Tipperary football final will be a day of huge significance for Clonmel Commercials and Loughmore/Castleiney

Clonmel Commercials may be on the verge of writing a new chapter in Tipperary’s county senior football championship, but they know only too well that if they are to overtake Fethard as the club with the most titles, they’ll have to do it the hard way.

Their opponents in Sunday’s county final at FBD Semple Stadium (4pm) are none other than Loughmore/Castleiney, who are chasing an incredible third county senior hurling and football championship double in the last eleven years, after their defeat of Toomevara in the hurling decider last weekend.

Not only are Commercials searching for their 22nd title, which would put them one ahead of Fethard in the roll of honour, they are also trying to wrap up the three in a row, a feat they last achieved 57 years ago, in 1967.

The Clonmel team’s last defeat in knockout championship football was three years ago, when a late goal by Loughmore’s John McGrath condemned them to a single-point defeat (1-12 to 1-11) in the 2021 final.

That loss ended Commercials’ most recent bid to win three championships in succession, after they had beaten Loughmore and JK Brackens in the 2020 and 2019 deciders respectively.

Between them, Commercials and Loughmore have won eleven of the last twelve championships, the Clonmel side winning seven and Loughmore four. The sequence was only broken by Moyle Rovers, who defeated Ardfinnan in the 2018 final.

Moyle Rovers were also the last team to win a three in a row of county titles, which they achieved between 1998 and 2000.

Sunday’s final in Thurles is expected to be such a close affair that, earlier this week, the teams couldn’t be separated by the bookies. Each team was given a 11/10 chance, with the draw 11/2.

Commercials have yet to hit the heights in the current campaign. They lost out to Moyle Rovers in both the South Championship and County League finals, but yet have managed to safely negotiate a route through to the county final in defence of their title.

Commercials’ defence has been rock solid

Their progression through the knockout rounds has been built on a solid defence, with just 11 points conceded in their last two games. They got the better of Ballina by 1-12 to 0-6 in the quarter-final, and in the semi-final they had an equally comfortable win when they beat Kilsheelan/Kilcash by 0-16 to 0-5.

They weren’t at their best in the group stages, when they suffered their third defeat of the year by Moyle Rovers (2-12 to 1-11), drew with Loughmore (0-15 to 2-9) and hammered Arravale Rovers by 14 points, 2-16 to 0-8.

Commercials know that Sunday is the time to produce a display that would represent their peak performance of the championship thus far. You would imagine that is what they’ll need, or something pretty close to it, if they are to be successful.

It’s fair to suggest that injuries have weakened their hand this year. Key players Seamus Kennedy and James Morris have played no part in the campaign because of their cruciate ligament injuries. And to add to their concerns two more experienced players, Jason Lonergan and Kevin Fahey, picked up knocks in the semi-final, with Fahey having struggled with injury throughout the season.

However, younger players have admirably stepped into the breach. Joe Higgins and Ross Slattery have been significant additions this year while others such as Shane Ryan, Cian Smith, Peter McGarry and Conor Deely have also shone.

They still have an experienced team, with Michael Quinlivan, Ross Peters, Jack and Conal Kennedy, Padraic Looram and Sean O’Connor all seasoned campaigners at this stage.

Standing in their way of a fifth title in six years are Loughmore, who are bidding for their second football championship success in four years and the 16th title in their history.

Loughmore are one of the best dual clubs in the country

What more can be said about this remarkable club? Sunday after Sunday, week after week they keep coming up with the goods in hurling and football. And they’ve been doing that for years. They completed the county hurling and football double in 2013 and 2021, and in the intervening years also captured the football crown in 2014 and 2016.

As dual clubs go they must be one of, if not the best in the country.

Moyle Rovers were many people’s fancy to win the championship but they were simply torn apart by Loughmore in the semi-final. They outplayed Rovers in every aspect of that game and the 2-16 to 0-5 scoreline was an adequate reflection of their superiority.

Liam McGrath was their standout player in the first half, kicking six points, two from play, and adding another point on the turnover.

Noel McGrath was their orchestrator in chief while Brian McGrath, Lorcan Egan, Tommy Maher, Philip O’Connell and Ciaran McGrath were also very busy throughout.

A fast start, when they scored 1-2 in the opening four minutes, laid the foundation for their 2-12 to 0-11 win over JK Brackens in the quarter-final.

Loughmore will also be buoyed by the momentum that last weekend’s hurling success will have given them.

It’s a final therefore between what look like two evenly-matched teams.

But, of course, something has to give, on what will be a day to stand up and be counted for the players of Clonmel Commercials and Loughmore.

SEE ALSO: Fixtures for this weekend's county football finals