Rockwell Rovers reach another West Tipperary Senior Football Championship final

Rockwell Rovers 1-13 Arravale Rovers 0-14

Rockwell Rovers qualified for their second successive Shane Hennessy Agri Advisor West Senior Football Championship Final when they overcame the holders and fifteen-time champions, Arravale Rovers, at Golden on Friday evening.

The New Inn team will meet Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill in the final this Saturday, July 1, at 7pm in Pairc Ciocaim, Dundrum.

Rockwell, last year’s beaten finalists after extra- time, have yet to get their name on the O’Carroll Cup in their own right, although they did win a west title when joined with Golden in 1980 under the banner Rockwell Golden.

Their final opponents, Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill, won their sole title back in 2012.

This was a highly entertaining game played in an attacking manner, especially during the opening period, when the game swung from end to end.

Both teams were intent on taking the game to their opponents and this led to good, open football.

Arravale were off the mark when Cormac Maher put over at the dressing room end to set the scoreboard in train inside the opening minute.

Alan Moloney brought the sides level before Maher again responded with two points, one from a placed ball, giving the town side a two-point advantage after seven minutes.

The New Inn team settled and began to prise open the Arravale defence with runs from the centre. Aidan Barron got on the end of one such move and slotted over.

Tom Tobin, a late replacement for Pat Halley, tied the game with a point when a goal looked on.

Arravale were finding scores hard to come by as the Rockwell half back line of Liam Lonergan, Liam Fahey and Gavin Ryan began to assert their authority.

Rockwell were dealt a severe blow after twelve minutes when they lost Gavin Ryan through injury, and he was replaced by Jack O’Kelly. Joe Lawrence and Kevin Cleary added further points, which meant Rockwell were two to the good by the 18th minute.

Arravale responded like champions and three points in two minutes restored a one-point advantage, the scores coming from Caleb Hickey (two) and a long-range effort from Niall Fitzgerald.

The ten minutes before the break was Rockwell’s best period and set them on the way to victory. Alan Moloney tied the game for the fourth time from a placed ball; TJ Ryan, who was covering a lot of ground, opened his account and Joe Lawrence split the defence before putting over his second point of the evening.

TJ Ryan extended the gap to three with five minutes of normal time remaining, as Rockwell grew in stature.

Caleb Hickey, from a mark, pulled one back, but the decisive break came on 29 minutes. Tom Tobin split the Arravale defence before putting a low shot to the corner of the net past Darren Houston.

Matthew Moroney won a good ball around the centre before chipping in with his first point of the evening, as the game entered injury time. TJ Ryan had the final say of an entertaining half when he kicked his third point of the game, to give the New Inn side a deserved five-point advantage at the break, 1-10 to 0-8.

Rockwell attacked from the restart and Darren Houston produced a point- blank save from TJ Ryan, three minutes in.

They then went on the defensive, allowing Arravale to dictate the terms of engagement. Cian Ryan came up field and kicked a good score, Caleb Hickey put over his fourth of the evening and Cian Ryan again kicked a wonderful long-range score from out at the Station Road side.

Johnny Lowry, with his first touch following his introduction, cut the deficit to the minimum as the game entered the final quarter. Alan Moloney steadied the ship with a converted free from midfield while Eoin Byrne added a further point, seven minutes from time, to keep three between the sides.

Donough Leahy kicked two unanswered points, his second coming a minute into injury time to leave the minimum between the sides, as the clock ticked down.

Extra time looked a possibility, but in a last attack Kevin Cleary kicked the insurance point, to put Rockwell into the final.
This was a big victory for the New Inn team, who are three years up from intermediate and they will now contest back-to-back finals for the first time since 1955.

They have a deeper panel than last year, with some younger additions and this was borne out with their impact from the bench.

Arravale will be disappointed with the outcome but can have no complaints. The ten minutes before the break proved to be their undoing, but they will regroup for the county championship, which will begin in a few weeks time.

Scorers: Rockwell Rovers: Tom Tobin (1-1), Alan Moloney (0-3, 2 frees), TJ Ryan (0-3), Kevin Cleary (0-2), Joe Lawrence (0-2), Eoin Byrne (0-1 free), Aidan Barron (0-1).

Arravale Rovers: Caleb Hickey (0-4), Cormac Maher (0-3, 2 frees), Donough Leahy (0-2), Cian Ryan (0-2), Johnny Lowry (0-1), Matthew Moroney (0-1), Niall Fitzgerald (0-1).

Rockwell Rovers: Eoghan Doyle, Paul Halley, Robert O’Donnell, Peter Heaney, Liam Lonergan, Liam Fahey, Gavin Ryan, Tom Downey, Tom Tobin, Kevin Cleary, Alan Moloney (captain), Luca Fitzgerald, TJ Ryan, Joe Lawrence, Aidan Barron.

Subs: Jack O’Kelly for Gavin Ryan (injured, 12 minutes), Eoin Byrne for Paul Halley (43 minutes), Eoin Shine for Tom Tobin (injured, 54 minutes), Kieran McGovern for Joe Lawrence (58 minutes).

Arravale Rovers: Darren Houston, Jack Lowry, Conal Donovan, Raymond Kelly, Tommy Lowry (captain), Niall Fitzgerald, Cian Ryan, Shane Maher, Matthew Moroney, Eoin Lonergan, Donough Leahy, Micheal Lowry, Caleb Hickey, Mikey O’Dwyer, Cormac Maher.

Subs: Johnny Lowry for Micheal Lowry (38 minutes), Darren Lowry for Eoin Lonergan (45 minutes), Evan Carrie for Cian Ryan (injured, 50 minutes), Michael Lowry for Tommy Lowry (injured, 61 minutes).

Referee: Seanie Peters (Aherlow).