Underdog Kilsheelan look to take down big dog Commercials

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Football Championship Final Preview

By Michael Dundon

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS

V

KILSHEELAN/KILCASH

FBD Semple Stadium

Saturday, 8th November

Throw-in @ 3.00pm (E.T. & Pens)

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers)

Familiar territory for Clonmel Commercials who are hot favourites to land yet another County Senior Football Championship title on Saturday when near neighbours, Kilsheelan/Kilcash will be hoping to cause an upset.

The bulk of this Commercials side have worn the county jersey at some level or other, while a few have Munster club medals. Kilsheelan-Kilcash’s pedigree is not nearly as formidable, but having lost to Commercials last year in the semi-final, they are determined to make amends this time round.

This will be Commercials’ seventh final in a row. Their bid for three-in-a-row was foiled last year by Loughmore/Castleiney, the one side who have prevented them establishing an unprecedented seven titles in a row.

On Saturday, they were pushed to the limit by Upperchurch/Drombane in their semi-final, a fiercely contested game that saw the Clonmel lads get over the line thanks to a closing ten minutes of quality play.

Commercials were well below their best but manager Tommy Morrissey was not unduly perturbed. “It was a tough battle but good preparation for the final,” he said.

“Upperchurch will always give you a tough game and we are just happy to be in the final again.”

It is also appropriate to factor in the disruption to Commercials’ final preparations caused by the death of county football manager and club stalwart, Philly Ryan, which led to the postponement of the semi-final for a week. His son Shane is the Commercials goalkeeper and a minute’s silent tribute was observed before the start of the semi-final in his memory.

“It has been tough for all in the club and particularly for Shane, but he is a great young man, and a great club man to be turning out at all for us in the circumstances”, Morrissey said.

Kilsheelan/Kilcash’s last appearance in the final was in 1972 when they defeated Ardfinnan and on Saturday they will be bidding for their fourth title to add to those of 1932 and 1968. The ’32 success was unique in that they were declared county champions on the strength of winning the south title, there being no senior clubs in the other divisions at that time.

Beaten semi-finalists last years they caused an upset in the semi-final when they came late to eliminate the holders Loughmore/Castleiney, a Michael Freaney two-pointer being a crucial score.

If they needed it, that win will boost confidence no end but they have been going well all year, topping their group in the round-robin series. They have quality in their side – Evan Comerford, a former Commercials clubman and county senior goalkeeper, Daire Brennan also on the county panel, not to mention Barry Kehoe and Mark Stokes, while full forward Jamie Roche is proving a hot handful for all defences as is Michael Freaney at number eleven.

For all that, Clonmel Commercials have the stronger hand. Captained by county hurler Seamus Kennedy at the heart of their defence, in Michael Quinlivan and Sean O’Connor they have match-winning forwards, while Jack Kennedy and Darragh O’Connor are as good a midfield pairing as there is in club football. Colman Kennedy came on as a sub in the semi-final and could be in a starting line-up that also features such notable as Peter McGarry, Ross Peters, Jack Kennedy, and James Morris.

Manager Tommy Morrissey is not troubled by Commercials being tagged as favourites. “We are used to that but it means nothing. We beat Kilsheelan-Kilcash in the semi-final last year. They are a good side with a lot of young players coming through so we know what we have to face”, he said.

The bookies have installed Clonmel Commercials as favourites – they are seldom wrong and unlikely to be so this time.