Munster Club SFC Quarter-Finals
Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) 2-7 Newcastle West (Limerick) 0-6
Castlehaven (Cork) 1-12 Cratloe (Clare) 0-11 AET
CLONMEL COMMERCIALS AND Castlehaven have advanced to the semi-finals of the Munster Club SFC after overcoming the Limerick and Clare champions.
A second-minute goal from Seánie O’Connor helped Commercials to gain revenge on last year’s runners-up Newcastle West to progress to a home semi against Kerry representatives Dingle on Sunday week.
The Magpies, managed by incoming Treaty boss Jimmy Lee, hadn’t conceded a goal in their last five games but that record didn’t last beyond the first attack of a Clonmel side netting their 20th this season.
O’Connor took his personal tally to five goals in five games when found by a lovely low kick pass from fit-again Jack Kennedy. The inside man looked penned in but he sidestepped his way through three defenders and applied a composed finish.
The three-in-a-row Limerick kingpins were without their All-Star nominees of recent years in Cian Sheehan (travelling) and Iain Corbett (injured), with the captain ruled out due to a hamstring strain picked up in last week’s county final.
But they struck three long-range points in response via two Eoin Hurley frees and a super Bryan Nix point while falling to cut the lead to one.
They didn’t score in the 10 minutes in which McGarry was black-carded, however, while Kevin Fahey extended the half-time lead to 1-2 to 0-3.
Fahey added his second point from wing-back on the restart and Commercials finished it off in the 55th minute with a brilliant move.
Seamus Kennedy summoned a full-stretch block on Michael O’Leary and McGarry soloed all the way from midfield to finish via the far post.
Down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, extra-time was required before Castlehaven shook off Cratloe by 1-12 to 0-11.
A goal from Robbie Minihane separated the sides in the end to seal a trip away to Waterford winners Rathgormack on Sunday week.
The breakthrough was crafted brilliantly by Jack Cahalance, who exchanged a one-two with Mark Collins from a sideline before dinking the ball into Minihane’s path. The substitute’s shot was placed perfectly into the bottom corner.
Two frees from former Clare hurler Cathal McInerney cut the deficit back to one but the Haven landed the final three points from Brian Hurley (2) and Jamie O’Driscoll. Hurley scored 0-7 in all, four from play, in a match-winning contribution.
The were deadlocked at 0-4 apiece at half-time, with Cahalane scoring twice to send them in level after a tense opener.
It continued in that vein with no score between the 41st and 58th minutes, although the hosts were the happier as they nullified the damage during Johnny O’Regan’s period in the sin bin.
In an explosive finale, Hurley’s long-range left-footed effort edged the Haven ahead before corner-back David Collins, one of three sons of manager Colm Collins on the field, produced the response.
Mark Collins looked to have given the Cork champions the winner but another defender Enda Boyce stepped forward to land an outside-of-the-boot equaliser.
But the Haven found more in extra-time.
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