Sean Treacys reach first Tipperary County Junior A Football final in eight years

Sean Treacys 1-9 Clerihan 1-9 (after extra-time)

Sean Treacys win 5-3 on penalties

Sean Treacys are through to their first FBD Insurance County Junior A Football Championship final in eight years, following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Clerihan in the semi-final at Bansha on Saturday afternoon.
In what was a mediocre game at times, the sides were level on three occasions over the eighty minutes, including full time and the end of extra time.
When it all boiled down, the main difference between these teams was Seanie Ryan (Rogers). After being black -carded two minutes into the second half, he returned to the fray to lift Treacys from the jaws of defeat with the equalising point, which brought the game to extra time.
He also got their only two scores in that period of extra time, the first after 25 seconds and the second three minutes from time to equalise and bring the game to penalties.
During the penalty shoot out, he also converted their third goal from the spot.
If he was Treacys’ player of the match, Alan O’Donnell was Clerihan’s standard bearer. He contributed all but one point of their total, his goal ten minutes into the second half being particularly impressive as he lobbed the advancing ‘keeper, Cathal Kennedy.
This was the score that really brought the south men back into the game when it looked like it was slipping away.
With four minutes remaining, he kicked over a point from outside the 45 metre line, a score that looked like being the winner until Ryan (Rogers) landed the equaliser three minutes later, bringing the game to extra time.
The west champions played with the aid of a strong wind in the opening period and Mattie Feehan opened their account with a goal. With four minutes on the clock, Darragh Kennedy won a ball out at the road side, cut inside his marker and took on the defence, before giving a perfect pass to Feehan on the edge of the square.
Despite having the majority of possession, the west men failed to transfer this advantage onto the scoreboard. Mattie Feehan was their main scoring threat and he converted a placed ball on twelve minutes.
Clerihan settled and Alan O’Donnell got in for his first score on the quarter hour, but Treacys replied through Mikey Feehan to restore parity.

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Clerihan were dealt a blow after twenty minutes when the lost goalkeeper, JP McGrath through injury. This necessitated bringing Eoin Power from attack back into goal, with Andrew Hill coming off the bench.
Mattie Feehan kicked two points in quick succession, the second from a long range free after 27 minutes, putting Treacys into a commanding six-point advantage.
However, Clerihan hit back in the closing minutes, with Alan O’Donnell putting over two frees to leave the half-time score Sean Treacys 1-4, Clerihan 0-3.
Clerihan had the aid of the elements for the second period, but failed to take advantage early on. They had the numerical advantage, following Seanie Ryan (Rogers’) black card dismissal after two minutes, but it was Treacys who upped the tempo, taking the game to their opponents. Mattie Feehan converted two frees in the opening six minutes to put his team six points to the good.
Clerihan eventually got the break that was needed, ten minutes into the half, when they capitalised on a Sean Treacys pass going astray around midfield. Conor Horan intercepted the pass, went on a run and laid the ball off to Alan O’Donnell, who ran at the defence before lobbing the ball over the advancing goalkeeper from fifteen metres.
Clerihan were back in the game, with O’Donnell kicking the next four points without reply. His fourth point edged Clerihan in front for the first time.
With the clock ticking down, and Treacys not making any inroads in attack, having failed to score from the sixth minute, Seanie Ryan (Rogers) gathered a ball around halfway, cut through the defence and slotted over the equaliser from 25 metres, to bring the game to extra- time with the score at 1-7 each.
Treacys were quickly out of the traps and Ryan (Rogers) eased them in front after just twenty five seconds.
Alan O’Donnell equalised three minutes later and Jack Bourke kicked a huge point from out near the stand side halfway through the first half.
With both defences marking tightly, scores were hard to come by and some wayward shooting also didn’t help. Clerihan retained their one-point advantage at the break, 1-9 to 1-8.
The second period of extra time brought no further scores until Seanie Ryan (Rogers) put over at the near end to tie up the game for the third time with three minutes remaining.
Both sides tried hard for a winner but to no avail, as the clock ran down, finishing on the score 1-9 each.
The penalty shootout was a tense affair, with Sean Treacys converting their five chances from Mikey Feehan, James Deegan, Seanie Ryan (Rogers), Donnacha O’Brien and Darragh Kennedy.
Alan O’Donnell, Rian Clancy and Andrew Hill were on the mark for Clerihan.
Sean Treacys now meet Thurles Sarsfields in the decider, in what will be their first appearance in a final since their 2014 defeat to Inane Rovers.
Scorers: Sean Treacys: Mattie Feehan (1-5, 4 frees), Seanie Ryan (Rogers) (0-3), Mikey Feehan (0-1).
Clerihan: Alan O’Donnell (1-8, 5 frees), Jack Bourke (0-1).
Sean Treacys: Cathal Kennedy, Brian Nolan, Sean Hickey, Brendan O’Dwyer, Philip Deegan, Seanie Ryan (Rogers), Brian Carey, Paul Nolan, Mikey Feehan (captain), Darragh Kennedy, Tom Hickey, Eoin Sheldon, James Deegan, Stevie Carr.
Subs: Donnacha O’Brien for Stevie Carr (50 mins), Andy O’Brien for Philip Deegan (55 mins), Seamus Carey for Eoin Sheldon (59 mins), Willie Mackey for Mattie Feehan (extra-time), James Rochford for Seamus Carey (79 mins).
Clerihan: JP McGrath, Billy Norris, Eoin O’Dwyer, Don Kennedy, Dan Walsh, Gavin Sheehan, Rian Clancy (captain), Conor Horan, Neville Melbourne, Alan O’Donnell, Jack O’Rourke, Sean Maher, Eoin Power, Liam Carey, Jack Bourke.
Subs used: Andrew Hill for JP McGrath (22 mins), Rhys McMorrow for Dan Walsh (36 mins), Eamon Bennett for Liam Carey (36 mins), Robert Dower for Neville Melbourne (36 mins), Jack Kennedy for Don Kennedy (50 mins), Isaac McCarthy for Gavin Sheehan (62 mins), Neville Melbourne for Eamon Barrett (65 mins), Dan Walsh for Jack Bourke (76 mins).
Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne/Templetuohy).