Tipperary SFC: Clonmel Commercials keep three-in-a-row bid on track

The champions had too much class for Kilsheelan-Kilcash.

Commercials' Michael Quinlivan enjoyed his assignment at sweeper. File pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Holders Clonmel Commercials’ bid for a three-in-a-row of Tipperary senior football titles stayed on track as they comfortably saw off the challenge of Kilsheelan-Kilcash, 0-15 to 0-5 at Cashel on Sunday. 

They will meet Loughmore-Castleiney in the final, a team whose own quest for a county senior hurling and football double is also on course following their 2-16 to 0-5 rout of Moyle Rovers also at Cashel.

Commercials form has been topsy-turvy this year but they were never in danger of losing their clash with Kilsheelan. With Sean O'Connor on top of his game, scoring four first half points, they led 0-7 to 0-2 at the break. O'Connor added another five points in the second half as Commercials cruised to the easiest of wins. He also had the ball in the Kilsheelan net in the 35th minute but the effort was ruled out for an infringement of the square.

Commercials were without injured Seamus Kennedy, James Morris and Michael Reilly but still had too much class for their rivals. All-Star Michael Quinlivan thrived in a sweeper role for them and Peter McGarry, who scored three points, Cathal Deely, Cian Smith and Tadhg Condon all impressed in support of countyman O'Connor. A concern for Commercials with the final coming up is an injury to Jason Lonergan which forced him out of the games after twenty two minutes Kilsheelan were outsiders going into the game but were expected to make more of contest of it. They were without injured countyman Stephen Quirke who was a big loss in poorly performing attack. Michael Freaney, Liam Freany, who scored two points, Mark Stokes and Mark Kehoe did most for them.

The semi-final clash of Loughmore-Castleiney and Moyle Rovers was expected to be the match of the day but it was a non-event as Loughmore-Castleiney romped home the easiest of winners by 2-16 to 0-5. Rovers had already won the county league title and the south championship and were deemed the form team of the championship but in a frustrating afternoon for them they had no answer to the pace and movement of Loughmore-Castleiney.

After a close opening 10 minutes in which the teams shared four points, Loughmore pulled away steadily to half-time at which stage they led 0-11 to 0-2. Liam McGrath, the team captain, kicked six of those points, four from frees. To add to their problems, Rovers had Ben Owens black-carded five minutes before the break.

A Moyle Rovers comeback was expected in the second half but after just a minute their fate was sealed when Ciaran McGrath netted for Loughmore to put them in an unassailable position. They continued to call the shots and after forty one minutes, substitute Philip O Connell, with almost his first touch of the ball, bagged Loughmore’s second goal.

In the 56th minute Moyle Rovers’ Ben Owens was red-carded but by then the game was over with Loughmore calling key players ashore to keep them fresh for the county hurling final next week-end. It was all too easy for Loughmore who appear on top of their game in both codes. They were without injured goalkeeper Shane Hennessy, who is also team manager for this game. Liam McGrath shot seven points for them with Brian McGrath, Liam Treacy(0-2), Tommy Maher, and Willie Eviston all figuring prominently.

Moyle Rovers’ “no show”, was a huge disappointment with few of their squad reaching their usual form. Exceptions were Luke Boland, Ger O Sullivan, Rian Quigley, who scored two points, and the unfortunate Ben Owens, all of whom worked their socks off in a vain attempt to curtail the Loughmore onslaught.