Thomastown claimed the Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Intermediate league final on Sunday as they keep a 100% record intact
Thomastown and Lisdowney went into the Intermediate league final on Sunday with perfect records in the group stages as both topped their group comfortably. Thomastown was hampered coming into the final and before throw-in in had made numerous changes to the starting team. Both these teams met previously in the 2020 championship decider when only a sudden death penalty shootout could separate the teams so expectations were high that this was going to be a good game. Thomastown came away with the victory in the end winning the game by four points, Lisdowney got a last-minute goal to reduce the winning margin to just four points.
Speaking to KCLR after the game, Thomastown manager Noel Doherty said: “Yeah quite pleased with the performance today, we sustained a few injuries during the week and luckily we were in a position in the league final to rest those players with the niggles with the view to the championship next weekend but the guys we gave the jersey to they took and they’re probably making our job a little harder they’re putting their hands up for a place and that’s what we want if we’re going to go any distance in this competition”
“I thought our guys coped quite well, they coped with what Lisdowney was throwing at them, in particular, the backs, I thought they were very solid in the first half, they definitely weathered the storm, they were composed on the ball, they put in quality ball into our forwards who again at the other end they were working hard they were trying to hold up the ball and just trying to create chances, we created a lot of chances in the first half, we didn’t convert those its something we won’t be happy about, we need to improve there, overall happy”
“We spoke at half-time about how it’s great to get in here to Nowlan Park and have that bit of composure on the ball, we spoke about it and I thought they improved on that in the second half, it’s definitely something we highlighted ourselves and its something will have to be improved on going forward”
“Yeah it’s an affirmation of the work that the lads are putting in during the year, we’re telling them to look at any match, look at any championship and it’s not about an individual, it’s not about the first fifteen it’s about the panel and it’s about the wider panel because the guys who didn’t get on today they’re pushing lads on and everyone is pushing everyone, this isn’t about Thomastown, there is no individuals here and that’s our philosophy
