Tipperary SFC Final
Clonmel Commercials 1-9
Thomas McDonagh’s 0-5
Clonmel Commercials swept to their first county senior football title since 2002 with a seven-point win over reigning champions Thomas McDonagh’s in yesterday afternoon’s decider in Semple Stadium.
The South Tipperary club, appearing in their first decider since that success a decade ago against Aherlow, were celebrating a triumph that was helped by the strike of the only goal of the game during the second-half by man-of-the-match Colman Kennedy.
Kennedy, a Tipperary minor last year and this year, struck the match-winning goal in last year’s historic All-Ireland minor triumph for Tipperary against Dublin in Croke Park. And he netted again decisively with a 43rd minute strike that pushed Clonmel Commercials into a 1-6 to 0-3 lead.
That was the game’s crucial score after the teams had been tied at 0-2 apiece at the interval after a dour opening-half. Clonmel Commercials were in front by 0-2 to 0-0 by the 20th minute mark after Ian Barnes and Kennedy raised white flags but Thomas McDonagh’s responded to draw level at the break thanks to points from Joe Carroll and Padraic O’Meara.
Yet Clonmel Commercials took over in the third quarter with Barnes and Kennedy to the fore as they enjoyed a 1-7 to 0-4 lead entering the final quarter. County senior Philip Austin grabbed a point for Thomas McDonagh’s but Jason and Alan Lonergan fired the points that sealed Clonmel Commercials success.
They now advance to a Munster Club SFC semi-final meeting against reigning champions Dr Crokes from Kerry, who defeated Clare’s Kilmurry-Ibrickane in their quarter-final tie, on November 18th.
Waterford SFC Final
The Nire 2-2
Stradbally 0-8
It finished all square in the Waterford decider in the Fraher Field between The Nire and Stradbally yesterday afternoon with the replay set to take place next Saturday night at 7pm.
The Nire moved into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead during the first-half as attacker Shane Walsh lead the way on the scoreboard. Stradbally bounced back, helped by a Robert Ahearne goal, but The Nire were still in front at the break as Shane Ryan and Liam Lawlor both notched points to create a 0-6 to 1-1 lead.
In difficult playing conditions in the second-half, Stradbally got a boost in the 40th minute when Ahearne raised another green flag to nudge them into a 2-2 to 0-7 lead. However a Seamus Lawlor point tied the sides and ensured a replay will be needed.
The winners of next Saturday’s replay will go forward to face Cork’s Castlehaven, who defeated Limerick’s Dromcollogher-Broadford yesterday, in the Munster Club SFC semi-final on November 18th.
