Clonmel Commercials bidding for 20th Tipperary County Senior Football title

In terms of winning the title, two clubs at opposite ends of the scale will meet in Sunday’s FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship final at FBD Semple Stadium.
Clonmel Commercials will be attempting to win their 20th title, and a third in four years, while their opponents, Upperchurch/Drombane, are appearing in what is their very first final.
The mid club’s voyage to their maiden county final has been the stuff of dreams, the story of this season’s football championship. Combined with their run to the semi-final of the senior hurling championship, it
has been a fairytale season for “The Church”.
However, Commercials will have no room for sentiment once the game starts on Sunday and will be trying to ensure that the romance of the Upperchurch campaign will all end in tears.
The records show that the Clonmel club have been the most dominant in the championship over the past decade. In that time they’ve won five titles and have been beaten in another final, when they were pipped by a point by Loughmore/Castleiney last year. They are the proud holders of 19 titles, and trail Fethard by just two in the all-time county senior honours list.
In last year’s decider they looked set to complete a three-in-a-row for the first time in club history since 1967, only for Loughmore’s John McGrath to land a sucker punch with the late goal that snatched victory from the Clonmel team’s grasp.
Commercials’ run to the final has been relatively unremarkable. They emerged from their group with the minimum of fuss and cruised past Arravale Rovers in the quarter-final by 0-21 to 1-2. Their semi-final against Moyle Rovers was the first serious test they faced in the championship.
They looked in trouble when Rovers led by 0-6 to 0-2 after 22 minutes. But a strong end to the first half ensured they were only a point in arrears at the midway stage (0-7 to 0-6). They were the dominant team in the second half, with Jack Kennedy’s additional time goal from the penalty spot putting the icing on the cake.
Commercials will be aware that they can’t afford to start so slowly in the final, in the knowledge that they might not get away with it again.
They have a team that is liberally sprinkled with talent, including 2016 All-Star Michael Quinlivan, dual player Seamus Kennedy and county players Kevin Fahey, Michael O’Reilly and Sean O’Connor.
Jason Lonergan was their best player in the semi-final, when he scored seven points, including four from play, and when you add players of the calibre of captain Jamie Peters and the Kennedy brothers - Jack, Conal and Colman - into the mix, they have a team that is strong in every department.
Aldo Matassa, who has rejoined their ranks this season, was forced to retire with an injury towards the end of the opening half against Moyle Rovers. However, that game also illustrated the depth of their bench, with telling contributions made by substitutes James Morris, Ross Peters and Peter McGarry.

Above: Kevin Fahey, left, and Jack Kennedy of Clonmel Commercials celebrate with club president Dan McMenamin after the FBD Insurance Tipperary County Senior Football Championship semi-final defeat of Moyle Rovers. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Upperchurch’s defeat of JK Brackens in the quarter-final made people sit up and take notice. But their real headline-grabbing performance came in the semi-final, when they dumped holders Loughmore/Castleiney out of the championship.
They showed great resilience to withstand Loughmore’s late onslaught to record a famous victory, with just a point separating the teams at the finish.
Dean Carew and Ailbe O’Donoghue were particularly prominent in defence in the semi-final while Keith Ryan and Jack Butler form a hardworking midfield partnership.
Freetaker Paul Shanahan and Luke Shanahan, who scored four points against Loughmore, and Diarmuid Grant offer the biggest threat in attack.
Upperchurch may have had the added complication of their involvement at the business end of the County Senior Hurling Championship to contend with, but several of the Commercials players have also been involved in St Mary’s’ long campaign in the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship. They include Seamus Kennedy, Ross and Jamie Peters, Jason Lonergan, Enda Dunphy, Tadhg Condon, Cathal Deely, James Morris and Peter McGarry.
Commercials and Upperchurch have already met in this year’s championship, when Commercials won their second round clash in August by 2-11 to 0-9. It was another game in which it took the Clonmel team time to get into their stride. They led by 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time, and within a minute of the resumption Sean O’Connor found the net for Commercials, who comfortably held off the Upperchurch challenge to the end.
Conal Kennedy’s goal after 49 minutes gave them some breathing space, putting them 2-8 to 0-8 in front. Jack Kennedy, Aldo Matassa, Sean O’Connor, who scored 1-2, Jason Lonergan (0-3) and the Peters brothers, Jamie and Ross, were key men for Commercials on a day when Paul Shanahan kicked six points for Upperchurch.
The mid team have reached the final on merit and their participation in the final has lent a novelty to the occasion.
However, it’s difficult to anticipate anything other than a Commercials’ victory.
The throw-in on Sunday is at 3.15pm.