CLONMEL COMMERCIALS HAVE become the first team to beat Nemo Rangers twice in the Munster Club SFC with a seven-point win hardly doing full justice to their second-half dominance.
Jason Lonergan was in inspired form in this Páirc Uí Chaoimh quarter-final, firing six points in a man-of-the-match performance, while Colman Kennedy scored one goal and set up another for Seán O’Connor, who finished with 1-4.
Nemo, who entered the game as odds-on favourites to add an 18th provincial title this year, had a consolation goal from Mark Cronin. They were too reliant on Luke Connolly’s six-point contribution from frees, however, as Séamus Kennedy and Kevin Fahey excelled in defence, while Michael Quinlivan and Jack Kennedy controlled the middle third.
The 2015 champions now advance to a semi-final against Limerick winners Newcastle West.
It was notable that Clonmel finished their warm-up with a penalty-area goal-scoring drill. They certainly made that count in the first half. In the seventh minute, the Kennedy brothers, Conall and Colman, sliced Nemo open, and O’Connor applied an emphatic finish to the corner.
It would become a first half of goal chances. For Nemo, Jack Horgan fired over when eyeing the goal and Connolly had another saved by the legs of Michael O’Reilly.
At the other end, Lonergan had a shot blocked by the advancing Micheál Aodh Martin, who later deflected over from Pádraic Looram. In between, however, Lonergan’s injection of pace opened up Nemo again and Colman Kennedy’s fine finish found the top corner. That made it 2-2 to 0-4 in the 18th minute, a lead added to by a Lonergan free.
Two Connolly frees hauled Nemo back within range but he missed his last placed-ball effort as that Looram point gave Commercials a four-point lead, 2-4 to 0-6, at the break.
Connolly notched another pair of frees after the restart and then sent Luke Horgan through on goal but O’Reilly saved again. That awoke Clonmel, Lonergan and Conall Kennedy slotting fine points to restore their four-point advantage.
Twice more Nemo narrowed to three but Clonmel kicked on as Quinlivan’s influence grew around the middle. Six points in a row across the next 10 minutes stunned Nemo: three from O’Connor (two frees), Colman Kennedy with the outside of the boot, a huge Conall Kennedy point, and Lonergan’s fifth of the day making it 2-13 to 0-10 with four minutes to play.
Connolly kicked his sixth free for Nemo’s first point in 12 minutes but his next, from 30 metres out, was drilled low, left, and wide as he eyed goal.
It was Clonmel’s day, Colman Kennedy’s injury-time wide was their first in 55 minutes but their shooting boots hadn’t deserted them: Lonergan adding a sumptuous point from distance before Tadhg Condon completed their total.
Cronin’s 65th-minute consolation goal too little much too late for Nemo.
Scorers for Nemo Rangers: Luke Connolly 0-6 (6f), Mark Cronin 1-2 (0-1f), Jack Horgan 0-1, Ronan Dalton 0-1, Luke Horgan 0-1.
3. Kieran Histon, 7. Kevin Fulignati, 2. Kieran O’Sullivan
4. Kevin O’Donovan, 6. Stephen Cronin, 5. Ciarán McCartan
8. Barry Cripps, 9. Alan O’Donovan
12. Jack Horgan, 10. Conor Horgan, 17. Ronan Dalton
13. Mark Cronin, 15. Luke Connolly (capt), 14. Barry O’Driscoll
Subs
11. Paul Kerrigan for Dalton (HT)
18. Luke Horgan for O’Sullivan (HT)
27. Colin O’Brien for Fulignati (39)
20. Ciarán Dalton for C Horgan (51)
19. Conor O’Donovan for O’Driscoll (58)
Clonmel Commercials
1. Michael O’Reilly
4. Jamie Peters (capt), 3. Séamus Kennedy, 2. James Morris
5. Tadhg Condon, 6. Kevin Fahey, 7. Pádraic Looram
9. Michael Quinlivan, 10. Conall Kennedy
12. Cathal Deely, 15. Ross Peters, 19. Jack Kennedy
13. Colman Kennedy, 11. Jason Lonergan, 14. Seán O’Connor
Subs
23. Peter McGarry for R Peters (49)
8. Aldo Matassa for Deely (58)
29. Ciarán Cannon for Fahey (60+1)
21. Cian Smith for Colman Kennedy (60+3)
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).
****
Elsewhere, Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) won their Ulster senior football quarter-final after seeing off Gowna (Cavan) in a penalty shootout at Brewster Park.
Enniskillen Gaels triumphed 5-3 on spot kicks, with Conor Love, Conor Watson, Eoin Beacom, John Rehill and Ciaran Smith all successful from 13 metres.
A thrilling encounter finished 1-17 to 2-14 after extra-time. All three goals came in the first half — Callum Jones on target for Enniskillen first, before TJ Fitzpatrick and Robbie Fitzpatrick raised Gowna’s green flags — and it was tit-for-tat from there.
The teams were reduced to 14 men each in the 58th minute after Jones and Conor Madden were red-carded for their involvement in the same incident.
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Clonmel Commercials stun Nemo Rangers in Páirc Uí Chaoimh Munster clash
Nemo Rangers (Cork) 1-11
Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) 2-15
CLONMEL COMMERCIALS HAVE become the first team to beat Nemo Rangers twice in the Munster Club SFC with a seven-point win hardly doing full justice to their second-half dominance.
Jason Lonergan was in inspired form in this Páirc Uí Chaoimh quarter-final, firing six points in a man-of-the-match performance, while Colman Kennedy scored one goal and set up another for Seán O’Connor, who finished with 1-4.
Nemo, who entered the game as odds-on favourites to add an 18th provincial title this year, had a consolation goal from Mark Cronin. They were too reliant on Luke Connolly’s six-point contribution from frees, however, as Séamus Kennedy and Kevin Fahey excelled in defence, while Michael Quinlivan and Jack Kennedy controlled the middle third.
The 2015 champions now advance to a semi-final against Limerick winners Newcastle West.
It was notable that Clonmel finished their warm-up with a penalty-area goal-scoring drill. They certainly made that count in the first half. In the seventh minute, the Kennedy brothers, Conall and Colman, sliced Nemo open, and O’Connor applied an emphatic finish to the corner.
It would become a first half of goal chances. For Nemo, Jack Horgan fired over when eyeing the goal and Connolly had another saved by the legs of Michael O’Reilly.
At the other end, Lonergan had a shot blocked by the advancing Micheál Aodh Martin, who later deflected over from Pádraic Looram. In between, however, Lonergan’s injection of pace opened up Nemo again and Colman Kennedy’s fine finish found the top corner. That made it 2-2 to 0-4 in the 18th minute, a lead added to by a Lonergan free.
Two Connolly frees hauled Nemo back within range but he missed his last placed-ball effort as that Looram point gave Commercials a four-point lead, 2-4 to 0-6, at the break.
Connolly notched another pair of frees after the restart and then sent Luke Horgan through on goal but O’Reilly saved again. That awoke Clonmel, Lonergan and Conall Kennedy slotting fine points to restore their four-point advantage.
Twice more Nemo narrowed to three but Clonmel kicked on as Quinlivan’s influence grew around the middle. Six points in a row across the next 10 minutes stunned Nemo: three from O’Connor (two frees), Colman Kennedy with the outside of the boot, a huge Conall Kennedy point, and Lonergan’s fifth of the day making it 2-13 to 0-10 with four minutes to play.
Connolly kicked his sixth free for Nemo’s first point in 12 minutes but his next, from 30 metres out, was drilled low, left, and wide as he eyed goal.
It was Clonmel’s day, Colman Kennedy’s injury-time wide was their first in 55 minutes but their shooting boots hadn’t deserted them: Lonergan adding a sumptuous point from distance before Tadhg Condon completed their total.
Cronin’s 65th-minute consolation goal too little much too late for Nemo.
Scorers for Nemo Rangers: Luke Connolly 0-6 (6f), Mark Cronin 1-2 (0-1f), Jack Horgan 0-1, Ronan Dalton 0-1, Luke Horgan 0-1.
Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: Seán O’Connor 1-4 (0-2f, 0-1m), Jason Lonergan 0-6 (1f), Colman Kennedy 1-1, Conall Kennedy 0-2, Pádraic Looram 0-1, Tadhg Condon 0-1.
Nemo Rangers
1. Micheál Aodh Martin
3. Kieran Histon, 7. Kevin Fulignati, 2. Kieran O’Sullivan
4. Kevin O’Donovan, 6. Stephen Cronin, 5. Ciarán McCartan
8. Barry Cripps, 9. Alan O’Donovan
12. Jack Horgan, 10. Conor Horgan, 17. Ronan Dalton
13. Mark Cronin, 15. Luke Connolly (capt), 14. Barry O’Driscoll
Subs
11. Paul Kerrigan for Dalton (HT)
18. Luke Horgan for O’Sullivan (HT)
27. Colin O’Brien for Fulignati (39)
20. Ciarán Dalton for C Horgan (51)
19. Conor O’Donovan for O’Driscoll (58)
Clonmel Commercials
1. Michael O’Reilly
4. Jamie Peters (capt), 3. Séamus Kennedy, 2. James Morris
5. Tadhg Condon, 6. Kevin Fahey, 7. Pádraic Looram
9. Michael Quinlivan, 10. Conall Kennedy
12. Cathal Deely, 15. Ross Peters, 19. Jack Kennedy
13. Colman Kennedy, 11. Jason Lonergan, 14. Seán O’Connor
Subs
23. Peter McGarry for R Peters (49)
8. Aldo Matassa for Deely (58)
29. Ciarán Cannon for Fahey (60+1)
21. Cian Smith for Colman Kennedy (60+3)
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).
****
Elsewhere, Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) won their Ulster senior football quarter-final after seeing off Gowna (Cavan) in a penalty shootout at Brewster Park.
Enniskillen Gaels triumphed 5-3 on spot kicks, with Conor Love, Conor Watson, Eoin Beacom, John Rehill and Ciaran Smith all successful from 13 metres.
A thrilling encounter finished 1-17 to 2-14 after extra-time. All three goals came in the first half — Callum Jones on target for Enniskillen first, before TJ Fitzpatrick and Robbie Fitzpatrick raised Gowna’s green flags — and it was tit-for-tat from there.
The teams were reduced to 14 men each in the 58th minute after Jones and Conor Madden were red-carded for their involvement in the same incident.
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Clonmel Commercials club call Impressive Munster Nemo Rangers