*Photograph: Páraic McMahon
TIPPERARY schools prevailed over Clare counterparts on the double in the Munster post primary hurling deciders on Saturday with High School Clonmel proving far too strong for Scariff Community College.
CBS High School Clonmel 2-19
Scariff Community College 2-7
Venue: Ballyagran
Defeated in the 2024 Corn Thomáis Mhic Cholaim decider, CBS High School Clonmel atoned for that disappointment when powering past the challenge of Scariff Community College by a margin of twelve points on Saturday afternoon.
Physically stronger and fitter, the Tipperary side also had an abundance of scoring threats in comparison to their opponents.
Windy conditions were par for the course in Ballyagran, Clonmel were superior in most if not all aspects and deservedly claimed the spoils.
In what was Scariff’s toughest encounter to date, they led on two occasions but were never able to equalise after falling behind on twelve minutes. Prior to this game, they had an average winning margin of 22.5 points in their previous four outings, including beating Carrick CBS by 26 points and their semi-final by 19 points against Bishoptown Community School.
Opting to leave two of their chief dangermen, Eoghan Gunning and Paul Rodgers both inside in the full-forward line where they were not receiving a sufficient supply of possession was costly for the East Clare side. When Clonmel were beginning to gain a foothold in the contest, the move to bring Gunning back to the middle third would have aided their cause and instead he found himself starved of the ball but also in a tricky duel with the impressive Micheal McMaugh.
Ability of Scariff’s inside two was evident in their first attack when a crisp first touch from Paul Rodgers allowed him to turn and split the posts to open the scoring with the game a mere sixty five seconds old. Aaron Cagney opened his account with a placed ball at the other end to level matters before a Ben Sweeney 65m free which was won by Gunning put Scariff back in front.
Gunning had won a free moments earlier which Sweeney tried to go for goal on but the matter was easily dealt with by Peter Boland and his Clonmel colleagues on the goal-line.
Wing-forward Mikey McGuire who made his physicality count over the hour had the sides level for the second and final time in the game on ten minutes and the Tipperary side took the lead via the lively Conall Morrisson on thirteen minutes.
Cagney with three of the next four points, two of which were frees extended the distance to three as the tie entered the second quarter. Ben Sweeney’s pointed free on sixteen minutes was Scariff’s last contribution to the scoreboard in the opening half while their opponents clocked up 1-5 without reply.
Indeed it was Cagney who struck the major, the All-Ireland winner’s shot fell into the hands of Cormac Doyle but the netminder dropped the sliotar and it fell over the line, the blemish from the Bodyke custodian came on an afternoon where his distribution was very accurate throughout.
Trailing 1-9 0-3, Scariff needed to start the second half with intent and to strike the back of the net. While they did hit two second half goals, they both arrived in the final quarter when the contest was well and truly wrapped up.
Clonmel limited Scariff to two Sweeney frees in the third quarter while 1-6 themselves. Jamal Yousif collected their second goal when he reacted to a delivery from Cagney to flick the sliotar to the back of the net, the chance arising after Scariff were once again too slow to the breaking ball around the middle third.
They are to be commended for how they finished the game, it would have been easy to roll over but they continued to try put scores together and goals duly arrived from Matthew Crotty and Ben Sweeney, both of which were well-worked and gave a glimpse of how they can move the ball and link up possession.
For an impressive Clonmel, their standout players included Aaron Cagney, Conall Morrisson, Michael McMaugh, Mikey McGuire and Jamal Yousif. A first ever Munster PPS hurling title will be savoured and they will certainly take stopping when it comes to the All-Ireland series.
With plenty of learnings to take from this encounter, all is not lost for Scariff Community College. Having aced all their tests with flying colours, they struggled when meeting such a strong force, this led to an increase in mistakes on their behalf and a tendency to cough up cheap frees as a result. Seán Óg Kilkenny impressed for the East Clare side.
Scorers CBS High School Clonmel: A Cagney (1-10 9f), J Yousif (1-1), C Morrisson (0-3), B Roche (0-3), M McGuire (0-1), H Lawlor (0-1).
Scorers Scariff Community College: B Sweeney (1-4 3f 1’65), M Crotty (1-1), P Rodgers (0-1), K Fahy (0-1 1’65).
CBS High School Clonmel:
1: Peter Boland (Moyle Rovers)
2: Andrew Ryan (Fourmilewater)
3: Micheal McMaugh (Fourmilewater)
4: Max O’Dwyer (St Mary’s)
7: Paddy Spelman (Fourmilewater)
6: David McSweeney (St Mary’s)
5: Tadhg McGuire (Kilsheehan/Kilcash)
13: Conall Morrisson (Moyle Rovers)
8: Jamie O’Keeffe (St Mary’s)
10: Mikey McGuire (Kilsheehan/Kilcash)
17: Michael Bates (Kilsheehan/Kilcash)
11: Aaron Cagney (St Mary’s)
9: Ben Roche (Kilsheehan/Kilcash)
12: Jamal Yousif (Clonmel Óg)
14: Finn Napier (St Mary’s)
Subs:
15: Harry Lawlor (St Mary’s) for Bates (43)
18: Dara Beckett (St Mary’s)
Scariff Community College:
1: Cormac Doyle (Bodyke)
2: Cathal McCaul (Scariff)
3: Seán Óg Kilkenny (Bodyke)
4: Cormac Gunning (Broadford)
5: Michael Heffernan (Whitegate)
6: Kalum Fahy (Whitegate)
7: Mikey Bogenberger (Whitegate)
9: Harry Bogenberger (Whitegate)
8: Matthew Crotty (Scariff)
10: Colin O’Grady (Scariff)
11: Ben Sweeney (Scariff)
12: Jake Gibbons (Scariff)
13: Michael Vaughan (Scariff)
14: Eoghan Gunning (Broadford)
15: Paul Rodgers (Scariff)
Subs:
17: Sean Reilly (Ogonnelloe) for O’Grady (39)
18: Dylan Joyce (Bodyke) for H Bogenberger (43)
20: Edan Buckley (Bodyke) for Vaughan (46)
Referee: John O’Halloran (Limerick)
