Munster semi-final opponents Dingle represent a step-up for Tipperary football champions

Despite the fact that they will be outsiders when they take on Dingle in the AIB Munster Club Senior Football Championship semi-final, Clonmel Commercials won’t be overawed by either the occasion or the opposition, says manager Tommy Morrissey.

“There is experience in our bunch playing at this level and we feel we can lean on that,” he says ahead of Sunday’s game at FBD Semple Stadium (1.30).

The Clonmel panel includes several survivors from their Munster Championship-winning squad of 2015, including captain Seamus Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan, Jamie Peters, Kevin Fahey, Jack Kennedy, Aldo Matassa, Padraic Looram, Ross Peters, Shane Power and Donal Lynch.

After defeating Nemo Rangers at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the 2022 quarter-final, they were beaten by Newcastle West in last year’s semi-final. However, they turned the tables on the Limerick club in this year’s semi-final a fortnight ago.

Now they face a Dingle team which, according to Tommy Morrissey, is “riddled” with names that have huge experience with Kerry, such as Tom O'Sullivan and Paul Geaney, and other very experienced club players outside of the Kerry panel.

He agrees that it will be a step-up from any opposition his team has faced this year.

“They have extremely strong forwards. They pose a scoring threat from every position in the forwards, and from midfield and even the half back line”.

Will Dingle have an advantage in that they arguably faced stronger opponents in the Kerry championship than Commercials did in the Tipperary equivalent?

The Commercials manager isn’t so sure.

“The county semi-final against Moyle Rovers was a serious test for us,” says Morrissey.

“JK Brackens posed a threat for a time in the county final. We beat Newcastle West by seven points but we really only came through in the last four or five minutes”.