Tipperary football champions Clonmel Commercials are through to the Munster semi-final

Clonmel Commercials 2-7 Newcastle West 0-6

Defeated by Newcastle West in last year’s provincial semi-final, Clonmel Commercials turned the tables on the Limerick team in this afternoon’s Munster Club Senior Football Championship quarter-final at FBD Semple Stadium to set up a meeting with Dingle in the last four in a fortnight’s time.

The Clonmel team may have made heavy weather of it but they deserved their seven-points win after what was for the most part a dour arm wrestle, played in bright sunshine.

Commercials held a slender 1-2 to 0-3 lead at the midway stage after a first half in which each team enjoyed periods of dominance. But they were much the better side in the second period.

Michael Quinlivan got the ball rolling after the restart with a point that he and Padraic Looram created in the 36th minute, and two minutes later Kevin Fahey increased the lead (1-4 to 0-3).

Newcastle West had their first score in 18 minutes when Emmet Rigter’s rising shot cleared the crossbar from a good position, and after Jack Kennedy converted a free at the other end, Newcastle West responded with a point from a mark from Thomas Quilligan in the 53rd minute (1-5 to 0-5).

However, the score that settled the outcome came five minutes from the end of normal time. Newcastle West were on the attack when Seamus Kennedy turned over possession with a great blockdown and worked the ball to Peter McGarry. Daylight suddenly opened up in front of McGarry, who had been black-carded earlier in the contest, and he ran between 40 and 50 metres before hooking a shot to the net.  

Padraic Looram side-footed the ball over the bar shortly afterwards, and although Ethan Hurley responded with a Newcastle West point in added time, Seamus Kennedy had the final say as he underlined the Clonmel team’s superiority with a great point from distance near the finish.

Commercials retired for the interval two points ahead, despite going 25 minutes of the first half without a score.

The Clonmel team looked like they were really in the mood from the throw-in. Just before two minutes had elapsed they had the tonic start when Seanie O’Connor collected an incisive pass from Jack Kennedy and skipped past a few challenges before planting a shot low in the corner of the net.

Having caught the Limerick team cold, Commercials enhanced their early advantage with a point from Colman Kennedy, following Padraic Looram’s assist.

However their next score didn’t arrive until additional time, with Looram again the provider for Kevin Fahey’s point after they had built impressively from the back.

In the meantime, Newcastle West had grown into the game. They opened their account from Eoin Hurley’s free from around the 45 metre line in the tenth minute. 

After a period of stalemate, during which both teams struggled to stamp their authority on proceedings, Bryan Nix found the target for Newcastle West in the 18th minute and they had their third point from another Eoin Hurley free three minutes later.

Commercials’ difficulties were compounded when they lost Peter McGarry to a black card in the 22nd minute. However, despite their barren spell in front of the posts and their numerical disadvantage, they succeeded in holding the Limerick side scoreless for the remainder of the half, with Newcastle West kicking a few poor wides.  

Clonmel Commercials: Michael O’Reilly, Tadhg Condon, James Morris, Rory O’Dowd, Kevin Fahey (0-2), Seamus Kennedy (captain 0-1), Padraic Looram (0-1), Cathal Deely, Jack Kennedy (0-1 free), Peter McGarry (1-0), Colman Kennedy (0-1), Conal Kennedy, Ross Peters, Michael Quinlivan (0-1), Seanie O’Connor (1-0).

Substitutes: Sean Kennedy for Conal Kennedy (half time), Decky Nee for Ross Peters (46 minutes), Aldo Matassa for Seanie O’Connor (57 minutes), Joe Higgins for Colman Kennedy (60 minutes), Tadhg Sheehan for Jack Kennedy (62 minutes). 

Newcastle West: Michael Quilligan, Michael O’Keeffe, Darren O’Doherty, Brian O’Sullivan, Ruadhan O’Connor, James Kelly, Michael O’Leary, Emmet Rigter (0-1), Sean Murphy, Lee Woulfe, Bryan Nix (0-1), Aaron Neville, Steven Brosnan, Mike McMahon, Eoin Hurley (0-2 frees). 

Substitutes: Brian Foley for Steven Brosnan (half time), Ethan Hurley (0-1) for Mike McMahon (41 minutes), Thomas Quilligan (0-1 mark) for Lee Woulfe (45 minutes), Seamus Hurley for James Kelly (49 minutes), Brian Hurley for Aaron Neville (60 minutes). 

Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare).