Clonoulty-Rossmore win first title in 21 years after thrilling final success

[team1]Clonoulty-Rossmore[/team1][score1]0-23[/score1][team2]Nenagh Éire Óg[/team2][score2]2-13[/score2][/score]

The teams may have been level 10 times but Clonoulty-Rossmore were most deserved winners of their first Dan Breen Cup in 21 years.

A crowd of 7,406 in Semple Stadium witnessed an exciting affair where John and Joey O’Keeffe and Dillon Quirke gave fine displays in guiding the men from the west to the fourth ever title.

Clonoulty scored the last five points of the game to cap a splendid victory for John Devane’s side, although a lot of their good work was undone by a second Nenagh goal in the 52nd minute, Paddy Murphy making the most of a high ball lost by the Clonoulty defence.

But Clonoulty were soon back on level terms, Timmy Hammersley converting one of a handful of frees won by the precocious centre-forward Quirke. Jake Morris hit back with one at the other end but Clonoulty’s run to the final whistle was empathic, Hammersley striking over four frees and Cathal Bourke providing the last score.

With Michael Ryan playing so cleverly in midfield, Clonoulty-Rossmore began the better side as much as they registered five wides by the break. Against the wind, their 0-12 to 1-8 lead was all the more impressive although they were a couple of points up on three occasions.

Timmy Hammersley had a shot saved by Shane Hennessy early on but they were well and truly up and running by the eighth minute, 0-3 to 0-1 ahead. A hat-trick of unanswered scores then pushed Nenagh Éire Óg into an advantage but it was short-lived as Clonoulty answered it with three of their own, one of them the first of Quirke’s converted sideline cuts.

However, Nenagh stung them for a goal in the 19th minute, Killian Gleeson spraying a ball to Andrew Coffey whose shot was saved by Declan O’Dwyer but Philip Hickey was quick to react to his parry and poked the ball to the net.

A second Quirke sideline ensured Clonoulty settled quick after that setback but Nenagh were ahead again thanks to a Morris free and he followed it up with another seconds later in the 26th minute.

Clonoulty were back level two minutes later - Conor Hammersley and Bourke impressing - and after another Morris free hit three points on the bounce, two of them Timmy Hammersley frees. A fifth Morris free finished out the half.

Scorers for Clonoulty-Rossmore: T. Hammersley (0-12, 10 frees); C. Bourke (0-3); P. White, D. Quirke (sidelines) (0-2 each); J. O’Keeffe, T. Butler, F. O’Keeffe, M. Ryan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Nenagh Éire Óg: J. Morris (0-6, 5 frees); P. Murphy, P. Hickey (1-1 each); T. Heffernan, A. Coffey, M. Heffernan (sideline), K. Gleeson, B. Heffernan (0-1 each).

CLONOULTY-ROSSMORE: D. O’Dwyer; Joey O’Keeffe, C. Quirke, J. Ryan; S. O’Connor, John O’Keeffe (c), E. Heffernan; M. Ryan, C. Hammersley; P. White, D. Quirke, Tom Butler; C. Bourke, T. Hammersley, F. O’Keeffe.

Subs for Clonoulty-Rossmore: R. Heffernan for F. O’Keeffe (49); J. Hammersley for Joey O’Keeffe (inj 54); Thomas Butler for P. White (55).

NENAGH ÉIRE ÓG: S. Hennessy; C. McCarthy, N. Maloney, D. Quinn; C. Ryan, H. Maloney, B. Heffernan; P. Morris, K. Gleeson; P. Murphy, J. Morris, A. Coffey; T. Heffernan, P. Hickey, M. Heffernan (c).

Subs for Nenagh Éire Óg: J. Mackey for P. Morris (40); A. Gratton for N. Maloney (inj 49).

Referee: K. Jordan (Thurles Gaels).