Clonmel Commercials win their first south Tipperary Junior football title in eight years

Clonmel Commercials 2-7 Kilsheelan/Kilcash 1-6

On Tuesday night of last week in Fethard Town Park in atrocious weather, the South Tipperary Junior B Football final took place, ironically having been twice postponed because of weather. This time, however, the game was played to a finish on the Astro Turf pitch.

Both sides were flat out in the first half, with Kilsheelan dominating the game and coping better with the breakdowns. But in attack their finishing left a lot to be desired.

The scoring was very sparse, with a swirling wind from the east making scoring difficult, and Commercials opened their account first with a point from Alex Creed in the third minute.

Kilsheelan equalised with a point from play by Cian Roche in the 12th minute and it would be the 21st minute before the next score came, a great point from a 45 by Commercials’ Stephen Kelly.

Within two minutes Kilsheelan had the sides level again, Tadhg Lonergan pointing from play.

In the 27th minute Kilsheelan went ahead for the first time when Aaron Larkin pointed a 30 metre free to leave the half time score Kilsheelan/Kilcash 0-3 Clonmel Commercials 0-2.The wides tally at the break read Kilsheelan four, Commercials three.

After the break Commercials introduced Shane Taylor and he seemed to bring a change in the tempo and pace, with Commercials very much in command around the centre of the field, an area where they struggled in the opening half.

The Clonmel forwards got into their stride, with Alex Creed scoring a point from a free in the 34th minute.

Kilsheelan then brought on Nathan Keyes for Eamon Sweeney. Alex Creed and Darragh O’Keeffe scored a point each from play for the Clonmel side and this was compounded when in the 38th minute Richie Gunne, who started the move on a counter attack finished the move with a well-taken goal, leaving Commercials 1-5 to 0-3 ahead.

Within a minute Commercials stretched their lead to six with another point from a free by Alex Creed.

Kilsheelan did get a point back from Tadhg Lonergan in the 40th minute and from there to the end were only chasing a Commercials team that had steadied the ship, with Stephen Kelly adding a point from play to go 1-7 to 0-4 ahead.

In the 50th minute, when Tadhg Lonergan was kicking a 40 metre free for a point, the ball hit the crossbar and came back into play, falling to Jack O’Donoghue, who made no mistake in scoring a goal.

From the kickout Kilsheelan started an attack that yielded a 20 metre free that was duly scored by Aaron Larkin, bringing the margin back to just three points, and when Aaron Larkin scored another point from a free in the 55th minute we thought we had a grand finale on our hands.

However, on a Commercials counter attack in the 58th minute a spilt ball was mixed up between a Kilsheelan back and the goalie, with Alex Creed slipping in between and kicking the ball to an empty net. Kilsheelan did not give up and in the final few minutes of the game blasted two balls wide when going for goals.

Commercials held out and were deserving of victory on their third quarter dominance to win their first title in this grade since 2015.

Those who played well were Alex Slattery, Richie Gunne, Stephen Kelly, Alex Creed and sub Shane Taylor.

For Kilsheelan, those who caught the eye were Thomas Ryan, James Geraghty, Tadhg Lonergan, Aaron Larkin and Jack O’Donoghue.

The cup was presented to Richie Carroll, captain, by South Board Chairman Seamie Mullins.

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS: Cian Corcoran, Luke O’Donovan, Richie Carroll, captain; Darragh O’Keeffe 0-1, Matthew Kelly, Alex Slattery, Richie Gunne 1-0, Daan Van Der Wal, Stephen Kelly 0-2 (1 ’45), Mark Corcoran, Jamie Ahearne, Danny Hogan, Alex Creed 1-4 (3F), Martin Kennedy, Peter O’Dowd.

Subs used: Shane Taylor (HT), Alan Ward (50), Ian Fahey (55).

KILSHEELAN/KILCASH: Oisin O’Donoghue, Kevin Guiry, Christopher Ryan, Billy O’Gorman, Padraic Hickey, Thomas Ryan, Aaron Costin, Sean Ryan, James Geraghty, Ross Larkin, Tadhg Lonergan 0-2 (1F), Cian Roche 0-1, Aaron Larkin 0-3 (3F), Eamon Sweeney, Jack O’Donoghue 1-0.

Subs used: Nathan Keyes (34), Michael McHugh (40), Pierce Larkin (45), John O’Dwyer (57).

Referee: Philly Keane (St Patrick’s).