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Soccer has been a major sport in Clonmel since the turn of the last century with various clubs
representing Clonmel down through the years. The club was formed on 23rd April 1963, with 'Bohemians
Clonmel' being adopted as the name of the club. In their first season Clonmel Bohemians won the
Tipperary league. From 1966 onwards the club competed in the Waterford league and in 1968 won the
Munster Junior Cup. 1973 saw the club move into Senior Football. In 1976 the club decided to change
their name to Clonmel Town F.C. in order to promote an affinity with the town. During the 1981/82
season Clonmel Town were runners up to Cobh Ramblers in the Munster Senior League and also lost out
to Ramblers in the Final of the Munster Senior Cup. In 1986 the club won the Munster Junior Cup for
the second time, when they defeated Ballincollig 1-0 in the final.
The club had to wait another 20 years to lift Munster's Blue Riband Trophy. We were runners up in
1994, 97, 01, 04, 05. Thankfully the pain of losing those finals were erased when on the 12th May
2006 we defeated arch rivals St Michael's 2-1 in the Final. The scenes of pure joy at the end of
that game will live long in the memory of everyone who was there in Cahir that famous night.
Domestically Clonmel Town have been dominant over the past number of years winning the TSDL Premier
League a record 5 times in a row between 2004 and 2008 amassing 14 League titles in all along with
13 Tipperary Cup titles. The B team have also came through the divisions each year scooping silverware
along their way and have been valued asset to the first team since their formation in 2004.
1994 was the proudest year in the clubs history. The greatest prize in Junior football the FAI Junior Cup was won when they defeated New Ross 5-1 in the Final. Captain that day was Cyril Conran, who also had the distinction of being the FAI Junior Player of the Year. In that season the team lost only once out of a total of 43 matches which was in the Munster Junior Cup final against Mungret Regional 2-1. The club has since been twice semi-finalists in the competition and became one of the first 4 Junior clubs to compete in the FAI Senior Cup, in the 99-2000 season. That year the club reached the last 16 of the competition, losing out away to Bluebell Utd in a replay. The highlight of that cup run was a terrific 3-1 victory away to then Intermediate Cup Holders Rockmount.
Many Clonmel Town players have gone to ply their trade in the League of Ireland. Sean Kiely not
only played for Waterford in the League but also in 1980 played in the European Cup Winners Cup.
Billy Lambe played for a number of clubs in the League of Ireland, Including Waterford, Thurles Town
and Kilkenny. Whilst, Billy Byrne, Maurice Slater, Tommy Hewitt, Martin Quinlivan, Glen Conway, Tony
Scully, Aaron Moroney and Paul Scully are others who played for Waterford in Irelands top league.
Seamus Strappe enjoyed a number of seasons playing up front for Shelbourne. Stephen Napier was an
outstanding player for both Dundalk and Cork City. There are currently two ex Clonmel Town players
playing in the National League. Ollie Cahill (Drogheda Utd), Kevin Waters (Waterford United). Also many Clonmel Town players have gone on to gain International
caps with the Republic of Ireland Junior Team. Cyril Conran (who captained the side), Stephen O'Neill,
Aaron Moroney, Tony Norris, Tony Scully and Kevin Waters have all worn the green jersey with pride. Ian Barnes,
Christy Aylward and Peter Acheson have also been capped at Schoolboy level. In 2005 Mark Power was
selected to play for Ireland at U-15 level.
During the early days, the club was managed in turn by Peter Bryan (former Oxford United,
Waterford and Inter League player.) Shay Brennan (Man.Utd and Irish International RIP), Al Casey (RIP),
Dave Kirby (Waterford). In addition, Clonmel locals Buddy Anderson, Danny Gibbons, Richie Blanche,
Sean Kiely, Martin Quinlivan, Billy Byrne and Paddy Ryan.
Today Charlie McGeever and Sean Kiely
manage the A Team while Chris O'Flaherty manages the B Team whilst the future of the club, our schoolboys
are managed superbly by Martin Quinlivan, Jamie O'Flaherty, Michael Walsh, PJ Quinlivan, John Hunt, Cyril Conran, Chris
Regan, Brian McGrath, Billy Byrne and Gary O'Shea.
