Lively Brackens book place in knockouts

JK Brackens powered their way into the knockout stages of the County Senior Hurling Championship as they blitzed Clonoulty/Rossmore in this round 2 Group 4 game on Saturday.

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 4

JK Brackens 2-26

Clonoulty/Rossmore 4-14

Report: John O'Shea in Borrisoleigh

From when Éanna McBride pointed after just thirty seconds until the end, they were never headed and had gone fifteen points to the good at the three quarter stage, 2-21 to 0-12.

Clonoulty/Rossmore staged a fourth quarter comeback, hitting three goals in a four minute spell between the 49th & 53rd minutes while also getting a fourth three minutes into added time.

JK Brackens were quickly out of the blocks and McBride fired over after just 35 seconds. Jamie Ormond put two between the sides before Nathan Slattery opened Clonoulty’s account.

Luke Ormond set up Conor Cadell and Andrew Ormond put three between the sides. Clonoulty were off target from a couple of placed balls and were finding it difficult to get to the pitch of the game, while Brackens were beginning to show a sharpness that allowed them to dictate the terms of engagement.

Cathal Bourke hit two minors either side of a Paddy Cadell point following a run out of defence. The Mid men hit four of the next five points before Lyndon Fairbrother struck a double whammy.

Andrew Ormond picked up a breaking ball out on the sideline at the stand side, cut in along the end-line, drew the defender and found the unmarked Fairbrother, who crashed past Jason O’Dwyer from close range.

Stephen Ferncombe was on target from a placed ball but again Andrew Ormond turned provider following a high catch, feeding Fairbrother who crashed home goal number two. These two goals were killer blows for the West side, who had been under pressure in defence prior to this.

Brackens pushed on and were twelve points to the good as half time approached, but Clonoulty finished the half with three good scores, a point from Danny Slattery and two from Ferncombe to leave nine between the sides, 2-13 to 0-10.

The West men needed a big start to the second half, but it was the opposite that happened. Andrew Ormond split the posts after thirty seconds. Stephen Ferncombe cancelled it out from a placed ball, but Brackens hit seven of the next eight points, with Jamie Ormond putting over three from different angles. Fairbrother brought his tally to 2-6 and Michael Cahill came up-field for his second.

Brackens were now fifteen points to the good, but Clonoulty came right back into the game. Jack Ryan crashed home a twenty metre free and followed up immediately with another goal from play. Mikey Ryan put over a point from close range, but Lyndon Fairbrother cancelled out from a placed ball.

Jimmy Maher got onto the end of a Stevie Quinn sideline cut to bat home a third major in four minutes with seven minutes of normal time remaining. Shane Doyle steadied the Brackens when he cut over a sideline ball and Fairbrother hit three, two from placed balls, as the game went into added time.

Jack Ryan had the final say on the scoreboard when he completed his three goal tally, finding the net from another twenty metre free, but it only served to put a better gloss on the final scoreline.

Player of the Match: Lyndon Fairbrother (JK Brackens).

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy (6); Tom Murphy (7), Cathal Scully (7), Luke Ormond (7); Ned Delaney (7), Paddy Cadell (0-2, 8), Jordan Moloney (7), Éanna McBride (0-1, 7), Dean McEnroe (7), Shane Doyle (0-2, 1 s-cut, 7), Andrew Ormond (0-4, 8), Jamie Ormond (0-4, 8), Conor Cadell (0-1, 8), Lyndon Fairbrother (2-10, 0-8f, 9), Michael Cahill (0-2, 7).

Subs: Ned Walsh (6) for McEnroe (55), James Corcoran (NR) for Delaney (58), Stephen Cahill (NR) for Moloney (60), Martin Delaney (NR) for Doyle (60+1).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Jason O’Dwyer (6); Tommy Ryan (6), Ronan Heffernan (6), Donnchadh Quirke (5), Sean O’Connor (0-1, 7), Enda Heffernan (6), John O’Keeffe (6), Nathan Slattery (0-1, 6), Danny Slattery (0-1, 7), Cathal Bourke (0-3, 1f, 7), Stephen Ferncombe (0-5, 4f, 6), Jack Ryan (3-0, 2f, 7), Mikey Ryan (Winnie 0-1, 7), Thomas Butler (6), Robert Doyle (0-1, 7).

Subs: Jimmy Ryan (Con 7) for Quirke (26), Jimmy Maher (1-1, 7) for Ferncombe (37), Stevie Quinn (6) for Butler (48), Stephen Ferncombe for D Slattery (58).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess).