Victory over arch-rivals completes underage double for Moyle Rovers in south Tipperary

Moyle Rovers 2-17 Clonmel Commercials 0-11

Moyle Rovers’ assembly line of young and talented footballers is alive and well as evidenced by their 12-points win over arch- rivals Clonmel Commercials in the Mulcahys Clonmel South Tipperary Under 21 A Football Championship final at Fethard Town Park on Saturday evening.

Many would have described this contest in advance as too close to call but the Monroe side had other ideas, and by the time that John Cronin had kicked his second two-pointer from play in the 17th minute, Rovers were never headed again.

Commercials, with a liberal sprinkling of players who had tasted county senior success just a month ago, couldn’t live with the pace and precision of Rovers on the 4G surface. The town side led 0-2 to no score after three minutes, with Cian Smith opening the scoring as early as fifteen seconds in, from a Joe Higgins pass, followed by a second three minutes later. But they never maintained that momentum, and once Moyle Rovers settled into their rhythm, only one winner looked likely.

Rovers, who won the South Under 17 A title earlier in the week, the first part of a double that confirms their underage strength, looked comfortable with a five-points lead, 0-16 to 0-11, with 11 minutes left to play, when a Paddy O’Keeffe goal put the result beyond doubt.

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Senior Commercials ‘keeper and team captain, Shane Ryan, had earlier pulled off superb saves from O’Keeffe and Daire Luttrell, but this time he could do nothing with O’Keeffe’s low shot into the corner of the net. When Ryan was beaten again by Darragh Walsh in the 60th minute, it was just the cherry on top for an outstanding Rovers win.

Goalscorers O’Keeffe and Walsh were outstanding, with O’Keeffe edging the man of the match award. Both players tormented the Commercials defence, each scoring 1-4 from play, with O’Keeffe also tapping over three frees. A brace of two-pointers from John Cronin kickstarted the Rovers powerplay that at times left Commercials looking surprisingly flat-footed.

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Luke Foley was dominant around the centre of the field, and to borrow a description from another code, was like a holding midfielder, as he orchestrated play with clever distribution. At the back, team captain Killian Butler was a colossus at the heart of the defence. Rovers’ backs smothered the vaunted Commercials attack, with big performances also from Conor O’Gorman, Harry O’Keeffe and Michael O’Reilly.

Despite their bright start, Commercials never looked likely to impose themselves on the game. Cian Smith was their main dangerman in attack and his six points, including two two-pointers, was over half the side’s total. Jack Lawlor and James Power were the only other starting forwards to score, with a point each. Substitute Killian Smith also got on the scoresheet, with Darragh O’Connor hitting a superb two-pointer in the first half.

Goalkeeper Shane Ryan was always alert with a series of fine saves and could do nothing with the two shots that beat him, while Danny Morris, Max O’Dwyer and Tadhg Sheehan were busy throughout.

Enjoying the better start, the town side led 0-4 to 0-3 midway through the first half, John Cronin replying to Cian Smith’s early brace with the first of his two-pointers, before Darragh O’Connor’s two-pointer restored Commercials’ two-point lead.

Paddy O’Keeffe’s first pointed free made it 0-4 to 0-3 as Rovers came more into the game. Shane Ryan’s first great save denied Daire Luttrell what looked like a certain goal, before another two- pointer from Cronin put Rovers ahead for the first time. In the next move, Briain Morrisson put Darragh Walsh clear to make it 0-6 to 0-4.

A stunning two-pointer from Cian Smith with the outside of the boot – a score to light up any game – drew Commercials level in the 19th minute but that was the last time they were on level terms.

They were outscored seven points to one in the last eleven minutes, as Moyle Rovers totally imposed themselves on the game. Paddy O’Keeffe restored the Rovers’ lead, followed by a Cronin point when he might have gone for goal, and O’Keeffe from a tight angle, from a Luttrell pass, made it 0-9 to 0-6 six minutes from the break.

Then one of their best moves of the game, a flowing move from defence involving Cathal O’Gorman and Michael O’Reilly in the build-up, saw O’Keeffe extend the lead. Walsh and another O’Keeffe free – awarded after Commercials failed to keep three defenders back – pushed it out to double scores, 0-12 to 0-6, before Jack Lawlor kicked Commercials’ first score in over ten minutes. Then a turnover in attack allowed O’Keeffe to make it 0-13 to 0-7 at the break.

Commercials rang the changes with substitutions at half-time and early in the second half, and midway through the half they had the deficit down to four points, 0-15 to 0-11. Cian Smith’s second two-pointer gave them a great start to the half, with substitute Killian Smith and James Power also on target, to Rovers replies from Harry O’Keeffe and Darragh Walsh.

Commercials were then caught out again by having just two players in the Rovers half, and O’Keeffe pointed the free. Then O’Keeffe proved to be the match-winner, raising the biggest cheer of the evening, when his goal finally beat Shane Ryan.
Commercials weren’t to score again over the last 17 minutes, as the traffic remained in one direction, with Darragh Walsh hitting 1-1 in the final two minutes for a deserved, and sweet, victory for Moyle Rovers.

Moyle Rovers: Peter Boland, Mark O’Meara, Michael O’Reilly, Cian O’Flaherty, Conor O’Gorman, Killian Butler, Harry O’Keeffe 0-1; Luke Foley, Jake Forristal, Darragh Walsh 1-4; John Cronin 0-5, 2x2pt; Cathal O’Gorman, Briain Morrisson, Paddy O’Keeffe 1-7, 3f; Daire Luttrell.
Subs: Brian Hurley for Cathal O’Gorman, Cianan Power for Daire Luttrell, Sean Mullins for Jake Forristal.

Clonmel Commercials: Shane Ryan, Max O’Dwyer, Eoghan Walsh, Niall Deely, Thomas Charles, Tadhg Sheehan, Danny Morris, Darragh O’Connor 0-2, 1x2pt; Joe Higgins, Oisín Forristal, Cian Smith 0-6, 2x2pt; Jack Lawlor 0-1; Conor Guiry, James Power 0-1; Cillian McNamara.
Subs: Killian Smith 0-1 for Cillian McNamara, Jamie O’Keeffe for Jack Lawlor, Daniel Charles for Cathal Guiry, Finn Napier for Oisín Forristal.

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan).