Clonmel CBS march into their first Munster A Final in 10 Years.
Match Details
TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí Munster U19 A Football Semi-Final
CBS High School Clonmel 1-10 (1-1-8)
Presentation Secondary School Milltown 1-08
Venue, Kilmallock
CBS High School Clonmel booked their place in their first Corn Uí Mhuirí final in ten years, overturning a six-point half-time deficit to defeat Presentation Secondary School Milltown in a gripping Munster semi-final played on a heavy surface.
1. A second-half shutout turned a six-point deficit into a final place
The defining statistic of this semi-final is simple and brutal. After conceding 1-08 in the opening half, CBS High School Clonmel did not concede a single score in the second half. At the break, they trailed 1-08 to 0-05, but from there to the final whistle they outscored Milltown 1-05 to 0-00, flipping the game completely to win by two points, 1-10 to 1-08.
On a testing pitch, against a Milltown side that moved the ball sharply and dominated possession early, this level of defensive control is elite at schools level. Milltown, who had multiple scorers in the first half, were restricted to missed long-range efforts and speculative chances after the restart as High School tightened their structure and game management.
2. Mikey McGuire’s goal changed the entire contest inside 60 seconds
The restart could not have gone better for High School. Inside the opening minute of the second half, joint captain Mikey McGuire finished clinically to the net after taking Luke Foley’s pass, reducing the deficit instantly and injecting belief into the Clonmel side. McGuire finished the game with 1-00, but his influence stretched far beyond the scoreboard.
Having already served a black card in the first half, McGuire’s response summed up High School’s mentality. His repositioning closer to goal proved decisive, and even after his late dismissal, the damage had already been done, the momentum had fully swung Clonmel’s way.
3. Luke Foley delivered the highest-value score of the semi-final
Only one two-pointer was scored in the entire match, and it belonged to Luke Foley. In the 42nd minute, Foley struck a massive two-point free from the 45-metre line, drawing the sides level at 1-08 apiece. In a game ultimately decided by two points, that single kick effectively wiped out Milltown’s entire first-half advantage.
Foley finished with 0-02, including the two-pointer, but his overall influence was even greater. His workrate was relentless, his decision-making calm, and his ability to deliver under pressure gave High School belief that the comeback was real and sustainable.
4. High School survived a brutal first half and stayed alive
Statistically, the first half was stacked against CBS High School Clonmel. They missed a penalty in the 16th minute, when Daniel Duggan saved Dylan McCormack’s effort after the Clonmel Óg man had been hauled down. They then lost McGuire to a black card in the 20th minute, and five minutes later Diarmuid Quirke fired Milltown into a 1-07 to 0-04 lead with a goal.
Despite all of that, High School went to the dressing room only six points down, 1-08 to 0-05, thanks to scores from Dylan McCormack and Conor Freaney. That ability to absorb setbacks and remain within striking distance was crucial once the second-half momentum shifted.
5. Balanced scoring and defensive leaders closed the game out
High School’s 1-10 came from six different scorers, underlining a spread of responsibility.
- Mikey McGuire 1-00
- Aaron McAndrew 0-03
- Luke Foley 0-02, including a two-point free
- Conor Freaney 0-02
- Killian Smith 0-01
- Dylan McCormack 0-01 (free)
McAndrew’s 0-03 came through direct running and pressure on the Milltown defence, while Freaney’s second point in the 62nd minute proved crucial breathing space late on. Defensively, Harry Lawlor and Luke Hannigan anchored a back line that conceded zero scores after half-time, while goalkeeper James O’Brien delivered a key late intervention, pushing a dangerous long-range effort out for a 45 in added time.
Team Line-Ups
CBS High School Clonmel
James O’Brien (Moyle Rovers); John Lyons (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), Rian Galko (Clonmel Óg), Harry Lawlor (Clonmel Commercials), Luke Hannigan (Clonmel Óg, joint captain), Andrew Ryan (The Nire), Paddy Spelman (The Nire); Mikey McGuire (Kilsheelan/Kilcash, joint captain), Luke Foley (Moyle Rovers); Aaron McAndrew (Moyle Rovers), Killian Smith (Clonmel Commercials), Briain Morrisson (Moyle Rovers); Conor Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Finn Napier (Clonmel Commercials), Dylan McCormack (Clonmel Óg).
Subs, Jamal Yousif for Ryan (HT), Donal Morrisson for Briain Morrisson (49), David Ryan for McCormack (59).
Presentation Secondary School Milltown
Daniel Duggan; James Spillane, Marcus Clifford, Sean Clifford; Ryan Carey, Evan Doona, Liam Harmon; Michael Lynch, Brian Mangan; Diarmuid Quirke (captain), Kevin Coffey, Ryan Costello; Danny Murphy, Killian Fitzgerald, Shane O’Loughlin.
Subs, Donnacha Quirke, Jan Ziober.
Final word
CBS High School Clonmel didn’t just overturn a six-point deficit, they owned the second half, shut the game down defensively, and produced the key scores at the right moments. A 1-05 to 0-00 second-half return tells the story clearly. This was a controlled, data-backed Munster semi-final win, and now it’s Tralee CBS next, with confidence, belief, and history on the line.