Disbelief and tears as Sion’s title bid ends

KEN MCGRATH fell to his knees and began to cry at the final whistle. Few could blame him. Fewer still would not have felt Mount Sion’s pain.

Even the new Munster champions, Toomevara lingered long to console their opponents in this amazing day at Semple Stadium.

For so long the masters, Mount Sion had victory snatched from them in the most cruel manner imaginable. Firstly they conceded a soft goal before McGrath’s effort for an equaliser sailed inches wide with what proved to be the penultimate puck of this dramatic decider.

Ironically he was voted the AIB “man of the match”, fitting recognition of his overall superb personal display, but no consolation for his hurt and disappointment.

It was left to team manager Jim Greene to field the post-match questions.

“I know they (Toomevara) finished a lot stronger than we did,” Greene said, “but I still have to ask how we possibly contrived to lose this final.

“We were so assured, so much in control for so long, and yet it all ends in tragedy for us.

“All the players however are in bits, and in all my time of involvement with club and county when we suffered more than our share of hard to take defeats, I have never known the sense of dejection that is inside that dressing room right now,” he said.

“I am particularly upset for Ken (McGrath) and Ian (O’Regan) but neither player must feel any sense of guilt. They were heroic throughout as they have so often been in the past, and rest assured they and Mount Sion will come again,” Greene stressed.

The Sion supremo said they had been averaging 23 points a game in the Munster championship but this time fell seven points short of that target.

“That cost us dearly in the final analysis,” he said.

Subsequently in the Toomevara dressing room Greene imparted the customary words of congratulations to the victors.

“Teams of lesser resolve might not have pulled it round as you did, and that’s the sign of a really good team.”