Commercials always in control in big win over Fethard
South Tipperary Under 19 ‘A’ Football Final
CLONMEL COMMERCIALS 4-9 FETHARD 0-6
A repeat of last year’s final produced an entirely different result this time round with Clonmel Commercials proving way too strong for Fethard in the South Tipperary Under 19 ‘A’ Football Final played under lights at Duneske, Cahir on Tuesday night.
The bitter disappointment of letting a five-points half-time lead slip in last year’s decider at Monroe when they eventually lost out by a point to ‘The Blues’ had the Clonmel side fully focused from the start. A pair of first half goals in the 21st and 22nd minutes helped Commercials to a facile 2-5 to 0-3 interval lead, and they outscored their opponents also by 2-4 to 0-3 in the second period for a comprehensive 15 points victory in the end.
It was a disappointing display from Fethard who played second fiddle to a more physical and hungrier Commercials. Time and again their attacking efforts were repelled by a well organised Clonmel rearguard and over the hour all Fethard could muster from open play was a single point scored by captain Matt Coen within a half minute of the second half restart. In truth they were trying to live off scraps never really having the penetration to break down a defence led by Tadgh Sheehan at centre-back.
Commercials had all the main men in this winning performance with centre-forward Joe Higgins commanding. Darragh O’Connor, Thomas Charles, Mark Corcoran, Michael Connellan, Jamie O’Keeffe and Alex Creed were also to the fore in the win. With last year’s county champions Galtee Rovers/St Pecaun’s failing to win out in the West division, Commercials will be hoping to go all the way once again in 2024. But they will have plenty to work on before then and won’t be happy with having kicked 11 wides against Fethard, many from very scoreable positions.
Darragh O’Connor had the game’s opening point after two minutes, the move initiated by Higgins when fielding superbly around midfield. Matt Coen levelled matters in the sixth minute with a free won by Mark Neville; it would be the only equaliser of the final. Thereafter Commercials kicked on and by the 18th minute, following points from Joe Higgins (45), Alex Creed and a fisted effort from Tadgh Sheehan, led 0-4 to 0-1.
Fethard full-forward Charlie Walsh was impeded when cutting in along the end line and converted the free himself in the 19th minute to reduce the deficit, but briefly. If Fethard thought they were in with a shout that idea was dismissed very quickly.
Michael Connellan was twice involved in the build up to Commercials first goal before setting up Alex Creed to find the back of the net in the 21st minute. And within a minute the scoreline was out to 2-4 to 0-2 when Commercials unpicked the Fethard backline with a move linking Jack Lawlor and Niall Deely before midfielder Darragh O’Connor finished the move off with a well-taken goal.
In the run-up to half-time Charlie Walsh and Joe Higgins (won by Cillian McNamara) exchanged frees and when Michael Guinan’s short whistle arrived bang on 30 minutes, Commercials were comfortably ahead by eight points. Unlike the final 12 months earlier when all they could manage in the second half was a single point, there was to be no let up under the Duneske floodlights.
Twenty-four seconds into the half Matt Coen had Fethard’s only point from play, well deserved after a good break through the Commercials defence. However, within two minutes of the restart Commercials had their third goal and again Michael Connellan played his part setting up Jack Lawlor whose parried effort trickled over the line off the foot of the post giving his side a 10-points advantage.
It was all fairly dull and academic after that with the destination of the cup decided with a full half-hour’s football still to play. A scoreless 12 minutes ensued before Matt Coen sent over a free, followed by a shared pair of frees from Alex Creed and Matt Coen (which incidentally was ‘The Blues’ last score of the night).
With 10 minutes remaining Commercials were still way out there and coasting at 3-6 to 0-6.
Alex Creed then had an opportunist’s point after reacting quickest to Jamie’s O’Keeffe’s effort coming back high off the upright, and the same player added another point in the 55th minute when converting a mark from 30 metres out towards the sideline.
Alex Creed then rounded off a night to remember for himself with a beeline goal in the 59th minute when bursting through the middle and sending a rocket past Ben Allen to the roof of the net.
Michael Connellan finished the scoring with a well-merited point after a fine personal display in the final.
Clonmel Commercials: Harry Ryan, Matthew Ó Ceallaigh, Michael Connellan (0-1), Alex McSharry, Thomas Charles, Tadgh Sheehan (0-1), Billy Tierney, Mark Corcoran, Darragh O’Connor (1-1), Niall Deely, Joe Higgins (0-2, 0-1F, 0-1×45), Jamie O’Keeffe, Alex Creed (2-4, 0-1F, 0-1M), Jack Lawlor (1-0), Cillian McNamara.
Sub: Darragh Landers for Deely (43 mins), James Power for Lawlor (56 mins), Max O’Dwyer for McSharry (60 mins).
Fethard: Ben Allen, Jack Stokes, Michael James Phelan, Rory O’Mahoney, Charlie Hackett, Noah O’Flynn, Liam Kiely, Andrew Connerton, Gavin Neville, John Lacey, Jack Quinlan, Jack Davey, Matt Coen (capt, 0-4, 0-3F), Charlie Walsh (0-2F), Mark Neville.
Subs: Oisin Ryan and Danny Barry for Davey and Lacey (half-time); Alec Knightly, James Barry and Sam Coen for Stokes, O’Flynn and Walsh (56 mins).
Referee: Paul Guinan (Killenaule).