The Commercials class makes it an easy day out in round two victory over Ballina

FBD Insurance Senior Football Championship - Group 2 - Round 2

Clonmel Commercials 2-16

Ballina 0-7

By Michael Dundon

As a declaration of intent, Clonmel Commercials' 15 points win over Ballina in Round 2 of Group 2 of the FBD Insurance Senior Football Championship at Drombane on Saturday evening could not be more emphatic. Commercials mean business this year, and they are going to take some stopping.

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Granted, Ballina were complete outsiders going into this game. Add to that the absence of Steven O’Brien, Michael Breen, and Charlie King from their starting line-up and the scales tip even more in Commercials' favour, but Commercials’ first half display, as they established a 1-11 to 0-3 lead, was from the top drawer. 

Playing with pace, confidence, and creativity, they brushed a battling Ballina aside with an ease few expected to register their second win in the group and secure qualification for the knock-out stages with a game to play.

The signs were there from the start as Commercials dominated possession and had two quick points from Sean O’Connor and  Peter McGarry. Their first goal came after seven minutes. 

A Ballina kick-out after the Peter McGarry point was intercepted by Sean O’Connor and dispatched to the net with ease for a 1-2 to no score lead. Even at that early stage, it was hard to see Ballina troubling the Clonmel lads, but Teddy Doyle raised Ballina's hopes with a two-pointer free on 13 minutes, followed quickly by a Ben King point.

Ballina’s hopes were short-lived. They failed to score for the rest of the half as Commercials, with Peter McGarry on top of his game, four points from play, and Sean O’Connor adding three points to the goal, put the game beyond Ballina’s reach by half-time, going 11 points clear, 1-11 to 0-3.

Ballina brought Charlie King on at half-time, and he improved matters, but Commercials stayed comfortably in control, though operating at a lower intensity than in the first half. They were 1-16 to 0-7 ahead with time running out when Ryan Lambe fed Sean O’Connor for his second goal in a man-of-the-match performance.

Commercials’ final game in Group 2 is against Grangemockler Ballyneale, a big game for the challengers but a formality for a Clonmel side looking hungrier and more focused than for some time. 

New faces have freshened the team, but the established stars continue to deliver in spades. Sean O’Connor’s 2-4 from play, with another point from a free, was impressive, as was Peter McGarry’s five points from play.

Seamus Kennedy was a dominant figure at the heart of their defence with Tadhg Condon, Jack Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan,  and Darragh O Connor also contributing significantly to the excellence of the team performance. If they can maintain this level of performance in the coming weeks, Commericals have a great chance of unseating reigning champions Loughmore Castleiney.

With a crucial hurling game against Upperchurch Drombane this coming weekend, Ballina had some man-management things to think about, but realistically, they were a bit out of their depth here. 

Their final group game against Ardfinnan is one they are targeting with a win, sending them through to the knock-out stages following their first round win over Grangemockler Ballyneale. Expect a full-strength 15 for that encounter.

In this game, nobody could fault their commitment, but they were operating at a lower level. Teddy Doyle was their top man, his two two-pointers from frees boosting their challenge. Daniel Tighe, Conor Power, JP Mbokha, Charlie Grace, along with subs Charlie King, Cathal O’Donnell, and Terry O'Halloran, did all in their power to check the Commercials' flow.

Scorers: Clonmel Commercials: Sean O’Connor (2-5, 0-1f), Peter McGarry 0-5, Jack Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan 0-2 each, Seamus Kennedy, Kevin Fahey 0-1 each.

Ballina: Teddy Doyle (0-5, 2x2pt frees, 0-1f), Ben King, Cathal Power 0-1 each.

Clonmel Commercials: Shane Ryan; Mark Corcoran, James Morris, Rory Slattery; Kevin Fahey, Seamus Kennedy, Tadhg Condon; Jack Kennedy, Darragh O’Connor; Cian Smith, Sean O’Connor, Rory O’Dowd; Ryan Lambe, Michael Quinlivan, Peter McGarry.

Subs used: Ross Peters for O’Dowd (40); Jamie Ahern for S Kennedy (45).

Ballina: Dara King; Daniel Tighe, Cillian Ryan, Sean Lyons; Conor Power, David Coughlan, Eoghan Power; JP Mbokha, Paddy Bradley; Charlie Grace, Teddy Doyle, Finn Looney; Ben King, Jack O’Mahoney, Matthew Power.

Subs used: Charlie King for Bradley (HT); Cathal O’Donnell for M Power (HT); Terry O’Halloran for Lyons (40); Cian O’Donoghue for Coughlan (45); Ronan Coughlan for Looney (50).

Referee: Paddy Russell (Lattin Cullen)

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