O’Brien the hero as Moyle Rovers snatch South title in dramatic finale

South Minor A Football Championship Final

Moyle Rovers 2-15

Clonmel Commercials 3-11

After extra time

Matches at any grade between arch-rivals Moyle Rovers and Clonmel Commercials seldom fail to deliver, but last Wednesday night’s South Tipperary Minor ‘A’ Football Championship Final at Kilsheelan was on an entirely different scale for excitement and drama.

As darkness descended over the ground, tension was palpable following an absorbing contest that saw fortunes twist and turn. Both sides enjoyed periods of dominance and they still couldn’t be separated after sixty minutes, Moyle Rovers 2-11, Commercials 3-8.

They were level twice more in extra time before a Dara Maher pointed free edged Commercials in front. They held that advantage until added time and just needed cool heads to see out the game.

But that didn’t happen, and when Rovers won a free deep in their own half, there appeared to be no great danger. But Commercials’ dissent, and failure to release the ball immediately to Rovers, saw referee Derek O’Mahoney bring the ball forward in front of the goal for an easy Rovers tap-over free to draw the game.

But the holders didn’t take that option and brought the free back outside the arc, where goalkeeper James O’Brien pointed the two-pointer for the most dramatic of victories, his second two-pointer of the game.

Post-match reaction reflected the contrasting mood. Commercials were crestfallen at seeing victory snatched from them in the 81st minute; Moyle Rovers ecstatic at the late reprieve.

Goalkeeper O’Brien was the late, late hero, but they had stars throughout the field. Conal Morrison was immense in a man-of-the-match performance, hitting 1-3 from play and proving a constant threat in attack with his weaving runs. Ben Hoare scored their second goal, with Aaron McAndrew hitting 0-5 from play.

Team captain Jack Boland was a true leader at the heart of the defence, with great support from Aidan White and Joe O’Donovan, while Liam Kelly and Fergal Bradshaw did well at midfield.

Rovers, with much the same team that won last year’s South and county titles when minor was U17, were short a number of key players to start, including Fred Perry, but he was introduced in extra time despite bandaging on his leg.

Clonmel Commercials will see this as one that got away, but their assembly line of young and talented footballers is as strong as ever, and they had big performances from team captain Conor Landers, with two fine goals, and Dara Maher, impressive from play and placed balls. Killian Smith and Rory Dunphy worked hard throughout for openings, with Daniel Charles and Cian O’Mahoney resolute in defence.

Hugh Lawlor had given Commercials the lead in the fourth minute, but five minutes later Rovers led 1-1 to 0-1, Conal Morrison equalising following a one-two with Conal Egan, before Ben Hoare scored the game’s first goal after great play from Joe O’Donovan and Morrison.

Dara Maher had the town side’s second point, but Rovers hit back with points from Aaron McAndrew and Egan, before Morrison ended a great move with the side’s second goal for a seven-point lead, 2-3 to 0-2, eight minutes from the break.

However, Commercials finished the half strongly, with Dara Maher pointing a free and then slotting home a penalty with the last kick of the half, following a foul on Egan, to leave them three in arrears at the break, 2-3 to 1-3.

Commercials maintained that fine form in the early stages of the second half with a six-point turnaround. Harry Lawlor set up Kayden Cloona for their first after just twenty seconds, with two more from Lawlor and Maher, before Landers was put clear through the centre for a great goal to make it 2-6 to 2-3.

Rovers needed a response and they got it with points from McAndrew and Morrison, before Commercials struck for their third goal, Charles and Dunphy involved in the build-up before Landers rattled the net again.

In a game of fluctuating fortunes, Rovers hit back with a superb point from Conal Egan on an advantage, and then a two-point free from James O’Brien brought them back to within a point, 3-6 to 2-8, midway through the half.

Rovers were on top now, but some wayward shooting was costing them, and it was Commercials who scored next through Donal O’Callaghan for a two-point lead with five minutes to go.

But the Monroe side were not going to let their grip on the title slip easily and drew level through McAndrew and Morrison. Superb play from Killian Smith set up Dunphy for a Commercials lead that looked like it might be crucial, but back came Rovers again with a last-minute leveller from McAndrew.

Light was fading rapidly in Kilsheelan, but the excitement and tension never dropped in the additional twenty minutes. Commercials led at half-time by a point, with two points from Dara Maher, one a free, in response to an opening score from a McAndrew free.

Morrison set up McAndrew for the leveller forty seconds into the second half, but Commercials edged ahead again from a Maher free brought closer to goal for dissent.

But dissent on their part was to cost Commercials dearly in the game’s final play when, in the most dramatic of circumstances, James O’Brien held his nerve to kick the winning score.

Scorers: Moyle Rovers: Aaron McAndrew (0-6, 0-1f), Conal Morrison 1-3, James O’Brien (0-4, 2x2ptf), Ben Hoare 1-0, Conal Egan 0-2.

Clonmel Commercials: Dara Maher (1-6, 1-0 pen, 0-2f), Conor Landers 2-0, Harry Lawlor 0-2, Donal O’Callaghan, Kayden Cloona, Rory Dunphy all 0-1 each.

Moyle Rovers: James O’Brien; Oisín McCarthy, Aidan White, Sean Kelly; Joe O’Donovan, Jack Boland, Conor Hurley; Liam Kelly, Fergal Bradshaw; Conal Egan, Conor Williams, Ben Hoare; Conal Morrison, Aaron McAndrew, Daragh O’Gorman.

Subs used: Conor Walsh for Hoare (36); Alec Kelleher for O’Gorman (57); Fred Perry for Kelleher (71); Joe Franklin for Egan (78).

Clonmel Commercials: Nathan Wynne; Shay Scully, Sean Trehy, Éanna Cullinan; Cian O’Mahoney, Daniel Charles, Enda Condon; Donal O’Callaghan, Kayden Cloona; Rory Dunphy, Killian Smith, Harry Lawlor; Dylan Condon, Conor Landers, Dara Maher.

Subs used: Dara Beckett for Lawlor (43); Ciaran Kenny for Enda Condon (50); Natan Gucwa for Wynne (52); Ben Fuller for Cloona (73).

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan)