'NERVES OF STEEL' FOR MUNSTER FINAL

DAVID REIDY reckons a steelier mentality has helped Eire Og Ennis transform from Clare nearlymen to Munster finalists.

- BY STEPHEN BARRY

DAVID REIDY reckons a steelier mentality has helped Eire Og Ennis transform from Clare nearlymen to Munster finalists.

The previous six seasons had all ended with the Townies suffering one-score defeats to halt their county championship ambitions. This year has changed all that.

Their resolute defence saw them through a series of battles to secure the Canon Hamilton Cup.

The intensity levels went up another couple of notches on Sunday as Eire Og ground down Loughmore-Castleiney in an extra-time war.

"This time of the year, it's about dogging it out, and that's the one thing we put into the squad in the last two years," said Reidy.

"Our mentality has changed to a certain degree, and we've put a bit of steeliness into that squad.

"We've built a panel as well. The young lads are driving everything and, again, we probably didn’t have that so much in the years previous.