IN A FINALE that crackled with drama and tension, St Finbarr’s got their timing right in this Munster senior football quarter-final.
Hosts Clonmel Commercials were in the ascendancy, ahead 2-11 to 1-13, as the minutes ran down on the clock, but St Finbarr’s summoned a scoring surge when it mattered most as they reeled off four points without reply.
Their brilliant forward William Buckley kickstarted the scoring run, and then Cillian Myers-Murray, their Cork final hero, edged them in front. Having gained a grip on the Commercials kickout, they clinched success by prising apart the opposition defence to register injury-time fisted points through Buckley and Ian Maguire.
There was a frantic phase of play at the end as Commercials chased the goal to rescue their season. A series of shots were hammered in as a crowd of bodies converged, but the ball was repeatedly blocked by the St Finbarr’s rearguard. Their reward is a semi-final spot next Sunday against Clare champions Éire Óg Ennis.
A crowd of 1,805 gathered at the Clonmel Sportsfield for this Saturday lunchtime contest, the pitch holding up well after passing two pre-match inspections, and they were treated to an entertaining encounter.
The home team were forced to line out with influential defender Kevin Fahey due to injury, but they received a major boost in the 13th minute when Michael Quinlivan created the opening for Cian Smith to fire his shot to the net. It tied the game at 1-3 to 0-6 and served as a perfect response to a superb two-pointer registered by St Finbarr’s captain Steven Sherlock moments previously.
That was the launchpad for Clonmel Commercials to claim control of game around the middle, powered on by Seamus and Jack Kennedy, and Quinlivan. They had manufactured a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage with five minutes left in the half, before St Finbarr’s injected life into their challenge. An incisive break by Brian Hayes saw him cut through and while his left-foot shot was blocked by goalkeeper Shane Ryan, Conor Dennehy was on hand to convert the rebound to the net.
The half ended with points traded, a wonderful two-pointer by Darragh O’Connor for Commercials and one from Sherlock at the opposite end, leaving the home team narrowly in front 1-9 to 1-8.
The scoring rates slumped in the second half. St Finbarr’s made an initial charge that yielded three points, Sherlock with a two-pointer free and Ethan Twomey blasting over another strike under pressure when he had sight of goal.
Commercials pinned St Finbarr’s back in the third quarter but only notched one score from seven shots during that phase. That wastefulness hurt them. Sean O’Connor’s 39th minute free was the only interruption to their misses, three chances dropped shot and another three knocked wide.
Yet it appeared as if they had atoned for that when they wrestled back the monentum entering the final quarter. As the ball spilled loose during a St Finbarr’s passing sequence in the 46th minute, the alert Quinlivan seized possession, stormed forward at speed and expertly timed his lay-off for O’Connor to bundle home their second goal.
The value of Sherlock’s right foot to the St Finbarr’s cause was again illustrated when an orange flag was raised for his dead ball shot in the 49th minute, but Jack Kennedy’s clever exchange of passes a couple minutes later saw him create the gap to rush into and knock over a point confidently off his left.
Confidence levels rose amongst the home support yet their side couldn’t translate territorial superiority into scores. St Finbarr’s hung grimly in contention and Buckley exploded into life with a dazzling attacking cameo late on, scoring two and assisting for another. That impact was telling, the Cork kingpins march on in Munster.
Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Steven Sherlock 0-9 (2 2pt frees, 0-2 frees, 1 2pt play), Conor Dennehy 1-0, William Buckley 0-3, Ethan Twomey 0-2, Ian Maguire 0-1, Brian Hayes 0-1, Cillian Myers-Murray 0-1.
Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: Seán O’Connor 1-5 (0-4f), Cian Smith 1-1, Darragh O’Connor 0-2 (1 2pt play), Jack Kennedy 0-1, Michael Quinlivan 0-1, Ross Peters 0-1.
St Finbarr’s
1. Darragh Newman
5. Dylan Quinn, 6. Alan O’Connor, 4. Sam Ryan
2. Billy Hennessy, 3. Jamie Burns, 12. Conor Dennehy
8. Ian Maguire 9. Brian Hayes
7. Ciarán Doolan, 10. William Buckley, 14. Ethan Twomey
17. Enda Dennehy, 15. Rickey Barrett, 11. Steven Sherlock (captain)
Subs
19. LukeHannigan for Enda Dennehy (41)
25. Cillian Myers-Murray for Barrett (41)
23. Eoin McGreevy for Burns (48)
Clonmel Commercials
1. Shane Ryan
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Late scoring surge sends St Finbarr's past Commercials and into Munster semi-final
St Finbarr’s 1-17
Clonmel Commercials 2-11
IN A FINALE that crackled with drama and tension, St Finbarr’s got their timing right in this Munster senior football quarter-final.
Hosts Clonmel Commercials were in the ascendancy, ahead 2-11 to 1-13, as the minutes ran down on the clock, but St Finbarr’s summoned a scoring surge when it mattered most as they reeled off four points without reply.
Their brilliant forward William Buckley kickstarted the scoring run, and then Cillian Myers-Murray, their Cork final hero, edged them in front. Having gained a grip on the Commercials kickout, they clinched success by prising apart the opposition defence to register injury-time fisted points through Buckley and Ian Maguire.
There was a frantic phase of play at the end as Commercials chased the goal to rescue their season. A series of shots were hammered in as a crowd of bodies converged, but the ball was repeatedly blocked by the St Finbarr’s rearguard. Their reward is a semi-final spot next Sunday against Clare champions Éire Óg Ennis.
A crowd of 1,805 gathered at the Clonmel Sportsfield for this Saturday lunchtime contest, the pitch holding up well after passing two pre-match inspections, and they were treated to an entertaining encounter.
The home team were forced to line out with influential defender Kevin Fahey due to injury, but they received a major boost in the 13th minute when Michael Quinlivan created the opening for Cian Smith to fire his shot to the net. It tied the game at 1-3 to 0-6 and served as a perfect response to a superb two-pointer registered by St Finbarr’s captain Steven Sherlock moments previously.
That was the launchpad for Clonmel Commercials to claim control of game around the middle, powered on by Seamus and Jack Kennedy, and Quinlivan. They had manufactured a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage with five minutes left in the half, before St Finbarr’s injected life into their challenge. An incisive break by Brian Hayes saw him cut through and while his left-foot shot was blocked by goalkeeper Shane Ryan, Conor Dennehy was on hand to convert the rebound to the net.
The half ended with points traded, a wonderful two-pointer by Darragh O’Connor for Commercials and one from Sherlock at the opposite end, leaving the home team narrowly in front 1-9 to 1-8.
The scoring rates slumped in the second half. St Finbarr’s made an initial charge that yielded three points, Sherlock with a two-pointer free and Ethan Twomey blasting over another strike under pressure when he had sight of goal.
Commercials pinned St Finbarr’s back in the third quarter but only notched one score from seven shots during that phase. That wastefulness hurt them. Sean O’Connor’s 39th minute free was the only interruption to their misses, three chances dropped shot and another three knocked wide.
Yet it appeared as if they had atoned for that when they wrestled back the monentum entering the final quarter. As the ball spilled loose during a St Finbarr’s passing sequence in the 46th minute, the alert Quinlivan seized possession, stormed forward at speed and expertly timed his lay-off for O’Connor to bundle home their second goal.
The value of Sherlock’s right foot to the St Finbarr’s cause was again illustrated when an orange flag was raised for his dead ball shot in the 49th minute, but Jack Kennedy’s clever exchange of passes a couple minutes later saw him create the gap to rush into and knock over a point confidently off his left.
Confidence levels rose amongst the home support yet their side couldn’t translate territorial superiority into scores. St Finbarr’s hung grimly in contention and Buckley exploded into life with a dazzling attacking cameo late on, scoring two and assisting for another. That impact was telling, the Cork kingpins march on in Munster.
Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Steven Sherlock 0-9 (2 2pt frees, 0-2 frees, 1 2pt play), Conor Dennehy 1-0, William Buckley 0-3, Ethan Twomey 0-2, Ian Maguire 0-1, Brian Hayes 0-1, Cillian Myers-Murray 0-1.
Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: Seán O’Connor 1-5 (0-4f), Cian Smith 1-1, Darragh O’Connor 0-2 (1 2pt play), Jack Kennedy 0-1, Michael Quinlivan 0-1, Ross Peters 0-1.
St Finbarr’s
1. Darragh Newman
5. Dylan Quinn, 6. Alan O’Connor, 4. Sam Ryan
2. Billy Hennessy, 3. Jamie Burns, 12. Conor Dennehy
8. Ian Maguire 9. Brian Hayes
7. Ciarán Doolan, 10. William Buckley, 14. Ethan Twomey
17. Enda Dennehy, 15. Rickey Barrett, 11. Steven Sherlock (captain)
Subs
Clonmel Commercials
1. Shane Ryan
2. Tadhg Condon, 3. James Morris, 4. Ross Slattery
10. Rory O’Dowd, 6. Séamus Kennedy (captain), 7. Cathal Deely
9. Jack Kennedy, 22. Joe Higgins
13. Ross Peters, 14. Michael Quinlivan, 8. Darragh O’Connor
15. Cian Smith, 11. Seán O’Connor, 12. Peter McGarry
Subs
Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare)
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Clonmel Commercials Club GAA GAA Match Report Senior Football St Finbarr's