Tipperary SFC round-up: Clonmel Commercials clinch quarter-final spot

Elsewhere Ballina will join Clonmel in the knockout stages despite a 0-13 to 0-10 defeat to Ardfinnan.

Trailing by a point, Commercials channelled the wind for an unanswered 1-8 surge at Monroe. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Clonmel Commercials trailed at midway, but there was no doubt by the full-time whistle as they clinched a seeded Tipperary SFC quarter-final spot with a 1-13 to 0-6 victory over Grangemockler-Ballyneale.

Trailing by a point, Commercials channelled the wind for an unanswered 1-8 surge at Monroe.

Full-forward Michael Quinlivan capped his 1-3 contribution with a 44th-minute goal. Séamus Kennedy added a flourish with a long-range two-pointer as Commercials didn’t concede until second-half stoppage time.

Ballina will join them in the knockout stages despite a 0-13 to 0-10 defeat to Ardfinnan. The south side looked on track for the last eight at the three-quarter mark, but Ballina’s damage limitation secured their progress in a three-way tiebreaker.

The weekend’s standout fixture was played on Saturday as champions Loughmore-Castleiney dispatched Moyle Rovers by 3-13 to 2-13 to advance as Group 3 winners.

There were five goal attempts in the opening quarter, with three converted. Ed Connolly and Philip O’Connell took turns as the supplier and finisher for Loughmore’s pair. In between, Tipp U20 Paddy O’Keeffe pinched a misplaced sideline to find the bottom corner.

Leading by four, Loughmore lost midfielders Noel McGrath and Liam Treacy to first-half knocks. John and Brian McGrath stepped into the centre to good effect.

John exchanged a one-two for the third goal, while Brian tacked on two sublime points.

Liam Boland’s 0-8 kept Rovers motoring before Rian Quigley’s late rocket brought it back to a one-score game.

With four to qualify from the six-team group, Upperchurch-Drombane and JK Brackens secured the remaining berths.

‘Church took the runners-up spot by defeating Arravale Rovers 2-10 to 1-4 at Dundrum.

Aaron Ryan’s goal got them off to a seven-point head start, although Tipp U20 hurler Adam Ryan netted on the stroke of half-time. Luke Shanahan’s smartly executed goal proved the killer blow.

Brackens got back to winning ways with a narrow 0-17 to 3-7 victory over Killenaule at Gortnahoe. Shane Keegan’s charges reeled off the first six points, but Luke Ryan’s goal wiped out that advantage by the break.

When Paddy Cadell was sent off and Paudie Feehan converted the penalty, they looked in hot water. But that was bookended by a trio of Jack Kennedy two-point frees for a 0-9 total, which rendered Feehan’s second goal a consolation.

In Group 1, table-toppers Kilsheelan-Kilcash fell to a 1-16 to 0-8 defeat against Ballyporeen at Clonmel Sportsfield.

Conor Sweeney was switched out to centre-forward and orchestrated a fine attacking performance, while top-scoring with 0-6. Darragh Brennan added four and laid on the goal for Christy English, who ended with 1-2.

That would’ve been good enough to qualify for a quarter-final, only for some stoppage-time drama at New Inn.

Aherlow looked set for a relegation scrap until Michael Elligott batted home a Liam Carew 45 in the fifth added minute for a 1-13 apiece draw with Cahir. That vaulted them from fourth to second.

Carew twice struck the crossbar and had a penalty saved, and still led the scoring with 0-9, including three two-point frees. Stephen Grogan got the Cahir goal.

Grangemockler, Arravales, Killenaule, and Cahir will contest a cutthroat relegation play-off, with three of the four to be demoted.