Shannon Rovers win first County Junior B football title in Tipperary

Shannon Rovers 1-6 Clonmel Commercials 0-8

It was a first for Shannon Rovers as they held on grimly for the narrowest of victories over Clonmel Commercials in the FBD Insurance County Junior B Football Championship final at Castleiney on Saturday last.

Though the margin was the minimum, Rovers deserved their success, the foundations for which were set in the first half when they outplayed their opponents.

Granted, Rovers had the fresh breeze and the fall of ground, but even at that Commercials failed to perform to their ability and were chasing the game from as early as the ninth minute when Paddy Heenan goaled for the north team to put them 1-2 to no score ahead.

There was an element of good fortune to the goal, as Commercials goalie Cian Corcoran parried but could not hold a George Hannigan effort, which fell kindly for Paddy Heenan, who did not have to be asked twice to take his chance.

With Conal Moran and Andrew Byrne dominating at midfield, and former county star George Hannigan leading the attack, Shannon Rovers forged 1-4 to 0-1 ahead by the end of the first quarter. It wasn’t that Commercials did not have enough of the ball but they made poor use of their possession and were frequently turned over by a determined Rovers side whose defensive work denied Commercials the time and space to shoot.

Adam Cooney had a goal chance for Commercials but his effort was charged down, while at the other end the woodwork denied George Hannigan a possible goal. Ben Browne got both Commercials points in the first half, at the end of which they trailed 0-2 to 1-4.

Rovers were in the driving seat facing into the second half and extended their lead with a George Hannigan point from a free four minutes after resuming. But then Commercials got moving in earnest. Unfortunately for them, however, the scores were slow in coming. Dan Van Der Waal pointed after six minutes but another ten minutes elapsed before their next score from Jamie Ahearne.

With ten minutes to play, Rovers were 1-5 to 0-5 in front but under sustained pressure. Alan Lonergan, Adam Cooney and Alex Creed hit Commercials points from the 51st to the 57th minutes to close the gap to a single point. On the hour, George Hannigan pointed for Rovers when his effort from a free came off the woodwork back to him.

Commercials now needed a goal and piled forward in pursuit of it, but time was against them, Alan Lonergan’s point their only reward for their siege of the Shannon Rovers line, leaving delighted Rovers’ followers to celebrate their first county title at this level.

It was a big day for Shannon Rovers, who will play in the A championship next year. There was a lot of experience in the side, which stood them in good stead when the pressure came on, the excellence of their defending carrying the day for them.

Midfielders Andrew Byrne and particularly Conal Moran gave them a vital grip in that area, with George Hannigan and Marcus Esmonde in the first half also impressing. Team captain Padraig O'Meara and Eamon Hough were strong in defence.

This was Commercials’ third team and reaching a county final was in itself a significant achievement for them. They won this title back in 2011 and had they played as well early on as they did in the latter stages they might well have taken the honours.

They have the consolation of a south title for their efforts for the year. Richie Gunne, Alex McSherry, Alan Lonergan, Shane Taylor and Adam Cooney were their best players on the day.

Shannon Rovers: Niall Cahalan; Derek Horan, Matt Tierney, Jack O'Sullivan; Emmet Moran, Padraig O'Meara, Eamon Hough; Conal Moran, Andrew Byrne (0-1); Marcus Esmonde, George Hannigan (0-3, 2 frees), Michael Tierney; Paddy Heenan (1-0), John O'Meara (0-1), Alan Hannigan (0-1).

Subs:  Austin Tierney for Horan (38 minutes), Vincent Mulvihill for A Hannigan (39 minutes), Oisin McMahon for Matt Tierney (47 minutes), Matthew Hardy for Heenan (57 minutes).

Clonmel Commercials: Cian Corcoran; Shane Taylor, Richie Carroll, Luke O'Donnell; Adam Cooney (0-1), Alex McSherry, Darragh O'Keeffe; Ben Browne (0-2), Mark Corcoran; Matthew Ó Ceallaigh, Stephen Kelly, Richie Gunne; Alex Creed (0-1 free), Alan Lonergan (0-2), Jamie Ahearne (0-1). 

Subs: Dan Van Der Waal (0-1) for O Donnell (half-time); Cillian McNamara for Ó Ceallaigh (39 minutes), Danny Hogan for M Corcoran (42 minutes), Peter O'Dowd for Browne (50 minutes).

Referee: Seanie Peters, Aherlow.