Clonmel Commercials into another Tipperary final after hard-fought win Moyle Rovers

FBD Insurance Tipperary County Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS 0-14 MOYLE ROVERS 0-11

Tipperary football champions Clonmel Commercials will defend their title against JK Bracken’s  in the county decider having held off the brave challenge of Moyle Rovers in today’s county semi-final played at Ardfinnan.

The reigning champions were pushed a lot harder than many expected by their local arch rivals, but the town side, champions in four of the last six years, used all their experience to hold off their neighbours and will be hoping to make history in a fortnight’s time by matching Fethard at the top of the roll of honour with 21 titles. (Fethard’s last title was in 2001).

Unbackable favourites before the throw-in, Commercials got the upper hand in early exchanges to lead 0-3 to 0-0 after just eight minutes with points from Peter McGarry and two from Jack Kennedy (one free).

Commercials then had a glorious chance to stamp their authority on the game in the 11th minute when awarded a penalty after Conor McGrath was forced to stop a ball on the line with his hand. Superbly Moyle Rovers’ goalkeeper Shane Ryan dived low to his right to deny Jack Kennedy, a save that seemed to give Rovers a much-needed lift.

The Powerstown/Lisronagh side finally got off the mark on the quarter-hour mark with Liam Boland’s first free of the day, and were happy enough to be just two points down after Commercials had had most of the possession up to then.

Seanie O’Connor and Diarmuid Foley shared fine points from play, followed by frees from Kennedy and Boland to leave Commercials 0-5 to 0-3 up after 23 minutes.

The champions then upped the tempo with four from play without reply from O’Connor (2) and Conal Kennedy (2), before a Liam Boland free brought the half to a conclusion with Commercials 0-9 to 0-4 up.

Commercials’ Sean Kennedy, introduced as an early sub following injury to Ross Peters,  opened the second half scoring answered by a fine individual point from long-serving Diarmuid Foley for the Monroe outfit.

Rovers were temporarily reduced to 14 men with Conor McGrath’s black card in the 39th minute allowing Commercials to stretch their lead to a comfortable seven by the 40th minute following another Kennedy (free) and one from play from O’Connor.

The hard-working Jack Harney, on a burst out from defence, kicked a fine point for Rovers, but, after county senior hurler Seamus Kennedy was fouled, goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly restored the champions lead to seven in the 43rd minute. Incredibly they would score just one further point over the remaining 17 minutes of normal time and four of additional time.

Rovers introduced fresh legs and threw caution to the wind, and had a great chance of a goal midway through the half when substitute Dara Ryan drove narrowly wide.

Two frees from Liam Boland narrowed the gap to five before former All-Star Michael Quinlivan steadied the Commercials ship with a point from play nine minutes from time.

But down the stretch it was definitely Rovers in the ascendency. The excellent Luke Boland forced a free that resulted in Kevin Fahey’s black carding and Liam Boland made it 0-14 to 0-9 with eight minutes still to play.

Two minutes later Danny Owens fisted over another, and with two minutes of normal time remaining Liam Boland kicked a massive effort to narrow the gap to just a kick of a ball.

With memories of the last-minute goal in 2018 scored by Sean Carey that saw Rovers dethrone them, this Commercials side were happy enough to see it out without any further dramatics and keep their hopes of retaining the county title when they play the Templemore challengers in two weeks time.

This semi-final wasn’t a classic by any stretch of the imagination but Commercials will be very happy to progress. After some too-facile wins earlier in this competition, today’s test will be welcome as they prepare for a county final. It was a team effort all round in overcoming a stubborn Rovers and it was the likes of James Morris, Kevin Fahey, Seamus Kennedy, Jack Kennedy, Conal Kennedy and Seanie O’Connor that led the way.

For a gallant Moyle Rovers this was an improved showing from their quarter-final win over Loughmore. The defence did well against a well-oiled attack that had amassed a total of 101 points in four games up to today. Jack Harney and Luke Boland were  inspiring leaders in defence and counter attacking when opportunities arose, Ben Owens, Diarmuid Foley, Rory Collins and Liam Boland also stood out. Even in defeat John McGrath’s charges can take encouragement for the future.

Clonmel Commercials: M. O’Reilly (0-1F), T. Condon, Seamus Kennedy, J. Peters, K. Fahey, J. Morris, P. Looram, C. Deely, J. Kennedy (0-4, 0-3F), P. McGarry (0-1), Colman Kennedy, Conal Kennedy (0-2), R. Peters, M. Quinlivan (0-1), S. O’Connor (0-4).

Subs: Sean Kennedy (0-1) for R. Peters (inj., 7 mins); C. Smith for McGarry (45 mins); A. Matassa for Conal Kennedy (inj., 60+). 

Moyle Rovers: S. Ryan, J. Harney (0-1), C. McGrath, Cillian Crowe, C. McKeown, Luke Boland, Cian Crowe, B. Owens, L. Fogarty (0-1), D. Foley (0-1), S. Foley, R. Collins, R. Quigley, Liam Boland (0-7, 0-6F), S. Quirke.

Subs: D. Ryan for Cian Crowe (42 mins); D. Owens (0-1) for Fogarty (42 mins); D. English for S. Foley (inj., 51 mins); K. Butler for McKeown (56 mins); Sean Cotter for Quirke (56 mins).

Referee: Sean Everard (Moyne/Templetuohy).