2023 Tipperary Senior Football Final – Clonmel Commercials 6-7 JK Brackens 2-6

Clonmel Commercials defeated JK Brackens by 6-7 to 2-6 in the Tipperary Senior Football Final on Sunday October 22nd at FBD Semple Stadium Thurles.

REPORT: Seánie O'Connor starred for @Commercials in a goal laden @TipperaryGAA SFC Final win over @Jkbgaa

— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 22, 2023

Tipperary SFC Final: Commercials cruise to emphatic victory

Clonmel Commercials 6-7 JK Brackens 2-6

Report By Noel Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium for GAA.ie

Three first half goals in six minutes laid the pathway for Clonmel Commercials to retain the Tipperary senior football championship at FBD Semple Stadium when they blitzed challengers JK Brackens in a one sided affair.

If they were clinical in front of goal in the first half, they didn’t disappoint in the second half either as they fired further green flags almost with ease, especially when Brackens seemed to be getting some kind of footing in the game which eventually petered out.

Commercials were bidding for a fourth county senior football title in five years and winning the O’Dwyer Cup for the 21st time brought them level with neighbours Fethard who were top of the roll of honour up to the final whistle.

While always regarded as the outright favourites for the title, Commercials could hardly have believed that they would hold a 3-5 to 1-4 interval lead and that their three goals would come in a six minute blast midway through the first half. They were 0-4 to 0-2 in front at this stage with points from All Star Michael Quinlivan (2) and Sean O’Connor (2) while Brackens had points from Jack Nevin and Eanna McBride.

However, a penalty in the ninth minute saw Michael Quinlivan’s effort saved by Brackens keeper Kuba Beben, but he could do nothing about the follow-up which Quinlivan blasted to the net. Minutes later the ball was again in the Brackens net with Peter McGarry weaving his way through to bag a very fine second goal.

Remarkably, a third Commercials goal materialised immediately when Sean O’Connor tapped in to give his side a 3-5 to 0-2 lead.

That score was to be Commercials final one of the half – they failed to score in the second quarter though they had two gilt edge goal chances which went abegging. Instead, Brackens made some inroads on the deficit with points from Dean McEnroe and Jack Kennedy which followed a 19th minute Adrian Bourke goal after a goalmouth scramble.

The first score of the second half saw another Commercials goal, this time for half back Padraic Looram, before Sean O’Connor and Cathal Deely followed up with others to end the game as a contest.

Mind you, Brackens had netted from a penalty when Adrian Bourke was fouled and Jack Kennedy expertly put the spot kick away. But, the set-back didn’t upset Commericals rhythm one bit and they continued to pile forward on the break when they won turnovers in their defence – a real feature of the attacking play from the champions who were able to afford to run down the bench and gave outings to a number of substitutes.

Scorers for Clonmel Commercials: Sean O’Connor 2-3; Michael Quinlivan 1-2; Peter McGarry, Cathal Deely and Padraic Looram 1-0 each; Colman Kennedy 0-2;

Scorers for JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy 1-3; Adrian Bourke 1-0; Jack Nevin, Eanna McBride and Dean McEnroe 0-1 each.

Clonmel Commercials: Michael O’Reilly, Tadhg Condon, James Morris, Rory O’Dowd, Kevin Fahey, Seamus Kennedy, Padraic Looram, Cathal Deely, Ross Peters, Peter McGarry, Colman Kennedy, Conal Kennedy, Cian Smith, Michael Quinlivan, Seanie O’Connor.
Subs: Jamie Peters for Ross Peters (HT); Aldo Matassa for Conal Kennedy (38); Sean Kennedy for Cian Smith (46 mins); Ciaran Cannon for Kevin Fahey (49 mins); Declan Nee for James Morris (55 mins).

JK Brackens: Kuba Beben, Luke Ormond, Lorcan Egan, Martin Delaney, Stephen Cahill, Neil Quinlan, Jack Nevin, Paddy Cadell, Adrian Bourke, Eanna McBride, Cathal Scully, Conor Cadell, Lyndon Fairbrother, Jack Kennedy, Dean McEnroe.
Subs: Shane Doyle for Dean McEnroe (26 mins); Jordan Moloney for Cathal Scully (HT); Andrew Ormond for Lyndon Fairbrother (39); David O’Shea for Lorcan Egan (47 mins); Shane Scully for Eanna McBride (55 mins).

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney.

Ticket / Streaming Information

A huge day for the footballers of @JkBrackens & @CommercialsGAA as they meet in @fbd_ie Semple Stadium to see who will be crowned FBD Insurance County Senior Football Champions for 2023. Throw in 3.30pm

Tickets: https://t.co/DGuQKgTGtl

Streaming: https://t.co/5WeXrQe89Y pic.twitter.com/BuUnksbZTY

— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) October 22, 2023