Tomás Ó Sé: Clonmel Commercials sucker-punch the worst I’ve ever felt

Tomás Ó Sé has described Sunday’s dramatic Munster club final finale as one of the cruellest “sucker-punches” he has ever endured as a player.

Clonmel Commercials full-forward Michael Quinlivan rolled the ball into the Nemo Rangers goal in the second minute of second-half stoppages to condemn the Cork champions to a 1-7 to 0-9 defeat.

The 37-year old, whose autobiography ‘The White Heat’ will be launched in Trabeg at 8pm tomorrow night, said he was stunned by the manner in which the Mallow contest concluded.

“I was thinking back all week and I have never been sucker-punched like that before,” Ó Sé remarked. “I was stunned, shell-shocked. I was stunned for 15 minutes after the game. It was literally the last second and there is no coming back from that. It was freakish what happened.

“Had he belted it, it wouldn’t have gone it. He hit it perfectly.

“We rode our luck throughout the county championship so maybe it balanced itself out, I don’t know.”

Ó Sé was one of eight Nemo Rangers players named on last night’s Reardens’ All Star football team. “I never saw myself winning a Cork club All Star. Any award is great. Nemo are well represented on the team and it has been a good year for the club.”

County winning captain Paul Kerrigan was selected at left half-forward and also picked up the footballer of the year award. Defeated finalists Castlehaven are represented through corner-back Chris Hayes and centre-forward Mark Collins.

Their semi-final opponents, O’Donovan Rossa, fared slightly better with Daniel Hazel, Donal Óg Hodnett and Kevin Davis honoured.

On the hurling team, county champions Glen Rovers dominate the selection with eight players.

Captain Graham Callanan was selected at left half-back and also took home the hurler of the year award.

Éanna Martin and Cian McCarthy are the two Sarsfields hurlers acknowledged, while former Cork hurler Niall McCarthy is picked in the half-forward line.

Hurling All Star team:

Cathal Hickey (Glen Rovers); Ben Murphy (Glen Rovers), Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers), Shane Murphy (Erin’s Own); Éanna Martin (Sarsfields), Brian Moylan (Glen Rovers), Graham Callanan (Glen Rovers); Donal Cronin (Glen Rovers), Paul Haughney (Midleton); David Cunningham (Glen Rovers), Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers); Niall McCarthy (Carrigtwohill); Pa O’Callaghan (Ballyhea), Cian McCarthy (Sarsfields), Eoghan Murphy (Erin’s Own).

Hurler of the Year:

Graham Callanan.

Football All Star team:

Micheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers); Daniel Hazel (O’Donovan Rossa), Aidan O’Reilly (Nemo Rangers), Chris Hayes (Castlehaven); JP Murphy (Ballincollig), Tomás Ó Sé (Nemo Rangers), Alan O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers); David Niblock (Nemo Rangers), Donal Óg Hodnett (O’Donovan Rossa); John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), Mark Collins (Castlehaven), Colin O’Brien (Nemo Ranegrs); Kevin Davis (O’Donovan Rossa), Barry O’Driscoll (Nemo Rangers), Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Ranegrs).

Football of the Year:

Paul Kerrigan.

Ladies footballer of the year:

Doireann O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey).

Camogie player of the year:

Orla Cotter (St Catherine’s).