Brackens snatch Cup with last gasp goal
GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling – Seamus O Riain Cup Final
JK Brackens 1-15
Holycross/Ballycahill 0-17
Report: Michael Dundon at Semple Stadium
MATCH DIGEST
Man of the Match: Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens)
SCORERS - JK Brackens: Lyndon Fairbrother 1-6 frees; Andrew Ormonde, Shane Bourke, Lorcan Egan 0-2 each; Shane Doyle, Cathal Scully, Dean McEnroe 0-1 each.
Holycross/Ballycahill: Darragh Woods 0-10 (5 frees, 2 s-cuts); Cathal Barrett 0-2; Eanna Ryan, Tony Leahy, Liam Moloney, Luke O'Mara, Jamie Woods 0-1 each.
Victories don’t come in more dramatic fashion than this as JK Brackens captured their first O Riain Cup senior hurling title with a goal five minutes into injury time at Semple Stadium on Sunday to foil a Holycross/Ballycahill side that looked to have their hands on the trophy.
Two points down and beyond the four minutes injury time signalled, JK Brackens were awarded a dubious free as Holycross goalkeeper Dinny Ferncombe looked to have been fouled on the way out with the ball. Lyndon Fairbrother shouldered the responsibility of taking the shot from the 21 yard line and his courage was duly rewarded as his shot skipped across the greasy surface and into the net which brought them the title and left Holycross-Ballycahill to rue chances squandered during the game.
Pre-match predictions were that there would be little between these Mid Tipp opponents and so it transpired. A somewhat low-key first half saw them trading scores most of the way with Holycross enjoying a slight advantage in a contest that was lacking in championship fervour. The Abbeysiders were worth their 0-10 to 0-7 half-time advantage and it might have been more had the woodwork not denied Jamie Woods a goal in the 20th minute.