Clonmel Commercials stroll into County Tipperary Under 21 A Football final

Clonmel Commercials 2-11 Arravale Rovers 0-4

A dominant first half performance by Clonmel Commercials was enough to see off the challenge of Arravale Rovers in the FBD Insurance County Under 21 A Football Championship semi-final at Ardfinnan on Sunday.

Commercials led 2-4 to no score after 19 minutes, with the goals coming from Peter McGarry and Cian Smith. They were 12 points clear at the break, 2-8 to 0-2, to make their place in the final secure, where they will meet JK Brackens, who were too strong for Ballina in the other semi-final.

As the rain came down in Ardfinnan, the scoring dried up in the second half, with the Clonmel side adding just three more points, with two more for Rovers.

The game was never really a contest. Commercials improved on their South final performance against Fethard, when they never reached top gear, but against Arravale Rovers their play was fast, accurate and direct. Their clinical moves in attack tore open the Tipp Town side’s defence and the victory margin could have been greater but for some wayward shooting.

Peter McGarry scored 1-2 in ten first half minutes, with his usual direct approach cutting through the heart of the Rovers’ defence, and his goal in the 18th minute was well finished after great work in the build-up from Darragh O’Connor and Niall Deely.

The hugely influential O’Connor was also heavily involved in the second less than a minute later, providing the assist for team captain Cian Smith to finish off the ground from close range.

Arravale’s meagre total of four points, two pointed frees from Orrin Jones and scores from play from Alex Webster and Sean Lewis, reflected their difficulties. Their build-up play in the first half was impressive but too often it petered out before it could threaten the Clonmel goal.

They improved in the second half, with Micheál Lowry, David Ryan, Sean Lewis, Eoghan Lonergan and substitute John Paul Lohan taking the game to Commercials. But they came up against a resolute Clonmel defence in which Tadhg Sheehan, Rory O’Dowd and Mark Corcoran impressed, with goalkeeper Shane Ryan coming to the rescue when Rovers threatened a goal.

After a scoreless first eight minutes, when Commercials were slow to find their accuracy, they eventually got off the mark when Peter McGarry finished off a flowing move with a lovely point. Two more followed over the next two minutes, from a Cian Smith free and McGarry again from a Declan Nee pass, to make it 0-3 to no score after nine minutes.

Arravale’s first good chance of a score followed great play from Eoin Doocey and Sean Lewis, but Ciaran Kelly was off target with the final shot. Commercials soon made them pay, McGarry setting up Niall Deely for a fisted point, and then when O’Connor and Deely created a chance for McGarry through the centre, he had only one thing on his mind as he shot to the net past Marcus Kinane.

Rovers had barely recovered when Kinane was picking the ball out of his net again, Cian Smith cutting in from the right from an O’Connor pass to make it 2-4 to no score. The Tipp Town side eventually opened their scoring in the 22nd minute when Sean Lewis hit a good score.

However, Commercials were relentless and hit the next four points without reply. Smith pointed two frees, Tadhg Sheehan casually stroked a lovely shot over the bar, and then Smith pointed another free when Rory O’Dowd was fouled after taking a pass from Declan Nee.

Rovers finished the half strongly, Sean Lewis forcing a fine save from Shane Ryan in the Commercials goal, but referee Derek O’Mahoney was playing advantage, and Orrin Jones pointed the free with the last kick of the half, to leave it 2-8 to 0-2.

The second half was not just a slow-burner – it never really ignited. Arravale Rovers upped their tempo but without reward, and despite some good build-up, they were still struggling to find the target. When the first score of the half did come after eleven minutes, it went to Commercials, with Darragh O’Connor getting the score that his display deserved, with Joe Higgins and Bily Tierney involved in the build-up.

Arravale hit back quickly with a nice point from Alex Webster, their second of the game from play, but despite enthusiastic encouragement from their supporters, they were never going to threaten the Commercials lead. The South champions hit two more points over the final eighteen minutes, from Joe Higgins and another pointed free from the flawless Cian Smith, as they emptied their bench, taking off four of their starting forwards, as they looked ahead to the county final.

Despite fighting a losing battle for much of the game, Arravale Rovers showed great heart and never gave up the battle. They hadn’t the forward power to trouble the Clonmel defence, but they continued to take the game to them right to the end. Orrin Jones pointed a free following a foul on Ciaran Kelly for their fourth and last point, but their effort and endeavour deserved more than that.

South final goalscorer James Power missed the game through injury but Commercials, with players such as Ross Slattery, Tadhg Sheehan, Rory O’Dowd, Joe Higgins, Darragh O’Connor, Niall Deely, Peter McGarry, Cian Smith and Declan Nee in such fine form, and with a healthy bench to call on, will look forward to their bid for further glory in the county final.

Clonmel Commercials: Shane Ryan, Eoghan Walsh, Mark Corcoran, Thomas Charles, Rory O’Dowd, Tadhg Sheehan 0-1; Billy Tierney, Ross Slattery, Joe Higgins 0-1; Oisin Forristal, Peter McGarry 1-2; Darragh O’Connor 0-1; Niall Deely 0-1; Cian Smith 1-5, 4 frees; Declan Nee.

Subs: Jamie O’Keeffe for Ross Slattery, Ruairi Leahy for Niall Deely, Darragh Landers for Declan Nee, Michael Connellan for Oisin Forristal, Dean Cagney for Peter McGarry.

Arravale Rovers: Marcus Kinane, Raymond Kelly, Shane Maher, Adam Ryan, Sean Lewis 0-1; Micheál Lowry, David Ryan, Evan Ryan, Eoin Doocey, Sean O’Mahoney, Eoghan Lawrence, Ciaran Kelly, Alex Webster 0-1; Orrin Jones 0-2 frees; Caleb Hickey.

Subs: John Paul Lohan for Caleb Hickey, Shane Quigley for Alex Webster, Peter Ryan for Sean Lewis, Odhrán O’Dwyer for Sean O’Mahoney.

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Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan).