Gaelic Games

Clonmel comfortable in London and en-route to last four

Tipperary champions keep London’s Tir Chonaill Gaels at arm’s reach at Ruislip

Clonmel’s Michael Quinlivan breaks past Anthony McDermott of Tir Chonaill Photograph: Andrew Fosker/Inpho
Clonmel’s Michael Quinlivan breaks past Anthony McDermott of Tir Chonaill Photograph: Andrew Fosker/Inpho
Sat Dec 12 2015 - 16:39

Tir Chonaill Gaels (London) 0-9 Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) 2-12

Clonmel will face Ballyboden St Enda’s in the All-Ireland semi-finals on February 13 after defeating Tir Chonaill Gaels in difficult conditions at Ruislip.

The Munster champions played into a strong wind during the opening period but Ian Fahey’s goal after seven first-half minutes put them five points ahead.

Clonmel lost Tipperary pair Aldo Matassa and Michael Quinlivan to black cards and a Tir Chonaill purple patch cut the visitors' lead to two points at the interval, but Padraig Looram netted just 15 seconds after the restart to confirm their progress.

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Despite the gale howling through the Irish TV Grounds, Clonmel looked comfortable during the opening quarter as their hosts sat back and gifted them possession.

Commercials picked their moments to strike, with Quinlivan effective as both a target man and when running from deep, and the full-forward cannoned a shot off the foot of the post on 12 minutes.

It was a powerful run from Quinlivan that teed up Fahey for the opening goal, the centre-forward’s shot looping over Gaels goalkeeper Declan Traynor and into the net.

Matassa and Quinlivan's afternoons came to a premature end, the latter black-carded for a trip on Cathal Magee, and three unanswered points from Tir Chonaill Gaels cut Clonmel's lead to 1-5 to 0-6 at the break.

However, any thoughts of a Tir Chonaill comeback were quickly ended when substitute Looram found the top corner and Adam Askin was sent off.

CLONMEL COMMERICALS (TIPPERARY): J McDonald; F Condon, D Lynch, J Peters; I Barnes, S Kennedy, K Fahey; J Kennedy, A Matassa; L Moore, I Fahey (1-1), J Lonergan(0-3 1f); K Harney, M Quinlivan, P White(0-3 2f). Subs: P Looram (1-0) for Matassa (25, black card), N Kelly (0-1) for Quinlivan (30, black card), E Fitzgerald for Barnes (44), D Madigan for Looram (50), R Peters for Fahey (56).

TIR CHONAILL GAELS (LONDON): D Traynor; P Butler, R Breen, B Atarnsey; G Magee, E McConville, M McCoy (0-1); M Gottsche (0-1, a 45), L Gavaghan (0-2); A Askin, C Magee (0-1), N Boyle; A McDermott, S Friel(2f), A Hanlon (0-2 1f). Subs: B Collins for McAtarnsey (20), B Ross for G Magee (44), B Duddy for Hanlon (47), J McGrath for Breen (57).

Ref: P Neilan (Roscommon)