Greene revelling in Sion’s greatest championship triumph

AN emotional Mount Sion manager Jim Greene lauded his charges in a post match dressing room where bedlam was the order of the day.

“There were those who still questioned the guts and spirit of this team. All the questions asked today were answered, and more’’.

Jim Greene shared in many of Mount Sion’s greatest championship triumphs in his own illustrious career, and was a member of the team which made the breakthrough in Munster in 1981. However, Greene is in no doubt that this victory over Sixmilebridge stands at the top of the club’s list of achievements.

“We came to Thurles expecting to win,’’ Greene said, “ but when we lost Tony Browne through injury after just ten minutes and Eoin Kelly played with a broken finger in the second half, we had encountered contingencies you can never legislate for in advance. But when the need was greatest everyone came up with a phenomenal response and carved out the sweetest victory I have ever known in the club.’’

Greene said that he knew they were up against it when they went in at half time leading by just five points after playing with a gale of wind. “That second half was all about the players standing up to be counted, and boy did they do just that,’’ he said.

Greene said that when Sixmilebridge drew level with about five minutes remaining the odds were then stacked in their favour. But in the face of their most searching test every Mount Sion player came up trumps,.

“We played our best hurling in those crucial closing minutes, and when Ken (McGrath) did what Ken does best, scoring two priceless points, I knew we were there’’.

The magnificent Ken McGrath, scorer of nine of has side’s twelve points, described the victory as “one of the greatest ever for club or county’’.

He said the conditions all through were “unbelievable’’, with the wind, rain, and the cold leaving him numb at times. “Not only were they the worst conditions I have even played under but I can’t even remember training in anything as bad as it was out there today’’.

For Ken victory completed the most memorable weekend of his magnificent hurling career. Named an All Star on Friday, he conceded “things can’t get much better than this’’.

But how did he assess their prospects at half time with a lead as precarious as five points and the elements to face on the turnover. “I still believed we could do it, because in my book the wind, of itself, doesn’t win games’’, Ken said.

His brother Roy put the win down to “pure guts and determination,’’ adding that on this day “we had both of them aplenty.”

Club chairman and selector, Brendan Knox, said he thought things weren’t looking good for them at half time, but on the turnover everyone dug very deep and carved out one of the best ever wins for the club. “Better even than 1981,’’ he added.

Disappointment enveloped a very muted Sixmilebridge dressing room with team manager Paddy Meehan tendering his thanks and appreciation on what is most likely his last game at the managerial helm.

Meehan has guided the fortunes of the ‘Bridge for the last four years, describing the successes attained in that period as “unbelievable’’.