AIB Munster Club SFC: The Barrs finish with a flourish

AIB Munster Club SFC quarter-final

St Finbarr’s 1-17 Clonmel Commercials 2-11

By Stephen Barry at Clonmel Sportsfield

St Finbarr’s kicked the final four points of a dramatic Munster Club quarter-final to get out with a narrow victory over Clonmel Commercials.

Despite nine points from Steven Sherlock, Seán O’Connor’s goal looked to have given the hosts the edge down the stretch in front of 1,805 fans at Clonmel Sportsfield.

However, William Buckley and Ian Maguire led their charge in the final five minutes to secure a semi-final against Clare champions Éire Óg Ennis.

Both sides showed one change from their county-final triumphs. Commercials were without former Tipp senior Kevin Fahey, while John Wigginton-Barrett didn’t feature for the Barrs.

The visitors did most of the early front-running through Sherlock, William Buckley, Brian Hayes, and Ethan Twomey points.

Commercials responded each time with Seán O’Connor (0-2) and Michael Quinlivan dominant figures down the centre.

When Sherlock finished off a two-point set play to push three clear, Commercials came up with the ideal reply. Joe Higgins won the kick-out, O’Connor and Quinlivan were involved, before the latter teed up Cian Smith for a tidy left-footed finish. The sides were all square, 1-3 to 0-6.

Commercials pressed on with two O’Connor frees, one of which was advanced 50 metres for Barrs backchat. After a Sherlock response, Ross Peters and Smith moved the hosts three ahead.

This time, the Barrs hit back with a major. Hayes played a one-two with Enda Dennehy, and while the Hurling All-Star’s shot was saved, Conor Dennehy poked in the rebound to make it 1-7 apiece.

Tipp U20 Darragh O’Connor booted over a wonderful two-pointer, with Sherlock’s single leaving Commercials 1-9 to 1-8 ahead at half-time.
However, when Commercials didn’t release the ball for a free on the resumption, it was brought forward 50 for Sherlock to kick the go-ahead two-pointer. Twomey added to that with a white flag from a long ball in.

An O’Connor free settled Commercials, although they dropped three shots short and sent two wide in this spell.

Their inaccuracy was mitigated when Quinlivan pounced upon Jamie Burns’ slip and laid off for O’Connor to finish to the net. They led 2-10 to 1-11 with 14 minutes to play.

Then, more indiscipline was punished by a Barrs free being advanced. Sherlock again curled over for the levelling two-pointer, only for Jack Kennedy to edge Commercials back ahead.

The visitors had one burst left. Buckley equalised before super-sub Cillian Myers-Murray exchanged a one-two with Maguire to kick a point which was deemed just inside the arc.

Buckley continued his charge in stoppage time, handpassing a point before releasing Maguire to fist over the insurance score.

Commercials went hunting for leveller in a prolonged goalmouth scramble featuring a series of blocked shots from Peter McGarry, Jack Kennedy, Colman Kennedy, and Seán Kennedy.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Steven Sherlock 0-9 (2tpf, 1tp, 2f), Conor Dennehy 1-0, William Buckley 0-3, Ethan Twomey 0-2, Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes, Cillian Myers-Murray 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: Seán O’Connor 1-5 (4fs), Cian Smith 1-1, Darragh O’Connor 0-2 (tp), Jack Kennedy, Ross Peters, Michael Quinlivan 0-1 each.

St Finbarr's: Darragh Newman; Dylan Quinn, Alan O’Connor, Sam Ryan; Billy Hennessy, Jamie Burns, Conor Dennehy; Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes; Ciarán Doolan, William Buckley, Ethan Twomey; Enda Dennehy, Rickey Barrett, Steven Sherlock.

Subs: Cillian Myers-Murray for Barrett (42), Luke Hannigan for E Dennehy (42), Eoin McGreevy for Burns (49).

Clonmel Commercials: Shane Ryan; James Morris, Tadhg Condon, Ross Slattery; Rory O’Dowd, Séamus Kennedy, Cathal Deely; Darragh O’Connor, Jack Kennedy; Ross Peters, Michael Quinlivan, Joe Higgins; Cian Smith, Seán O’Connor, Peter McGarry.

Subs: Colman Kennedy for Peters (38), Tadhg Sheehan for Deely (50), Seán Kennedy for Higgins (58).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare).