Michael Quinlivan happy Clonmel have blown away the fear factor for club underdogs

Michael Quinlivan had to wait a few hours for the phone call he had been dreading.

The Clonmel Commercials talisman had just missed the entire second half of the All-Ireland club quarter-final clash with Tir Chonaill Gaels, after a black card just before the break. The 22-year old knew instantly that his mistake could result in him being absent for an historic All-Ireland semi-final due to suspension, as it was his third offence of 2015. The full-forward was most annoyed that he was removed for a foul he was not even proud of.

"I went to tackle a guy and he stepped inside me and tripped over my leg and that's how I remember it anyway. I was walking in at half time and I had my head in my heads thinking 'what am I after doing?' "For something so stupid, you know it wasn't a 'good' black card you know, in what can be called a good black card. I know that might sound a bit cynical but there is in certain terms you know what I mean?”

Luckily for Quinlivan, there is no limit on black cards at club level, and he is free this week to play against Ballyboden St Enda’s of Dublin in Portlaoise at 4.30. The Munster champions have been the surprise story of this year’s All-Ireland series, as they got the better of Nemo Rangers in their provincial decider by a single point, with the game winning goal coming from Quinlivan’s trusty left boot in the dying seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPyJkbWOD4Q The full-forward pushed his daisy cutter into the far corner of the net to help the Tipperary side to a memorable victory; not that he actually remembers much of the strike itself.

“Just keep it low, hit the target. I think if he had saved it, Kevin Fahey I think was actually standing right underneath him so hopefully he would have got it anyway but sure I'll take the glory. “It was one of those things, that sort of stuff doesn't happen in the GAA all that often any more which was why it is so special. “I don't really remember what happened after the goal - I've seen a lot of pictures of me with a big stupid head on me. “The goal seems a lot quicker to me in my head than it does when I watch it on the telly which is strange, a lot of people say it's the other way around. Then sure it was just mayhem. The place went haywire.”

Clonmel’s Munster final appearance was their first since 2001, but the AIB Munster club footballer of the year for 2015/16 is hopeful their success can inspire other club sides from the Premier county.

"There's a lot more club teams in Tipperary that are of the same level as that just need a bit of belief that they can do it themselves. The fear factor is gone with every team in Tipperary playing anyone which might have been there a few years ago. Maybe we've blown that open but I think it was already well gone by the time we beat Nemo."

Ballyboden will be firm favourites this Saturday, but under the leadership of manager Charlie McKeever, Quinlivan is hoping the club's legacy will not just be defined just by their Munster success.

"People stopping you in the street, people coming up to you, that sort of stuff doesn't happen to footballers especially, in Tipperary let alone in Clonmel. That doesn't happen. "Hopefully in maybe 10 years' time, a little lad who is six or seven will look at that and think I want to play football now instead of something else. That might be the legacy of what we've done hopefully. That's the way I'd like to look at it."

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