Clinical Clonmel Commercials dominate Nemo to march on in Munster

The Cork champions were well beaten in their own backyard. 

TIPP TOP: Clonmel Commercials man of the match Jason Lonergan, left, celebrates with team-mate Colman Kennedy. Picture: by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) 2-15 

Nemo Rangers (Cork) 1-11

We can’t call this an upset because Clonmel have been here before.

One obvious distinction does need to be made, however, between this latest Clonmel championship win over Nemo and their maiden victory over the Cork outfit seven years ago.

Where the 2015 Munster final was smash and grab, courtesy of a late Michael Quinlivan goal, Clonmel dominated Nemo from pillar to post in this Munster quarter-final.

Ahead by 2-4 to 0-6 at the break, the Tipperary winners held Nemo to one point from play from the restart to the fifth minute of second half stoppages when Mark Cronin fired in a consolation goal for the Cork champions.

Prior to Cronin’s goal, the gap stood at 10 points (2-15 to 0-11). It was a fully merited double-digit advantage.

As they had done throughout the first half, Tommy Morrissey’s Clonmel charges overran and outsmarted their hosts. Their running game was direct and purposeful. At the end of these breakaway moves were Jason Lonergan and Sean O’Connor. The two men terrorised the Nemo defence. The two men contributed 1-10 between them.

Nemo had the gap back to two early in the second period when half-time sub Luke Horgan had a goal effort that would have shoved them in front for the first time since the second minute.

The goal effort was saved. Over the next 25 minutes, Nemo were outscored by 0-11 to 0-3.

The Clonmel white flags flowed from all angles and distances. Colman Kennedy swung over one peach with the left. Jason Lonergan had one with the inside of the boot. Whatever way they did it, they couldn’t miss.

The significance of the result is summed up in the stat showing this defeat to be only Nemo’s fifth in provincial action in this their 22nd Munster campaign. It has proven to be one of their shortest Munster campaigns.

Clonmel had two goals and led by four at the break. But for Micheál Aodh Martin’s reflexes and a touch more Clonmel decisiveness at the crucial moment, the Tipperary champions’ interval goal count and lead would have been much greater.

We had just noted in the copybook that Clonmel’s first four attacks yielded only one point when Conall Kennedy, Colman Kennedy, and Jack O’Connor combined for a seventh minute goal during Clonmel attack number five.

In the absence of the middle-third aggression that defined Nemo’s Cork county final win, Clonmel repeatedly galloped through the centre of the Nemo defence. What the Barrs couldn’t and weren’t allowed to do, Clonmel made look easy. They made Nemo’s defence look very easy to beat. Briain Murphy’s injury-enforced absence was sorely felt by the off-the-pace Cork champions.

Clonmel Commercials' Colman Kennedy scores his team's second goal against Nemo Rangers at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Added to the seventh-minute goal that put them 1-1 to 0-1 ahead, there were three further first half goal opportunities.

Opportunity number two fell to Jason Lonergan. His shot was blocked. The opportunity would have been better falling to Sean O’Connor, who was better placed than Lonergan. Jack Kennedy, the man who laid on the pass to Lonergan, gave the wrong pass.

Opportunity number three was beautifully bent into the Nemo net on 18 minutes by Colman Kennedy’s left boot.

This second Clonmel major left the scoreline reading 2-2 to 0-4. A converted Lonergan free a minute later extended their advantage out to five.

Luke Connolly, who had an earlier goal effort kept out by Michael O’Reilly, replied with a pair of frees.

Then arrived Clonmel goal opportunity number four. Another Martin save, the Nemo goalkeeper deflecting over half-back Padraic Looram’s drive.

Clonmel didn’t add to their goal account in the second period. They didn’t need to. The flood of superb scores they kicked from well out the field was more than ample to move them within one game - against Limerick champions Newcastle West - of a seventh Munster final appearance.

Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: S O’Connor (1-4, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark); J Lonergan (0-6, 0-1 free); Colman Kennedy (1-1); Conall Kennedy (0-2); T Condon, P Looram (0-1 each).

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: L Connolly (0-6, 0-6 frees); M Cronin (1-2, 0-1 free); R Dalton, L Horgan, J Horgan (0-1 each).

Clonmel Commercials: M O’Reilly; J Morris, S Kennedy, J Peters; T Condon, K Fahey, P Looram; M Quinlivan, Conall Kennedy; C Deely, R Peters, J Kennedy; Colman Kennedy, J Lonergan, S O’Connor.

Subs: P McGarry for R Peters (48); A Matassa for Deely (58); C Cannon for Fahey (61); C Smith for Colman Kennedy (62); S Power for O’Connor (63).

Nemo Rangers: MA Martin; K Histon, K Fulignati, K O’Donovan; K O’Sullivan, S Cronin, C McCartan; B Cripps, A O’Donovan; J Horgan, C Horgan, R Dalton; B O’Driscoll, L Connolly, M Cronin.

Subs: L Horgan for O’Sullivan, P Kerrigan for Dalton (both HT); C O’Brien for Fulignati (39); C O’Donovan for O’Driscoll (57).

Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).