Clonmel Og win south Tipperary football final after battle royale with Killenaule

Clonmel Og 3-8 Killenaule 2-9

Clonmel Og scored a narrow victory over Killenaule in the South Tipperary Under 17 B Football Championship final, played on the 4G pitch at Fethard Town Park.

Killenaule started the better and raced into a three points lead, with Charlie Barrett converting most of those scores, before Clonmel eventually raised a white flag from a Jack Aylward free on 12 minutes to leave it 0-3 to 0-1.

As Clonmel Og began to grow into the game, they followed up with a well-worked team goal, also converted excellently by Jack Aylward after 16 minutes. They added a Jack Kealy point from play to leave a very different reflection on the scoreboard, 0-3 to 1-2 to Clonmel Og.

Killenaule responded well and kicked the next two scores to level the game.

Clonmel Og put in a strong finish to the half in the last five minutes with two great points from play from Jamal Yousif and Jack Aylward, after some lovely build-up play, which meant that at half time they were ahead by 0-5 to 1-4.

At the start of the second period the pace of the game picked up straight away from where it left off in the first half, with Clonmel Og looking like they might find the net again. However Max Ryan’s shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Owen Fanning in the Killenaule goal.

Clonmel Og were now on top and a point from play from Tyler Aylward pushed them ahead by four points.

The game then hit a purple patch of excitement when, credit to Killenaule, just as it looked like the Clonmel team were pulling away, they hit back with a great run and move before midfielder Mark Maher crashed the ball to the net.

Within two minutes Clonmel Og produced the perfect response, after a great turnover in their defence led to a counter attack that made its way to Jack Kealy, who sent a bullet of a shot into the roof of the net to put Clonmel Og back four points up in the 38th minute.

Once again Killenaule responded and three points in a row had them within a point of the Clonmel side in the 45th minute, with the score 1-8 to 2-6.

It was Clonmel Og’s turn to respond now and they duly did when great work from Alex Slattery, who was all over the pitch, set up Jamie Brunnock, who finished calmly to the net with a number of Killenaule players chasing him.

A point from sub Dylan McCormack in the 51st minute looked like it was pushing Clonmel Og close to victory.

But Killenaule were not done yet and a great move ended with a looped pass across the goal, which was palmed down and brilliantly saved by Oisin Martin in the Clonmel Og goal. However the umpire closest to the incident judged that the ball had made its way over the line and raised a green flag to leave it 2-8 to 3-7 to leave just two points in it.

Again the game swung back, with Clonmel Og responding to that setback well and working a great point from play from Jack Kealy to move three points ahead in the 58th minute.

Clonmel Og had a couple of chances to tag on another score but hit two wides in a row.

Killenaule were looking for an opening now and the Clonmel team defended desperately to protect the lead.

A point from play from Kilenaule after a minute of additional time left Clonmel Og with a dangerous lead of two points.

An attack from Clonmel Og was turned over and it looked like time was up but play went on. In a frantic last 20 seconds Killenaule launched one more final attack and the ball found its way to the 21, where a shot from a tight angle needed a good save from Oisin Martin, who pushed it away, and after some pinball on the loose ball referee Paddy Ivors blew the whistle for full time.

Both teams contributed greatly to a ding-dong tussle, with lots of high quality football and scores from play.

Clonmel Og: Oisin Martin, Alex Slattery, Rian Galko, Rory O’Reilly, Brandon Landers, Rhys Lonergan, Adam Tobin Purcell (captain), Jamie Brunnock, Luke Hannigan, Jake Walsh, Max Ryan, Jack Kealy, Jack Aylward, Tyler Aylward, Jamal Yousif.

Killenaule: Owen Fanning, Dylan O’Dwyer, Michael Kelly, Andy Williams, David Lahart, Darragh Doyle, Bill Smith, Owen O’Dwyer, Mark Maher (captain), Tony Ryan, Charlie Barrett, David Xie, Shane Ryan, Jack Bourke, Darragh O’Gorman.

Referee: Paddy Ivors (Ballingarry).