No joy for Clonmel Óg in Munster Club Junior Football Championship semi-final

Ballymacelligott (Kerry) 4-12 Clonmel Óg 2-9

A battling performance from Clonmel Óg wasn’t enough to overcome the stern challenge of Kerry champions Ballymacelligott in the AIB Munster Club Junior Football Championship semi-final at Clonmel Sportsfield on Saturday afternoon, with the visitors winning by nine points.

Clonmel Óg never gave up the fight but a Ballymacelligott side that plays in Division 1 in the Kerry league and features Kerry Under 21 players in its ranks, were just too strong on the day, with two goals apiece from man of the match Jack Joy and Donal Daly.

But with both Niall O’Connor and Darragh McVicker, from a free, kicking first half two-pointers, Clonmel Óg were still very much in contention at the break, when the Kerry side led by just four points, 1-7 to 0-6, despite dominating possession.

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The margin was down to a single point three minutes into the second half, when a Clonmel Óg free was brought closer to goal for dissent, and an opportunistic McVicker saw a gap in the defensive wall to shoot low to the net.

That might have been the spur for the Tipperary champions to drive on, but instead they conceded a penalty within a minute that Joy crashed home past Kyle Grant. Daly scored the Kerry side’s third goal a minute later for a 3-7 to 1-6 lead.

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Midway through the half the Clonmel side were awarded a penalty following a foul on Jamal Yousif following one of their best moves of the game, but McVicker’s penalty lacked conviction and Christy Leen pulled off the save.

A fourth Ballymac’ goal from Donal Daly put the result beyond any doubt, despite a late Óg goal from substitute Mikey Jones.

Clonmel Óg: Kyle Grant, Brandon Landers, Adam Tobin-Purcell, Rhys Lonergan, Dean Kelleher, Shane O’Connor, Luke Hannigan, Graham Quinn, Conor Arrigan, Niall O’Connor 0-3, 1x2pt; Aaron Arrigan, Cian O’Sullivan 0-1; Darragh McVicker 1-5, 2f, 1x2pt f; Chris O’Gorman, Jamal Yousif.

Subs: Jack Dillon for Adam Tobin-Purcell (23), Jake O’Donnell for Chris O’Gorman (39), Mikey Jones 1-0 for Jamal Yousif (45), Ciarán Barrett for Luke Hannigan (54), Matty Norris for Graham Quinn (56).

Ballymacelligott: Christy Leen, Eoin Creedon, Daniel O’Shea, Eoin Moriarty, Cathal Dunne, Tadhg Brick, Diarmuid Galvin, Aidan Breen 0-2f; Darragh Broderick 0-2, 1f; Adam Sheehy, Mairtín McKivergan 0-2; Jack Joy 2-1; Niall Collins 0-3; Donal Daly 2-2; Darragh Regan.

Subs: Ciarán O’Donnell for Darragh Regan (53), Sean Rice for Diarmuid Galvin (54), Brian Cassidy for Cathal Dunne (54), Andy Rogers for Adam Sheehy (56), Michael Herlihy for Darragh Broderick (58).

Referee: Ciarán Murphy (Cork).