Clonmel Bow Out Of Junior (?) Cup

Why don’t we just call a spade a spade (as against “agricultural implement”). If we did we would rename the Munster Junior Cup the “let the junior clubs get so far and then allow the senior clubs to grab it at the death” cup. Admittedly, this is not nearly as tidy as, say, “Heineken Cup” and it would definitely add to the winning captain’s speech but it would reflect reality. Sour grapes in the wake of a quarter-final exit? Absolutely not – the record shows that in the past fifty years only five junior clubs have claimed the “junior” cup. If we go back to its inception in 1909 we find that only nine junior clubs have won it in a hundred years. Junior Cup? – yeah, right. By contrast, Cork Constitution have won it sixteen times while Shannon have claimed it ten times. A tidier title might be the “Extraordinary Rendition Cup”, whereby junior clubs are subjected to the annual torture of having a cup dangled in front of them, only to have it snatched away in the final stages by senior clubs using rules which should have been changed long ago.

When Clonmel visited Templehill for the quarter-final of the Junior Cup last Sunday they faced the resources of the top club in the country – some of the (junior?) players on show had been involved in Con’s away victory over Ballymena the previous day. When Con kicked off with the wind they encountered a Clonmel team who were up for it and not intimidated by the occasion. Indeed it was the home side who looked to be the more pressurised throughout the game. An early dart by scrumhalf John Long and some fierce collisions in the rucks told Con that they had a battle on their hands. Despite having the wind, Con were shoved back into their own half and had to concede two penalties. On 6 minutes a calm kick into the wind by Conor Cooney put Clonmel 3-0 ahead. Constitution looked rattled, Clonmel looked the better side. This told on 13 minutes when Con received a yellow card.

Con did put a few backs moves together but they were adequately dealt with by the Clonmel defence. The home side eventually kicked themselves into Clonmel territory and a penalty on 21 minutes put the sides’ level at 3-3. Some intelligent kicking by Tommy Barry had Clonmel attacking close in but an attempted drop-goal instead of driving on let Con off the hook. But Clonmel had the upper hand for much of this game due to a pack of forwards who were outstanding to a man – Con could get no change out of them. But as often happens, calamity struck on 29 minutes. Clonmel put a backs move together in midfield but a telegraphed pass out wide set up the intercept and the Con centre ran unopposed to the line to put them 8-3 ahead totally against the run of play. The conversion put the home side 10-3 ahead.

But the Clonmel pack went to work again and had Con on the back foot to the extent that on 34 minutes they received a second yellow card and Cooney again coolly slotted the kick. 10-6 to Con. Cooney had another chance on 38 minutes but it slid wide. Clonmel were very much in this game and it was the Con side who were more relieved to hear the half-time whistle. The second half opened with Clonmel camped in Con’s half and exerting enormous pressure but, worryingly, not converting this pressure into scores. Con found it difficult to reach the half-way but still held their line intact. By now Clonmel had freshened up by replacing Mullan and Lonergan with Sheehan and Lyons. The visitors had a setback on 18 minutes when Barry, Clonmel’s most innovative player, had to retire to be replaced by Harney.

Constitution did manage some backs moves but in truth never looked like scoring while their pack was suffering a torrid time at Clonmel’s hands. Rarely has a game seen so many “injuries” as Con players littered the pitch from start to finish. But Clonmel didn’t allow this staccato pattern to deter them and continued to hammer at the home defence. It would be unfair to name any Clonmel forward as they all played themselves to a standstill. But bravery in itself is not enough – taking the right options and making quick decisions are what turn games – when Clonmel had Con defending their line on several occasions, persistence in picking and driving as against spreading it wide may have yielded more reward. Apart from the gifted intercept try, Constitution never looked like scoring and throughout this game Clonmel looked and played like the better side.

But while Con couldn’t score, they held their line and the 10-6 scoreline stood as the final whistle blew. Clonmel had this game for the taking but just couldn’t pull it off. Even the Con supporters conceded that “the better team lost” but this will be scant consolation. Clonmel left the field with their pride very much intact while Cork Constitution, the country’s leading club, are still hunting yet another “junior” cup. One wonders why.