Extra effort earns MacDonaghs replay

Tipperary senior football champions Thomas MacDonaghs came from behind in both ordinary and extra-time to force a draw in a thrilling championship quarter-final with Éire Óg/Anacarty at The Ragg on Saturday.

County star Damian O’Brien scored 2-5 for Éire Óg, Anacarty but his heroics were not enough against the never say die spirit of the champions. Éire Óg led 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time before O’Brien and Seamus Hennessy traded goals.

O’Brien’s 56th minute point looked to have secured victory for Éire Óg but Philip Austin forced extra-time with a fine point to leave them at 1-8 each. O’Brien’s second goal came from the penalty spot following a foul on Kevin Fox and left the West champions leading 2-9 to 1-10.

But Thomas MacDonaghs kept battling and points from Austin and David Young (1-12 to 2-9) set up a replay next weekend. O’Brien was star of the show for Éire Óg with Richard Ryan, Ronan O’Brien, Brian Fox, Conor O’Brien and Kevin Fox also to the fore.

Philip Austin shot nine points for MacDonaghs, while George Hannigan, Joe Gallagher, Seamus Hennessy, and David Buckley were others to shine for them.

At Cahir, Clonmel Commercials were full value for their 0-14 to 0-8 win over Arravale Rovers. Commercials led 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time and though Rovers rallied in the third quarter, six unanswered points from Commercials eased them to victory. Kevin and Johnny Harney, Fergal Condon, Seamus Kennedy, and Ian Fahey were Commercials’ top performers while for Arravale Rovers, Brian Glasheen in goal, Ollie Keily, Darren Lowry and Donncha Leahy were most prominent. Moycarkey-Borris secured senior status for 2013 with a 2-9 to 1-8 win over Upperchurch-Drombane in the IFC final at Holycross with Páidí Doran and Pat Molloy goaling for the winners in the opening ten minutes.