‘Church wilt in face of Commercials storm

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

Clonmel Commercials 1-0-9 (12)

Upperchurch/Drombane 0-1-6 (8)

Report: Michael Dundon at Leahy Park, Cashel

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Seamus Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)

SCORERS – Clonmel Commercials: Sean O’Connor 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2 frees); Cian Smith 0-2 frees; Michael Quinlivan, Colman Kennedy, Peter McGarry, Kevin Fahey 0-1 each.

Upperchurch/Drombane: Paul Shanahan 0-4 (1x2f, 1x1f); Luke Shanahan 0-2 (1 free); Oisin Treacy, Ger Grant 0-1 each.

Having survived a sustained onslaught from Upperchurch/Drombane for fifty minutes, Clonmel Commercials came good in the closing ten of this County Senior Football semi-final on Saturday to secure their place in this Saturday’s final against Kilsheelan/Kilcash.

Commercials have been the dominant force in football in the county in recent times, along with Loughmore/Castleiney, and this win gets them into the final for the seventh successive year, a really impressive achievement, but they had to dig deep to get the better of an Upperchurch/Drombane side whose energy and drive finally wavered in the stamina sapping conditions of a heavy pitch.

The Mid side had also little time to recover from the premier intermediate county hurling final win over Carrick Swan the previous week, and that too took its toll in the tense closing minutes of a titanic battle that may have lacked quality but which more than compensated with the intensity of the effort from both sides.

Hot favourites Commercials have not endured such a searching test of their quality and character for some time. It was always going to be a difficult assignment following the untimely passing of former goalkeeping star and life-long mentor Philly Ryan, and having successfully negotiated this difficult hurdle, they will be hot favourites to regain the title they last held in 2023.

Scores were at a premium in a feisty first half at the end of which the sides were level 0-5 to 1-2. Commercials’ goal, after twelve minutes, was a big setback for Upperchurch. The sides were level 0-2 each at the time, Ger Grant and Luke Shanahan pointing for Upperchurch while Sean O’Connor and Michael Quinlivan did the honours for Commercials. The concession of a penalty was a self-inflicted body blow for ‘The Church, who twice had the opportunity to clear their lines before being turned over by O’Connor who was fouled for the penalty, and he blasted the shot to the net.

Any thoughts that Upperchurch would wilt were quickly dispelled. They continued to enjoy their share of play and a Paul Shanahan two-pointer free after twenty minutes, and another pointed free a minute before the break had them level at half-time.

‘The Church continued to carry the game to their rivals after the break. Once more scores were scarce, Cian Smith pointing a free for Clonmel to which Oisin Treacy replied for Upperchurch at the three quarter stage. Luke Shanhan’s point in the fiftieth minute for ‘The Church had spectators speculating about a possible shock but eventually Commercials’ quality told.

They reeled off six points without reply in the last ten minutes of specified time through Sean O’Connor (2), Peter McGarry, Kevin Fahey, Cian Smith, and Colman Kennedy to be five ahead going into injury time.

Upperchurch never relented and Paul Shanahan pointed a free in the 64th minute, but by then Commercials were safely through to the final.

Given the difficult time the Clonmel Commercials club had been through in the run up to the game, they will be satisfied to be in the final, while acknowledging that they were below their best for most of the encounter.

The experience of their key men carried them through with Seamus Kennedy, Sean O’Connor, Kevin Fahey, Michael Quinlivan steadying influences all through while James Morris and Peter McGarry also had influential outings.

Upperchurch/Drombane now focus on the Munster club intermediate hurling championship against O’Callaghan’s Mills as a great season for them continues. They can be very proud of this display with Paul Shanahan again a leading light. Ger Grant, Luke Shanahan, Mikey Griffin, Oisin Treacy, and Dean Carew all had big games as the curtain came down on a wonderful football campaign.

TEAMS - Clonmel Commercials: Shane Ryan (6); Tadhg Condon (6), James Morris (7), Ross Slattery (6); Kevin Fahey (7), Seamus Kennedy (8), Cathal Deely (6); Darragh O’Connor (6), Jack Kennedy (6); Ross Peters (6), Sean O’Connor (7), Peter McGarry (7); Ryan Lambe (6), Michael Quinlivan (7), Cian Smith (6).

Subs: Rory O’Dowd (6) for Peters (42); Colman Kennedy (6) for Lambe (45), Tadhg Sheehan (NR) for Deely (59); Joe Higgins (NR) for D O’Connor (60+1).

Upperchurch/Drombane: Loughlin Ryan (6); Pat Ryan (6), Mikey Griffin (7), Mikey Lavery (6); Oisin Treacy (7), Gavin Ryan (6), Paddy Phelan (6); Paul Shanahan (7), Dean Carew (7); Keith Ryan (6), Ger Grant (7), Niall Grant (6); Conor Fahy (6), Luke Shanahan (7), Diarmuid Grant (6).

Subs: Sean Ryan (6) for N Grant (49); Jim O’Dwyer (6) for D Grant (56); Tomas Ryan (NR) for Phelan (60+1).

Referee: Seanie Peters (Aherlow).