Templenoe knowhow the crucial factor against Éire Óg, says Rice
Templenoe manager John Rice felt his side’s experience counted in the Munster IFC semi-final, as it did in their quarter-final win last weekend.
“It was always going to be tough coming up here into the lads’ back yard. Éire Óg are a good team, a good mixture of young hard footballers. Probably our experience told a bit and that is a big thing. These guys are two years out after doing a junior All-Ireland. They are used to being on the road and maybe we had that bit of advantage today over Éire Óg, in their first time.
“We had six fellas representing Kerry this year. As well as the four senior players, Stephen O’Sullivan and John Spillane won All-Ireland junior medals with Kerry.
“Our game last weekend against St Saviour’s was a big help to us as well because our intermediate final was May 1st so we didn’t have a full competitive game with everybody until last Saturday. We said afterwards if we had Éire Óg last Saturday it would have been a different challenge altogether.”
Their good start was important too.
“We won the toss and went at it from the start. We just concentrated on ourselves. We knew if we gave them any leeway at all and got up a head of steam, they would be more difficult. Our game plan was to go at them from the start.
“We had a great range of scorers and kicked good scores. Stephen (O’Sullivan) and Killian (Spillane) did well. Teddy Doyle kicked a great score. We have good footballers and they are quite confident.
“At half-time, it was very easy, very calm and collective. That we would try and match them point for point.
“We are delighted to be in the final. Another day out in two weeks’ and we look forward to that, wherever it will be.”
