Brackens aim to make history in Senior Football final
GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship Final Preview
By Shane Brophy
CLONMEL COMMERCIALS v JK BRACKENS
Semple Stadium, Thurles
Saturday 9th November
Throw-in @ 2.30pm (E.T.)
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers)
There is a novel pairing in this Saturday's County Senior Football Championship Final as Clonmel Commercials, chasing an 18th title, take on JK Brackens, looking to win their very first.
“It's fantastic. The last time we were in a final was in 1963 as Templemore Eire Og,” said JK Brackens manager Paudie Bourke, who is is also manager of the clubs senior hurling team who won the O Riain Cup hurling final last Sunday.
The old Templemore Eire Og club were county champions in 1925 and 1936 and subsequent to that, the 10th Battalion club in the town won the title in 1943 & 1945.
Since them, the landscape of GAA in the locality has changed with the football club of Templemore Eire Og merging with intermediate & junior hurling clubs in Clonmore and Killea to form JK Brackens in 1992.
While Killea opted to reform their own club a few years later, “the Brackens” have remained but the club didn't enjoy much success in either hurling or football until the last couple of years where they got a group of underage players together to win a minor 'A' football title in 2017 followed by back to back under 21 'A' successes in 2018 and 2019.
“We might not have had the history per say but these boys are used to winning,” Bourke added.
“We have put in massive work this year.
“Target number one was to get out of the group but once we topped the group we felt we were more than capable of pushing on.
These guys are nearly twelve months on the road but it's not a massive surprise to be where we are but come final day we'll be well prepared and will give it a right good go.”
The younger players, including captain Paddy Cadell, have invigorated the side the have fallen a little short over the years.
“We have a great blend of youth and experience,” Bourke added.
“Some of our young players have reinvigorated the likes of Cathal & Shane Scully, Shane Bourke, Lorcan Egan and these guys who have played at a very high level. They have been brilliant club servants and it is great to see them get to county final day and potentially win a county final.
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