Loughmore/Castleiney complete another senior hurling and football championship double in Tipperary

Loughmore/Castleiney 0-11 Clonmel Commercials 0-7

Loughmore/Castleiney wrapped up another FBD Insurance Tipperary County Senior Hurling and Football Championship double when they beat holders Clonmel Commercials by four points in Sunday's football final at FBD Semple Stadium.

It was the third time since 2013 that the Mid Tipperary club have claimed the county senior double, following their win over Toomevara in the hurling decider the previous Sunday. And when you add their defeat of JK Brackens in Saturday's County Premier Junior Football Championship final (1-11 to 1-9), it has been an historic and highly memorable week for the club.

This game was a dour arm wrestle played in front of a decent-sized attendance in difficult conditions, with a strong wind blowing down the pitch towards the Town End. Loughmore had the elements behind them in the opening half and when the half-time whistle sounded they had opened up a 0-9 to 0-4 lead.

They increased their advantage to six points early in the second half with a Noel McGrath point. 

Clonmel Commercials, who were trying to win their third title in a row, and for the first time since 1967, soon responded with a point from Sean O'Connor's free. The gap was down to four points when Padraic Looram scored in the 36th minute.

However, they could never make sufficient headway into Loughmore's lead, as throughout the second half they never looked like scoring the goal they needed to ignite their performance. Loughmore stifled their progress at every opportunity, eventually squeezing the life out of their challenge. 

There were just two scores in the final 24 minutes - Brian McGrath pointing for Loughmore in the 42nd minute, and Cathal Deely scoring from a mark nine minutes from the end of normal time.

Loughmore's Liam McGrath won the man of the match award, having scored five points in the opening half, including three frees and two eyecatching points from play.   

His team also had standout performances from the McGrath brothers, John, Noel and Brian; as well as Willie Eviston, Eoin O'Connell and captain Liam Treacy.

Commercials had two glimpses of goal in the opening half. The first came when Sean O'Connor's palmed effort hit the crossbar, followed by a great, incisive run and shot by Peter McGarry that was deflected over the bar by Loughmore 'keeper Joey Hennessy.

However, such threatening moments were few and far between for the Clonmel team, although Sean O'Connor also had a low drive blocked by Loughmore full back Willie Eviston in the second period. Overall they were well out of sorts on the day, despite the best efforts of Sean O'Connor, Michael Quinlivan, Tadhg Condon, Padraic Looram and Cathal Deely.

In a game in which neither goalie hardly had a save to make, the nearest Loughmore came to raising a green flag was in the 21st minute when Brian McGrath fisted a ball across the face of the goal over the bar.

In the end, no one could dispute Loughmore's entitlement to regain the O'Dwyer Cup, as they won their 17th title and inflicted Commercials' first defeat in knockout championship football in three years, since Loughmore beat them in the 2021 final. 

Scorers for Loughmore-Castleiney: L McGrath (0-5, 3 frees); L Treacy, B McGrath (0-2 each); E O'Connell, N McGrath (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: S O'Connor (0-2, 1 free); T Condon, P Looram, Cathal Deely (mark), C Smith, P McGarry (0-1 each).

LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY: J Hennessy; L Egan, W Eviston, J Ryan; T Maher, M McGrath, E O’Connell; J McGrath, L Treacy; D McCahey, B McGrath, Eamon Connolly; N McGrath, Ciarán McGrath, L McGrath.

Subs: P O'Connell for Connolly (42), A McGrath for Ciarán McGrath (51), E Meagher for M McGrath (55), C Connolly for McCahey (57), C McCormack for L McGrath (60+1).

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS: S Ryan; K Fahy, T Condon, R Slattery; Cathal Deely, M Quinlivan, P Looram; Conall Kennedy, J Kennedy; R O’Dowd, P McGarry, J Higgins; C Smith, S O’Connor, R Peters.

Subs: Colman Kennedy for Higgins (41), M Murphy for O'Dowd (46), A Matassa for Peters (53), R Lambe for Smith (57).

Referee: S Everard (Moyne-Templetuohy).

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