Big win for Grangemockler Ballyneale in south Tipperary intermediate football final

Grangemockler Ballyneale 3-16 Clonmel Commercials 0-13

When Grangemockler Ballyneale got into their stride in last Wednesday’s south intermediate football championship final in Ardfinnan they produced a fast, free-flowing performance that hurt Clonmel Commercials with their pace and movement on an evening that everything went right for them.
It was their first south intermediate football title in 20 years since their last success in 2002 and on this display they were very deserving of their victory.
The game had an unusual first quarter, with Commercials running away with the first 10 minutes and scoring four points, two from play from Aldo Matassa and Declan Nee and two converted frees from Shane Power.
However Grangemockler then woke up and took complete control, scoring an incredible 3-8 without reply from the 12th to the 28th minutes.
A feature of the game was the great runs out of the defence by Conor Hahessy, Sean Daly and the best player over the hour, Manus McFadden, who set up the forwards with John Lyons scoring 2-1, Mikie Lyons 1-3 (including 3 points from frees), Jamie Walsh 0-2, Mark O’Meara 0-1 and Ben Comerford 0-1.
The teams exchanged points from play in the last two minutes of the half from Commercials’ Cian Smith and John Lyons for Grangemockler, bringing an end to a pulsating first half display by Grangemockler Ballyneale who led at the break by 3-9 to 0-5.
In the 20th minute of the half Commercials missed a chance for a goal when Grangemockler goalie David Power made a point blank save from Eoin Fitzgerald.
On the resumption Commercials rang the changes when they introduced Kevin Harney and Rory O’Dowd for Stephen Kelly and Ruairi Leahy but Grangemockler continued where they left off, scoring three points in the first seven minutes, two from Mikie Lyons (one free) and one from a free by John Lyons to put them 3-12 to 0-5 ahead and well on their way to the title.
Cian Smith, from a 25 metre free and Manus McFadden from play traded scores.
Commercials added points from play from Kevin Harney and Declan Nee with Jamie Walsh replying for Grangemockler.
The Clonmel team came into the game more in the final quarter with points from Anthony Keely 0-2, Aldo Matassa, Shane Power and Sean Leahy, who scored a point apiece.Grangemockler rounded off a comfortable win with two points from substitute Ian Brett.

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Grangemockler Ballyneale are a team to be watched in the future and they had great displays from several players including David Power, Conor Hahessy, Sean Daly, Manus McFadden, Ben Comerford, Michael Meaney, John Lyons, Mark O’Meara, Jamie Walsh, Mikie Lyons and Ian Brett.
For Commercials Tadhg Condon, Aldo Matassa, Declan Nee, Shane Power, Rory O’Dowd and Anthony Keeley gave of their best on a difficult evening.
Grangemockler Ballyneale: David Power, James Daly, Michael Meagher, Darragh Shelley, Conor Hahessy, Sean Daly, Manus McFadden 0-1, Ben Comerford 0-1, Michael Meaney, John Lyons 2-3 (0-1 free), Mark O’Meara 0-1, Leon Kennedy, Jamie Walsh 0-3, Mikie Lyons 1-5 (0-4 frees), Colin O’Shea.
Subs used: Ian Brett 0-2, Sean O’ Meara, Thomas Parle, Thomas Regan.
Subs not used: James Wallace, Joey Lyons, Eoin Pollard, Eimhin Hanrahan, Joey Lyons, Thomas Grinsell, Conor Murphy, Wayne McGrath, Jack Walsh, Thomas Dineen.
Clonmel Commercials: Niall Kelly, James Morris, Tadhg Condon, Cathal McGeever, Conor Deely, Liam Ryan, Shane Taylor, Aldo Matassa 0-2, Eoin McCarthy, Stephen Kelly, Declan Nee 0-2, Eoin Fitzgerald, Cian Smith 0-2 frees, Shane Power 0-3 (2 frees), Ruairi Leahy.
Subs used: Kevin Harney 0-1, Rory O’Dowd, Josh Kennedy, Anthony Keely 0-2, Sean Leahy.
Subs not used: Deji Williams, Ronan Duffy, Kian O’Reilly, Jamie Peters.
Referee: Keith Delahunty (Moyle Rovers).