with a chance.” Sportingly, Cottrell said his thoughts were with his Mount Sion counterpart Ian O’Regan whose blunder had presented Toomevara, and Willie Ryan, with their vital equalising goal in the 57th minute.

“Like myself Ian is an electrician by trade; we also hold down the same job on the hurling field, and I know what it feels like to concede a goal that might not have not been conceded.

“What happened to Ian has happened to me more than once, and it should be remembered that he denied the same Willie Ryan a goal with a brilliant save earlier.”