Moyle Rovers were second best to an excellent Doonbeg in the Munster Club football final replay took place on Sunday December 20th in heavy conditions at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. However, the match was a much poorer affair than what was witnessed on the previous sunday, with Moyle Rovers enjoying long spells of possession but creating few chances against a Doonbeg side who had a man sent off after 15 minutes.

Doonbeg went into a 2 point lead shortly after that but Moyle hit back to level at half-time, 0-2 to 0-2. However, Doonbeg changed their tactics at half-time and played eight men in defence as they soaked up Moyle Rovers pressure and hit on the break. They outscored Rovers 0-5 to 0-2 in the second half as they capitalised on Moyle Rovers' failure to make that killer pass in the last third of the field.

In the end no-one in the ten thousand strong crowd could deny Doonbeg their first Munster Club championship win.

A last gasp goal from Doonbeg's Francis McInerney denied Moyle Rovers their first AIB Munster Club Football championship after a titanic struggle played in atrocious conditions at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick on Sunday December 13th.

But for McInerney's goal the title would have been won but that would have been hard on Doonbeg who dominated a lot of the game. Moyle Rovers didn't play up to their potential and have another major injury worry as midfielder, Jimmy Dunne, joins his midfield partner John Owens on the injured list with an ankle injury. Owens has been diagnosed with a cruciate ligament tear and is ruled out of football until September.

The Clare champions opened up a three point lead after dominating the first quarter but Moyle Rovers came back to lead 1-4 to 0-3 at half-time. All-Star Declan Browne was being shackled by two markers but still managed to score two points, set up another and take the free which led to the Rover's first half goal. Noel Wall tapped that in after the free as dropped by a defender in the small square.

Doonbeg had the most of the play in the second half but didn't take their chances. They amassed 14 wides in the match and after Browne scored a sensational goal mid-way through the second half and the Doonbeg full back was sent off later for a bad tackle on Browne who tapped over the resulting free.

Five points up with 6 minutes to go, the title seemed bound for Clonmel but a late Doonbeg flurry and McInerney's goal meant that both teams have to do it all over again on Sunday December 20th.

Moyle Rovers qualified for the AIB Munster Club Football Final after this stunning semi-final win over Bantry Blues on Sunday November 22th in Dunmanway.

Moyle Rovers were rank outsiders for the game and the celebrations that followed the victory were unbelieveable. The match was won with six minutes to go when a Derry Foley effort was parried to his brother Donal who swept the ball to the net.

Two points down with fifteen minutes to go, the game appeared to be over when Moyle Rovers had a man sent off. But Foley's goal won the match.

Gordon Hughes in action for Moyle Rovers against Bantry Blues.

Moyle Rovers regained the Tipperary Senior Football title after this stylish victory over Ardfinnan in the final played in Clonmel on Sunday November 8th.

With heavy conditions, suspensions, and a number niggling injuries to Moyle Rovers players, Ardfinnan went into this game with a much better chance than the 4-14 to 1-9 South Tipp Final defeat suggested. Indeed, they got off to the much better start this time around. They opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes and played with a lot of confidence. However, it was clear from the outset that Tiperary star Derry Foley was winning his crucial match-up with his inter-county team-mate Sean Maher and the scoring chances started to flow. He scored Rovers first point after 5 minutes and Paul Boland pointed their second after Foley crashed a shot off the crossbar.

James Williams then fired over a super score after soloing 40 yards and the match suddenly found life. Jimmy Dunne fired wide when in a great position and Ardfinnan's Brendan Cummins scored the first of his 5 points from a '45. Then with the scores all tied Moyle Rovers first goal arrived.

An attempted clearance from an Ardfinnan defender was superbly blocked down by Gordon Hughes and the resulting loose ball was snapped up by full-forward Donal Foley who found the net. Cummins responded with another '45, but it was Ardfinnan's last score of the first half, and Moyle Rover's hit a 10 minute purple patch that won them the match, a 10 minute spell inspired by corner-forward Declan Browne.

Browne scored the point of the match after picking up possession in the left-hand corner, eluding his marker and scoring from an acute angle. He then pointed from 35 yards from play and 40 yards from a free. Gordon Hughes then provided the ammunition for Donal Foley and Browne to score further points and open up a 1-8 to 0-5 lead which they held for the remainder of the half.

With a 6 point lead many expected Rover's to win comfortably, but again Ardfinnan started the half very brightly. Cummins pointed a free and pressure was mounted on the Moyle Rovers goal, resulting in Seamus Delahunty saving well from Peter Lambert. John Owens restored Moyle Rover's 6 point lead only for Cummins to respond with another free.

Kilanerin man Gordon Hughes (right) watches as Derry Foley wins possession for Moyle Rovers in the Tipperary SFC Final.

For the following 15 minutes both sides missed a host of chances with Moyle Rovers' forwards guilty of glaring wides. Gordon Hughes finished off a Declan Browne through ball for a point and Paul Boland stretched the lead to 7 points just before Rover's sealed their win with a second goal.

Jimmy Dunne picked up a Declan Browne pass, his goal-bound effort was well saved by Eamonn Ryan in the Ardfinnan goal but Donal Foley crashed the ball home.

Man of the match, Donal Foley, had trained the Moyle Rovers team for the year and it was only fitting that he completed his hat-trick of goals in the final moments. A late Ardfinnan goal was mere consolation and the celebrations had begun.

Team: Seamus Delahunty; John McGrath, Kevin O'Connor, Liam Cronin (capt); Tom Lane, Michael McGrath, Robbie Boland; John Owens (0-1), Jimmy Dunne; Paul Boland (0-2), Derry Foley (0-1), Gordon Hughes (0-1); James Williams (0-1), Donal Foley (3-1), Declan Browne (0-5, 2 frees).
subs: Noel Wall for Tom Lane; John Shanahan for James Williams.

Moyle Rovers qualified for their first County final since 1996 after this very bad tempered semi-final victory over Loughmore/Castleiney on October 25th at Cahir. Loughmore/Castleiney ran Moyle Rovers to one point at this stage two years ago, but in very heavy conditions they had a huge advantage this time around.

Indeed, they stormed to an early lead even though Rovers were wind-assisted in the first half. Moyle Rovers had their corner back sent off after five minutes and immediately after that they conceeded a goal from a penalty. The half-time score was tied at 0-06 to 1-3.

Declan Browne and his more light-weight forward colleagues found it tough going in the heavy ground, and life got even harder after Kilanerin man Gordon Hughes had to go off after a bad tackle with a wrist injury.

Amazingly, Loughmore/Castleiney only scored two points after that as Moyle Rovers gradually wore them down. Their forwards started converting those hard earned scoring chances and the goals arrived. In the end victory was achieved with some to spare but a question mark may exist over their ablity to recover from this tough match with the final on next sunday.

Moyle Rovers romped into the County semi-finals after this embarrassingly easy win over a poor Inane/Borrisoleigh. At half-time Rovers led by 3-10 to 1-2.

Gordon Hughes scored two points and played well at his now customary left half forward position, but so poor were the opposition that it proved to be a game to forget - so much so in fact that the referee adhered to an agreement between the two sides to play only 20 minutes in the second half!

Moyle Rovers regained the South Tipperary Senior Football Championship in some style after they comprehensibly defeated the team that put them out of the Championship last year, Ardfinnan.

The match, played in Clonmel on Sunday August 30th, didn't live up to the neutral's expectations as Ardfinnan were just unable to cope with the running power and superior finishing of Moyle Rovers. Indeed Declan Browne could afford the luxury of a missed penalty and a number of uncharacteristic wides, while Ardfinnan failed miserably to keep with the County Champions of 1996.

Both teams now look forward to County Quarter-Finals which may be played on the weekend of September 11-12th.

Moyle Rovers got a tremendous boost to their County Championship hopes when they proved too strong for last year's beaten Munster Club finalists and close rivals Fethard in the semi-finals of the South Tipperary Senior Football Championship.

This eagerly awaited crunch match was fixed as part of a semi-final double bill in Cahir on August 9th. The victory guarantees a South Tipperary Final and a Tipperary County Quarter-final spot for Rovers who looked every inch championship material.

Tipperary star Declan Browne was simply in another class, notching up ten points, 5 of which coming from play. Derry Foley was superb at midfield and his brother Donal also chipped in with two points of his own as Moyle rovers recovered from the setback of conceeding an early goal.

However, the best news of all for both Moyle Rovers and Kilanerin was the excellent performance of Gordon Hughes who played at wing forward on the same wing as corner forward Declan Browne. He was fouled for three of Browne's frees, created three more scores, while also putting over two excellent long range points of his own in the second half.

Moyle Rovers now play Ardfinnan in the South tipp final, while their opponents in the County Quarter-finals hasn't been decided yet.

An excellent fight back by Moyle Rovers saw them come back from a four point deficit and a man sent off after 15 minutes to win a very hard fought South Tipperary SFC tie.

Gordon Hughes was moved from corner forward to midfield following the sending off of star player Jimmy Dunne and played his part in a spirited fight-back which gave Moyle Rovers the perfect start in the League-formatted Championship.

A hat-trick of penalties by Declan Browne and a spell of three goals in five minutes just before the half-time interval gave Moyle Rovers an excellent win over the reigning Tipperary senior champions and last years Munster Club finalists, Fethard.

A Derry Foley strike at the end ensured victory, in a game where Gordon Hughes played his part at wing forward.

Despite missing a number of first choice players, Moyle Rovers overcame the challenge of their bogey team, Ardfinnan, to clinch The win guarantees them the South Tipperary League Title.

Playing at wing forward, Gordon Hughes was involved in creating two of the goals. Although the end result was flattering for Rovers, they can look forward to the South Tipperary Football Championship with confidence.