Results
Tipperary senior football final
- Loughmore-Castleiney 1-12 Clonmel Commercials 1-11
Waterford senior football final
- The Nire 1-7 Rathgormack 0-9
Offaly senior hurling final
- St Rynagh’s 1-11 Coolderry 0-12
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JOHN MCGRATH WAS the scoring hero once again for Loughmore-Castleiney as his injury-time goal sealed their 1-12 to 1-11 victory over Clonmel Commercials in today’s Tipperary senior football final.
The Semple Stadium showdown was a repeat of last year’s final which Commercials triumphed in by a point.
Clonmel Commercials were hoping to complete three-in-a-row for the first time since 1967 but Loughmore-Castleiney triumphed in a football final for the first time since 2016 and now get set for next weekend’s county hurling final replay against Thurles Sarsfields.
An early Michael Quinlivan goal paved the way for the reigning champions to go ahead 1-2 to 0-2 by the first water break and then 1-5 to 0-6 at half-time. Loughmore always stayed in touch, 1-9 to 0-10 adrift by the second water break, and then McGrath rifled home that injury-time goal that sent them two clear.
A Jason Lonergan point was all Clonmel could muster in injury-time as they were unable to draw level. Conor Ryan was top scorer with 0-7 for Loughmore while John McGrath hit 1-2 for a team that started without John Meagher and Brian McGrath, although the latter did come on.
In Waterford, The Nire ran out victors by 1-7 to 0-9 against Rathgormack with Aaron Ryan netting the crucial only goal of the game at the Fraher Field in Dungarvan.
The success ensures they are champions for the first time since 2018, while Rathgormack lost a final for the second season on the bounce. The teams were tied at 0-4 apiece at the break with Ryan’s second-half strike proving to be a significant one.
Both champions are now through to the Munster senior club quarter-finals on the weekend of 4-5 December.
Loughmore-Castleiney are away to new Clare champions Éire Óg Ennis, while The Nire must travel to play Limerick title winners Newcastlewest.
In Offaly, it is St Rynagh’s who are again celebrating senior hurling success after they saw off Coolderry by 1-11 to 0-12 in Tullamore.
A Stephen Quirke goal in injury-time enabled the team, managed by Tipperary hurling goalkeeping great Ken Hogan, to claim glory.
It completes three-in-a-row in Offaly for St Rynagh’s as they reeled in Coolderry, who had lead 0-11 to 0-8 at one stage in the final quarter.
