PREVIEW | Newcastle West look to avenge 2015 heartbreak against Clonmel Commercial in Munster Club Senior Football Championship semi-final

The teams meet for the first time in seven years this Sunday in Thurles with a place in the final up for grabs.

Clonmel Commercials and Newcastle West will play in the AIB Munster Club Senior Football Championship semi-final at FBD Semple Stadium this Sunday at 1pm.

Kerry’s Kerins O’Rahillys and Clare’s Eire Og will meet in the other semi-final at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, also at 1pm this Sunday.

The Munster Club Senior Football Championship Final will take place on Saturday December 10th. The defending champions St Finbarrs were beaten in the Cork final before Commercials eliminated them in the provincial quarters.

Dromcollogher Broadford were the first and only Limerick side to claim Munster senior honours with their win in 2008.

Last ten Munster Senior Club Championship winners 

• 2012: Dr Crokes (Kerry)
• 2013 :Dr Crokes (Kerry)
• 2014: Austin Stacks (Kerry)
• 2015: Clonmel Commercials(Tipperary)
• 2016: Dr Crokes (Kerry)
• 2017: Nemo Rangers(Cork)
• 2018: Dr Crokes (Kerry)
• 2019: Nemo Rangers(Cork)
• 2020: N/A
• 2021: St Finbarrs (Cork)

Newcastle West come into this game unbeaten after going five from five in their Limerick SFC group. Their toughest result in that group was a one-point victory over Fr. Casey’s on the last matchday to claim top spot and an automatic semi-final place. 

In that game they claimed a four-point victory over Monaleen in Askeaton. Victory in the final in Kilmallock over Adare by a three-point margin gave them automatic qualification into the provincial semi-finals where they will play Sunday’s opponent.

Path to the final

Newcastle West

• Rd 1: bt Monaleen 2-7 to 0-8
• Rd 2: bt Oola 2-9 to 0-8
• Rd 3: bt Galbally 3-13 to 0-7
• Rd 4: bt Claughan 1-16 to 0-6
• Rd 5: bt Fr. Caseys 0-12 to 0-11
• SF: bt Monaleen 1-10 to 0-10
• Final: bt Adare 1-11 to 2-5 AET

Clonmel Commercials

• Rd 1: bt Killenaule 1-14 to 0-09
• Rd 2: bt Upperchurch-Drombane 2-11 to 0-09
• Rd 3: bt Cahir 2-22 to 0-12
• QF : bt Arravale Rovers 1-21 to 1-2
• SF : bt Moyle Rovers 1-15 to 0-9
• Final: bt Upperchurch-Drombane 1-10 to 1-2
• QF: bt Nemo Rangers 2-15 to 1-11

Clonmel come into this game after beating Corks Nemo Rangers by seven points in the quarter final thanks to 1-4 from full forward Sean O’Connor in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Before that in the Tipperary Championship, Clonmel won all three of their group games by an average of eleven points. In the quarter finals they beat Arravale Rovers by 16 points courtesy of a 1-2 to 0-21 win before claiming the spoils over Moyle Rovers by eight points in the semi finals. Another eight point win in the final against Upperchurch-Drombane gave them the championship and their Munster quarter final spot against Nemo.

It is the first meeting of the teams since their Munster quarter-final  in 2015 where with five minutes remaining Clonmel trailed by four points against visitors Newcastle West before winning by a two-point margin.

The Limerick side will be hoping to avoid a similar heartbreak on Sunday and set up a clash between the winner of club champions Kerins O’Rahillys or Eire Og at Austin Stack Park in the other previously mentioned semi final.