Clonmel Commercials 0-9

St Joseph’s Miltown 0-7

Eoin Brennan reports from Hennessy Memorial Park

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS RAIDED for a dramatic smash-and-grab victory over hosts St Joseph’s Miltown when kicking the last four points to book their place in the Munster Senior Club Football Final in Hennessy Memorial Park this afternoon.

Nothing but a home win seemed on the cards as Miltown led by 0-7 to 0-5 by the 55th minute despite facing into a strong breeze.

However, despite holding the whip hand from the outset, the back-to-back Clare champions would be denied a second successive provincial final appearance by the Kennedy clan as brothers Jack (2) and Conal along with recent All-Ireland Hurling winner Seamus unearthed an unlikely turnaround for Commercials at the death.

Up to that point, St Joseph’s Miltown were never behind, having welcomed the aid of a strong wind for the opening period.

Points from Oisin Looney and Conor Cleary inside 90 seconds of the throw-in were initially equalled by Kevin Fahey and Michael Quinlivan.

However, the leadership and inter-county experience of the Kelly (Gordon and Graham) and Cleary (Eoin and Conor) brothers resulted in four of the last five points to give the home side a 0-6 to 0-3 interval advantage.

Commercials’ wind-assisted comeback hopes were frustrated by three wides from placed balls as a scoring blank in the third quarter suited the home side’s resistance. Even when Jason Longeran converted a brace of frees, Conor Cleary was on hand to keep the margin to two with only five minutes of normal time remaining.

The home side would be ultimately sucker-punched by a patient Commercials, though, as midfielders Conal and Jack Kennedy would level up the tie for only the second time by the 57th minute before wing-back Seamus Kennedy nudged his side in front for the first time in the next passage of play.

With six minutes of additional time to come, all was not lost for Miltown but the final nail in their coffin arrived in the 64th minute when Jack Kennedy grabbed the insurance point to set up a repeat of their historic 2015 Munster-winning decider against Nemo Rangers in a fortnight’s time.

Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: Jason Lonergan (2f), Jack Kennedy (1f) (0-2 each); Kevin Fahey, Michael Quinlivan, Colman Kennedy (1f), Conal Kennedy, Seamus Kennedy (0-1 each)

Scorers for St Joseph’s Miltown: Conor Cleary (0-3, 2f); Oisin Looney, Gordon Kelly, Eoin Cleary (f), Graham Kelly (0-1 each)

Clonmel Commercials

1. Michael O’Reilly

2. Danny Madigan
3. Liam Ryan
4. Cathal McGeever

7. Kevin Fahey
5. Jamie Peters
6. Seamus Kennedy

8. Jack Kennedy
9. Conal Kennedy

10. Padraic Looram
14. Michael Quinlivan
12. Ross Peters

11. Colman Kennedy
15. Sean O’Connor
13. Jason Lonergan

Subs

20. Kevin Harney for Looram (half-time)
24. Ryan Lambe for Fahey (48)
22. Richie Gunne for R. Peters (53)
10. Padraic Looram for Conal Kennedy (60, inj)

St Joseph’s Miltown

1. Sean O’Brien

2. Enda O’Gorman
3. Seanie Malone
4. Eoin O’Brien

5. Aidan McGuane
6. Gordon Kelly
7. Gearoid Curtin

8. Oisin Looney
9. Conor Cleary

12. Kieran Malone
11. Eoin Cleary
10. Micheál Murray

13. Brian Curtin
15. Cormac Murray
14. Graham Kelly

Subs

19. Jamesie O’Connor for Graham Kelly (39)
17. Euan Reidy for Curtin (42, inj)
22. Gerard Malone for M. Murray (59)
14. Graham Kelly for K. Malone (67)

Referee: James Bermingham (Cork)