REACTION: 'Please God, it is not over for us yet. These things may only come once in a lifetime'

Upperchurch Drombane manager Liam Dunphy said the Munster Intermediate triumph means a huge amount to a rural parish that has long placed hurling at its centre. Saturday will live long in the memory for all those involved or associated with the now Munster champions.

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: See the scenes of jubilation after Upperchurch Drombane's successful Munster final!

“In a really rural club, you know yourself, you know where they are from. GAA is at the heart of the community. These guys live and breathe GAA. I am delighted for them as a group of players that they can now say they brought back a Munster championship to Tipperary and to their own parish of Upperchurch Drombane.”

The game changed after two second-half sendings off for the opposition, but Dunphy focused on how his players adjusted rather than on the decisions themselves.

“The big thing for me was that I found myself on the sideline thinking of Tipp against Kilkenny minors in Nolan Park, thirteen versus fifteen. Do not make mistakes. Work the ball through the lines. Carry the ball. Use the spare man. Hit the ball to the right player. Do not allow the opposition to take short puck outs.”

“It took us five or six minutes to get our bearings on that, but once we did we really got to grips with it. I am very proud that the lads made that happen on the pitch.”

He praised their flexibility and composure. “The coaching James McGrath has done with these guys is phenomenal. We can play long. We can work it through the lines. We can play with a sweeper. We can play any way we need to. These lads adapted to what developed in front of them today. That is the sign of a good team.”

Dunphy said he barely saw either red card as his mind immediately shifted to reshaping the team. “You are so wrapped up in it that you do not take note. When I see a red card I am thinking about the setup after it. How do we set up. Who moves where. Who marks who. Who do we free up.”

Upperchurch Drombane pushed an extra man forward and freed Gavin Ryan at the back. “You have to attack the game. You cannot sit back and draw a team on, no matter how many players they have. You have to push up, attack and even attack their puck outs. I thought we did that pretty well.”

He also felt the winning margin did not reflect a fifteen-on-fifteen battle. “It is a false scoreline. The reality is this will sound nuts but if we came out of here winning by a point fifteen on fifteen you might be even happier. But it is what it is. You have to adapt to the circumstances in front of you.”

Attention now shifts to the All-Ireland series. Dunphy said he has been told their next game is in three weeks and that they will face the Leinster champions, either Danesfort of Kilkenny or the Meath senior champions.

“I know some of the Danesfort players because I watch a lot of matches in Kilkenny. They will be a very good team. It is no done deal that the Kilkenny champions will beat the Meath champions. Let that match happen next week and we will see where we go.”

“Please God it is not over for us yet. These things may only come once in a lifetime. We are going to have a cut at this now and we are not stopping.”

READ NEXT: HISTORY! Three red cards as Upperchurch Drombane win historic Munster title in Limerick