Comfortable win for the holders in Tipperary senior football championship

Clonmel Commercials 2-16 Arravale Rovers 0-8 

Holders Clonmel Commercials took the first step in their quest to head the Tipperary Senior Football Championship roll of honour, as they bid for three in a row FBD Insurance Senior Football titles, when they accounted for Arravale Rovers at Canon Hayes Park Bansha on Saturday evening. Currently they share the top spot with Fethard on 21 titles in the roll of honour.

From the start the holders dictated the terms of engagement and apart from the second minute, after Orrin Jones had set the scoreboard moving, the West side were always chasing the game.

Cian Smith opened Commercials’ account after three minutes with a major after Peter McGarry had opened up the Arravale defence with ease. Throughout this game Commercials moved the ball at a fast pace, playing heads-up football with some clinical finishing, while Arravale were finding it difficult to break the tackle and were over dependent on Orrin Jones from placed balls.

Jones scored 0-6 of their total from frees, while Commercials hit 2-15 of their total from open play, which included 2-3 from centre forward Cian Smith, the first goal scored after just three minutes and the second coming on 56 minutes.

Orrin Jones kicked 0-4 from placed balls during the opening half, with Jack Kennedy chipping in with 0-3 for the holders as they led by double scores at the break, Commercials 1-7 Arravale 0-5.

The second period was one-way traffic, as Arravale were limited to just three points, two frees from Jones during the third quarter and an Eoin Doocey point from play late on.

On the strength of this display Commercials are odds-on to emerge from this group of six teams and reach the quarter final stage, while Arravale will struggle for the fourth place, which would also give them a quarter final spot.

From the start Arravale attacked and Orrin Jones converted inside a minute from a placed ball. This was the only time that they went in front, as Commercials quickly got into their stride.

After three minutes Arravale were in trouble when Peter McGarry split their defence before setting up Cian Smith for a goal. From this point on there was only going to be one winner, as they got into a rhythm and moved up and down the field with pace, a pace with which Arravale struggled.

Jack Kennedy kicked his first of four minors from a placed ball before Padraic Looram set up Ryan Lambe with a good cross from the stand side. Brendan Delaney cut the deficit to three when he cut in from the corner at the far end and slotted over.
By the quarter hour Commercials were four to the good after Rory O’Dowd made an unhindered run from defence before splitting the posts.

Commercials were playing attacking football and Ross Peters finished a move that involved Michael Murphy and Jack Kennedy before Kennedy himself put over, this time Rory O’Dowd being the provider.

Orrin Jones kicked his third point from a placed ball before Michael Murphy set up Ross Peters for his second minor. Commercials were breaking down the Arravale defence at will with quality movement while also keeping the scoreboard moving.

Coming up to the half time break, Jack Kennedy kicked a huge effort from outside the 45 metre line and Orrin Jones added his fourth point in injury time. The half time score was Clonmel Commercials 1-7, Arravale Rovers 0-5.

The general consensus at the break was that there was going to be only one winner, as the holders were on top all over the park and finding scores easy to come by, with Arravale under pressure to deliver.

The second half began with Commercials putting over three points in as many minutes before Orrin Jones pulled one back in the 37th minute, his fifth from a dead ball. Cian Smith and Jones exchanged points before Commercials went on a run, scoring 1-4 without reply in a 13-minute spell, the goal coming from Cian Smith when he latched onto a cross from Thomas Charles on 26 minutes to blast home from close range.

Peter McGarry then curled over a beauty from 40 metres with two minutes of normal time remaining. Eoin Doocey popped up to give Rovers their second point from open play before Cian Smith closed out the scoring just before the final whistle.

Commercials will be happy overall in this, their first outing in the defence of the O’Dwyer Cup, but they will also know that there are far tougher games to come. Cian Smith took his two goal chances well and may well have had a third. They had a good spread of scorers, with eight players getting on the scoresheet.

Where does this defeat leave Arravale in what is a very tough group? They will struggle, but the fourth spot is definitely up for grabs.

Scorers: Clonmel Commercials: Cian Smith (2-3), Jack Kennedy (0-4, 1 free), Ross Peters (0-2), Peter McGarry (0-2), Michael Murphy (0-2), Ryan Lambe (0-1), Rory O’Dowd (0-1), Padraic Looram (0-1).

Arravale Rovers: Orrin Jones (0-6 frees), Brendan Delaney (0-1), Eoin Doocey (0-1).

Clonmel Commercials: Shane Ryan, Rory O’Dowd, Tadhg Condon, Enda Dunphy, Thomas Charles, Colman Kennedy, Conor Deely, Michael Murphy, Padraic Looram, Peter McGarry, Cian Smith, Conal Kennedy, Ryan Lambe, Jack Kennedy (captain), Ross Peters.

Subs: Darragh O’Connor for Padraic Looram (47), Sean Kennedy for Ross Peters (49).

Arravale Rovers: Darren Heuston, Tommy Lowry (captain), Darren Lowry, Jack Lowry, Cian Ryan, Johnny Ryan, Tony Byrnes, Eoin Doocey, Micheál Lowry, Brendan Delaney, Niall Sharpe, Michael Bowes, Orrin Jones, Brian Jones, Paddy Dalton.

Subs: Shane Leahy for Paddy Dalton (HT), Raymond Kelly for Michael Bowes (40), Caleb Hickey for Tommy Lowry (48), Matthew Moroney for Brian Jones (49).

Referee: Jonathan Cullen (Loughmore Castleiney).