Gaelic Games

Clonmel Commercials make the points count to take Tipperary SFC title

Moyle Rovers scored three goals but Commercials had enough to claim victory

Clonmel Commercials won their first Tipperary senior football championship final since 2012. Photo: Inpho
Sun Oct 18 2015 - 18:41

Clonmel Commercials 1-12 Moyle Rovers 3-5

Clonmel Commercials survived the concession of three goals - one of them most bizarre - to claim a first Tipperary SFC crown since 2012.

Commercials, who won a 16th title, suffered a two-goal blast in the space of three first half minutes, Diarmuid Foley netting twice for Moyle Rovers.

But Rovers went 16 minutes without a score after that and Commercials, driven forward by man of the match Seamus Kennedy, remained patient to reduce the half-time deficit to a manageable two points - 0-7 to 2-3.

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But disaster struck for Commercials in the 36th minute when Liam Boland's long-range free bounced into the net over the head of stranded goalkeeper Paul Nolan, who had strayed off his line.

And when his opposite number Ciaran Kenrick converted a 45, Rovers were six clear again - 3-4 to 0-7.

But Commercials were boosted by Padraig Looram’s 41st minute goal, the sub on target with his first touch.

Down the home straight, Rovers lost Danny Madigan to a black card, with Boland suffering a similar fate, and Commercials came on strong.

Tipp star Michael Quinlivan levelled matters with eleven minutes left before Jason Lonergan popped over the lead score.

Rovers lost Boland to a second yellow card in the dying moments as Commercials, who went two points clear through Ian Barnes, held out despite Brian Gleeson's late consolation point.

Commercials: J McDonald; F Condon, D Lynch, J Peters; D Madigan, S Kennedy (0-1), K Fahey (0-1); J Kennedy, A Matassa; L Moore, I Fahey, J Lonergan (0-3, one free); K Harney, M Quinlivan (0-4, three frees), P White (0-2). Subs: P Nolan for McDonald (17 mins), I Barnes (0-1) for Kennedy (38 mins), P Looram (1-0) for Matassa (38 mins), S Taylor for Madigan (b/c 43 mins).

Moyle Rovers: C Kenrick (0-1, 45); D Lyne, A Campbell, D Owens; R Mulcahy, P Acheson, D Dwyer; S Keating, M Dunne; R Clancy, T Fitzgerald, D McGrath; Liam Boland (1-2, frees), S Quirke (0-1), D Foley (2-0). Subs: C Conneally for Clancy (47 mins), B Gleeson (0-1) for Keating (49 mins), J Lonergan for Foley (b/c 52 mins), Luke Boland for Mulcahy (59 mins). Referee: D O'Mahoney (Ardfinnan).