NEWCASTLEWEST’S MUNSTER SFC CAMPAIGN HAS ENDED PREMATURELY AFTER A SEVEN POINT DEFEAT
Clonmel Commercials 2-7 Newcastlewest 0-6
Clonmel Commercials produced an excellent display to see off Limerick SFC champions Newcastlewest in the Munster club SFC Quarter Final in Semple Stadium on Sunday.
The Limerick side were hurt by the loss of the talismatic Iain Corbett, after he picked up a hamstring injury in the county final against Adare.
Former All Star nominee Cian Sheehan was absent due to him travelling.
Newcastlewest got off to the worst possible start after two minutes when Jack Kennedy kicked the ball into Sean O’Connor, who took on three Newcastlewest defenders before finishing into the net for the opening goal.
The early gap widened four minutes later when Colman Kennedy hit a sweet point off his left boot.
The Limerick champions needed some inspiration and to be fair, they kicked the next three scores.
Top scorer Eoin Hurley hit a free over from beyond the 45-metre line before Steven Brosnan fed Bryan Nix to send between the posts.
NCW’s marksman Hurley hit over another free, this time from closer in to leave the score at 1-1 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.
A lifeline fell the way of the Limerick side shortly after as Clonmel’s Peter McGarry received a black card.
Newcastlewest failed to score in the ten-minute spell McGarry was off the field though as Clonmel hit back in stoppage time of the first half through Kevin Fahey, 1-2 to 0-3 at the short whistle.
Clonmel rode the black card storm well as big full forward Michael Quinlivan increased their lead to three.
Fahey increased the lead even further, but Emmett Rigter had a sight of goal for Newcastlewest on 42 minutes.
Rigter’s shot was too high however and sailed over, 1-4 to 0-4 entering the last quarter.
Jack Kennedy of Clonmel and Thomas Quilligan traded pointed frees before the second Clonmel sucker punch came.
Peter McGarry collected the ball just inside the ’45 before carrying with purpose and driving at the Newcastlewest rearguard.
The defenders tried to stop him, but McGarry showed great composure to slot the ball past Michael Quilligan, 2-5 to 0-5 with five minutes left. Game set and match.
Padraic Looram hit over a point soccer style to increase the margin in a game that finished with points from Newcastlewest substitute Ethan Hurley and Clonmel captain Seamus Kennedy.
A good effort by the Limerick champions but their three in a row winning season comes to an end.
Clonmel will face Kerry side Dingle on November 26th in the Munster Semi Final with Cork’s Castlehaven and Waterford’s Rathgormack on the other side of the draw.
Clonmel Commercials: Michael O’Reilly, Tadgh Condon, Seamus Kennedy, Rory O’Dowd, Kevin Fahey, James Morris, Padraic Looram, Cathal Deely, Jack Kennedy (Tadgh Sheehan 62’), Peter McGarry, Ross Peters (Decky Nee 46’), Conal Kennedy (Sean Kennedy ht’), Colman Kennedy (Joe Higgins 60’), Michael Quinlivan, Sean O’Connor (Aldo Matassa 57’).
Newcastlewest: Michael Quilligan, Mike O’Keeffe, Darren O’Doherty, Brian O’Sullivan, Ruadhan O’Connor, James Kelly (Seamus Hurley 49’), Michael O’Leary, Emmett Rigter, Sean Murphy, Lee Woulfe (Thomas Quilligan 45’), Bryan Nix, Aaron Neville (Brian Hurley 60’), Steven Brosnan (Brian Foley ht’), Mike McMahon (Ethan Hurley 41’), Eoin Hurley.