Clonmore opened brightly with Luke Connolly and David Mulvany dominating midfield and they raced into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead after just 10 minutes. Some of the point taking by Clonmore was of the highest order with the lively Shane McGrath converting two long range frees, wing back Paddy Gahan striking from distance off the outside of his boot, Con Murphy hitting two beauties and Dylan Doyle tapping one over with his left.
A long range free from the accurate right boot of Conor O’Byrne got the Cocks off the mark on the 12th minute but Clonmore replied with a goal from a penalty by Shane McGrath after a foul on himself when clean through on goal. Score on 45mins: 1-6 to 0-1.
The fitter Clonmore outfit kept up the pressure in the second quarter scoring three goals to end the game as a contest. Impressive full-forward Robert Bulmer had a hand in all three goals – first finding Shane McGrath with a great pass on 28 mins, then having a shot at goal saved and Tom Pollard netting the rebound and finally getting one himself on the stroke of half-time. At the other end, the evergreen Mattie Dowling scored a great long-range point for the Cocks and a goalmouth melee ended up with the ball in the net, the final touch possibly coming from a Clonmore defender. Half-time: 4-6 to 1-4.
The tempo dropped in the second half as Clonmore continued to pepper the Cocks goal and pick off some nice points, the highlights being a long-range effort from Luke Connolly, two beauties from Dylan Doyle, a couple from substitute Owen Coleman and a cracker from corner back David McCarney who travelled the length of the field to put the icing on the cake in the 59th minute. The Cocks did manage to net a second goal on the 55th minute from the hard-working Liam Sheppard.
Clonmore: Jordan Kane, David McCarney (0-1), Matt Cullen, Jake Hickey, Paddy Gahan (0-1), Cormac Connolly, Enda McGrath, Luke Connolly (0-1), David Mulvany, Tom Pollard (1-0), Con Murphy (0-2), Rory Maguire, Dylan Doyle (0-3), Robert Bulmer (1-0), Shane McGrath (2-2, 2fs,1 pen) Subs: Billy Lawlor (0-1) for Tom Pollard (HT), Owen Coleman (0-2) for Con Murphy (42m), Sean Deay for Paddy Gahan (45m), Daniel Quigley for Shane McGrath (48m), Shane Murphy for Cormac Connolly (48m).
Fighting Cocks: Aaron O’Byrne, Jason Kelly, Jack McDonald, Paudge Walsh, James Hickey, Gary Nolan, Niall Fitzpatrick, Ryan O’Sullivan, DJ Sinnott, Liam Sheppard (1-0), Bill Eustace, Conor Duffy, Conor O’Byrne (0-5, 4f), Mattie Dowling (0-1), Owen Smithers. Subs: Keelan O’Byrne, Seamus Quirke, John Shanahan.
Referee: Damien Brady (Eire Óg).
