Commercials not so viable

Monaleen... 1-10 Clonmel Commercials..

Monaleen ... 1-10 Clonmel Commercials ... 1-5: A late scoring burst at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday, highlighted by a sweetly-struck penalty from JP Stokes, ushered Monaleen through to their first Munster club senior football championship final.

Commercials will be disappointed after wasting a glorious chance of consolidating a 1-5 to 0-7 lead after 47 minutes.

Midfielder Eamonn Hanrahan found himself in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Brian Berkery, but from six yards out he shot wide of an empty goal.

Immediately play swung to the other end and when David McCauley was taken down by full back Tommy Galvin, referee John Geaney pointed to the spot.

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Up stepped John Paul Stokes, who has wide experience in similar situations with Limerick FC. Stokes powered the ball to the right of goalkeeper Philly Ryan and Monaleen were back in the driving seat for only the second time.

Roared on by their huge support, they finished with a flurry of points from captain Muiris Gavin.

Clonmel Commercials had looked the better equipped in the first half and a 20th minute goal from corner forward Ian Cleary gave them a 1-2 to 0-1 lead.

Monaleen upped the tempo and four points shared by Gavin and Ciarán O'Boyle left them just one in arrears, at 1-3 to 0-5, at the break.

MONALEEN: B Berkery; D Burke, J Cormican, D McCauley; F Melody(0-1), J Marsh, F Nash; B Geary, M Cummins; C O'Boyle (0-2), A Kitson, J O'Brien; E Keating, M Gavin (0-6), J P Stokes(1-1), Subs: J Conneely for O'Brien; F Connolly for Stokes.

CLONMEL COMMERCIALS: P Ryan; K Kelly, T Galvin, F Condon; F O'Callaghan, B Walsh, S O'Loughlin; E Hanrahan(0-1), F O'Callaghan (0-1); S Landers, C McGrath, P O'Keeffe; I Barnes (0-2), K Dempsey (0-1), I Cleary (1-0). Subs: J Harney for Landers; L Phelan for McGrath, K Dempsey for Barnes.

Referee: J Geaney (Cork).