All-Tipperary final in Ennis competition - Clonmel High School win

The Clonmel High School First Years footballers followed up their First Years County A Football and Hurling double victory with a win in the Fr O’Doherty Perpetual Cup at St Flannan’s College, Ennis.

The High School were placed in a group with last year’s winners, Clarin College of Athenry and hosts St Flannan’s, with only the top placed team advancing to the A final.

After a slow start in their opening game against the Galway team, the Clonmel boys settled to lead by five points at half-time before an excellent second half display saw them emerge victorious.

This meant that their second game against St Flannan’s was virtually a knockout semi-final and having already played a game, the High School were quicker to settle against the Clare side who were playing their opening game.

The South Tipperary side played a lovely brand of football and with Killian Smith of Clonmel Commercials and Conal Morrison of Moyle Rovers clinical up top, the High School emerged winners to advance to the final.

The Clonmel boys then awaited the winners of the game between St Colman’s College, Claremorris and Abbey CBS of Tipperary Town in the final. The Abbey emerged winners here with a three point margin meaning it was an going to be an all Tipperary final played on the main pitch at Éire Óg GAA grounds.

After a frenetic start, the High School stormed into an early two-goal lead but could as easily have conceded two at the opposite end but for the heroics of Natan Gucwa of Commercials, who saved two point black one-on-one opportunities from the Tipp town side.

Aherlow’s Callum Compton was proving a thorn in the side of the High School and his scores kept Abbey CBS in the game but the more balanced Clonmel outfit were managing to keep the west Tipp side at bay with Grangemockler’s Patrick Lyons producing his best display in the final and Hugh Carolan of Moyle Rovers and Ben Roche of Kilsheelan/ Kilcash scoring decisive goals in the second half to see the High School emerge victorious in this competition for the first time since 2018.

On the day, there were many fine displays from the 21 boys involved for the Clonmel side with the defence very solid throughout, Ben Roche and Fergal Bradshaw producing great displays in midfield and the forwards working well as a unit to get the scores.

This side now moves on to the County Under 14 competition in the Rockwell Blitz on Wednesday, May 17.

High School panel: Ben Roche, Ben Tierney, Callum Condon, Cathal Butler, Charlie Byrne, Conall Morrisson, Conor Williams, Daniel Tobin, Dara Beckett, Donal O’Callaghan, Enda Condon, Fergal Bradshaw, Hugh Carolan, Killian Smith, Lukey Condon, Natan Gucwa, Nathan Sukasaka, Nathan Wynne, Olan Doocey, Patrick Lyons, Shay Scully.