Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) 1-13

St Joseph’s Miltown-Malbay (Clare) 0-3

Jackie Cahill reports from Clonmel Sportsfield

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS DEMOLISHED St Joseph’s Miltown-Malbay in this afternoon’s AIB Munster senior club football semi-final to book a final showdown with Nemo Rangers.

Commercials, playing on home soil at the Clonmel Sportsfield, found themselves playing into the teeth of a strong first-half breeze but were 0-8 to 0-1 clear at the break, and with much of the hard work done.

Commercials were far more composed than their Clare opponents and were extremely good at keeping possession in tight areas with clever handpassing.

And when the opportunities arose, Commercials took them to advance to a first Munster final since 1994, when they lost to Castlehaven. It’s also the first time that a Tipp team will contest the Munster showpiece since Fethard in 2001, another sign of the Premier County’s growing football stock. St Joseph’s were poor, however, and never got going on the day.

A large travelling contingent descended on the Sportsfield but they had to wait until the 27th minute for their team’s opening score, supplied by Eoin Cleary. By then, Commercials had eight points on the board, with Ian Barnes, Michael Quinlivan, Jason Lonergan, Seamus Kennedy and Jack Kennedy all contributing.

And when Quinlivan fisted home Lonergan’s delivery in the 41st minute, a goal that handed Commercials a 1-9 to 0-2 advantage, it was game over. Commercials had Quinlivan blackcarded with 14 minutes of normal time remaining but they held out comfortably to the finish.

Full-back Seanie Malone did put over an inspirational point for St Joseph’s early in the second half but they wouldn’t score again until the closing minutes, before Pádraig White and Lonergan added gloss to the scoreboard with late scores for Commercials.

Scorers for Commercials: Michael Quinlivan 1-3 (0-1f), Jason Lonergan 0-3, Seamus Kennedy & Pádraig White (1f) 0-2 each, Jack Kennedy, Ian Fahey (45) & Ian Barnes (f) 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Joseph’s: Seanie Malone, Eoin Cleary & Kieran Malone 0-1 each.

Commercials

1. Jake McDonald

4. Jamie Peters
3. Donal Lynch
2. Fergal Condon

10. Luke Moore
7. Kevin Fahey
13. Kevin Harney (c)

6. Seamus Kennedy
14. Michael Quinlivan

9. Aldo Matassa
12. Jason Lonergan
11. Ian Fahey

17. Ian Barnes
8. Jack Kennedy
15. Pádraig White

Subs

18. Pádraig Looram for J Kennedy (36)
5. Danny Madigan for Quinlivan (47, black card)
24. John Harney for Barnes (48)
19. Eoin Fitzgerald for Matassa (54)
20. Shane Taylor for Peters (56)
23. Cathal McGeever for Condon (58)

St Joseph’s

1. Sean O’Brien

7. Eoin O’Brien
3. Seanie Malone
6. Gordon Kelly

4. Enda O’Gorman
8. Gearoid Curtin
23. Damien Lafferty

9. John Meade
17. Darragh McDonagh

10. Kevin Keavey
14. Kieran Malone
12. Joe Curtin

13. Eoin Cleary
11. Eoin Curtin
15. Brian Curtin (c)

Subs

5. Colin Hehir for Lafferty (inj, 10)
18. Cormac Murray for Keavey (30)
20. Graham Kelly for Meade (h.t.)
19. Sean Malone for J Curtin (46)
25. Shane Curtin for G Curtin (51)
21. David Talty for Cleary (55)

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).

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