Loughmore Juniors get in on the glory

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Junior Football Championship Final

Loughmore/Castleiney 1-11

JK Brackens 1-9

Report: Ronan Loughnane at The Ragg.

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Ciaran McCormack (Loughmore/Castleiney).

SCORERS – Loughmore/Castleiney: Cian Hennessy 0-4 (3 frees); Mikey Ryan 1-0; Joey Quinn 0-2; Henry Maher, Niall Moloney, Conor McGrath, Michael McGrath, Martin O’Connell 0-1 each.

JK Brackens: Shane Scully 0-5 (4 frees); Darragh Doyle 1-1; Eoin Fitzpatrick, Ned Walsh, Brian Roche 0-1 each.

Loughmore/Castleiney continued their winning ways on Saturday afternoon as they saw off a spirited JK Brackens challenge to become the inaugural County Premier Junior Football champions.

Played in ideal conditions in front of a fine crowd, the match was slow to take off with just two points shared in the opening ten minutes. Conor McGrath was first off the mark for Loughmore from play in the third minute before Shane Scully replied for Brackens seven minutes later.

Niall Molony had a goal chance for Loughmore, but Sean Collier was on hand to clear off the line. Cian Hennessy pointed for Loughmore before a lovely Brackens move involving Sean Purcell, Joe Bourke, Martin Bergin, and Shane Scully was finished to the net by full-forward Darragh Doyle in the twelfth minute.

Loughmore responded well and dominated possession resulting in points from Hennessy, Michael McGrath, Martin O’Connell, and Henry Maher to give them a 0-6 to 1-1 lead by the 25th minute.

Darragh Doyle stopped the rot with a Bracken’s point a minute later and they landed further points when through midfielders Ned Walsh and Eoin Fitzpatrick in the 28th & 29th minute to give Brackens a 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the short whistle.

It was anyone’s game at this stage and Brackens began the second half with a lovely move putting Ciaran O’Shea through on goal but his fisted effort for a point went straight to the net and was ruled out.

Joey Quinn opened the second half scoring for Loughmore with a point from a mark in the 35th and followed up with a lovely point from play four minutes later to give his side the lead. Cian Hennessy trebled that lead with pointed frees in the 41st & 42nd minutes as Loughmore led 0-10 to 1-4.

Brackens were struggling up front and brought in Brian Roche with fifteen minutes to play. He made an immediate impact as he pointed with his first touch and when Shane Scully pointed a free a minute later, it was back to a point.

The crucial score arrived in the 48th minute when Loughmore broke quickly, and wing-back Mikey Ryan was on hand to palm the ball to Tom Bourke’s net. And when Eoin Fitzpatrick received a second yellow card Brackens were a man down and four points down and it looked all over.

But driven on by Ned Delaney, Ciaran O’Shea, and Ned Walsh, they dominated the last ten minutes with Shane Scully converting three frees to close the gap to a point by the 56th minute.

Loughmore full-back Jay Shorley was black-carded a minute later, and all the momentum was now with Brackens. But credit to the Loughmore defence who stood up when needed most and they repelled a number of Brackens attacks.

The Templemore/Clonmore side will also rue a number of gilt-edged chances from placed balls to tie the game and when Loughmore got away on the counter-attack in the 63rd minute Niall Molony found himself all alone and he popped over the final score of the day to give Loughmore/Castleiney a two point victory.

Ciaran McCormack, Henry Maher, Michael McGrath, Joey Quinn, and Cian Hennessy were best as they landed their second county title in six days.

JK Brackens brought plenty to the game and while Loughmore had the lion’s share of possession Brackens had the better chances and probably should have three goals by the break. Sean Purcell, Ned Delaney, Ned Walsh, Ciaran O’Shea and Darragh Doyle were best.

TEAMS - Loughmore/Castleiney: Richard Maher (6); Johnny Campion (6), Jay Shorley (6), Paul McCormack (6); Henry Maher (7), Ciaran McCormack (7), Mikey Ryan (6); Paul McCahey (6), Ed Connolly (6); Niall Molony (6), Conor McGrath (6), Michael McGrath (Capt 6); Joey Quinn (7), Cian Hennessy (7), Martin O’Connell (6).

Subs: Anthony Ryan (6) for O’Connell (52), Padraic Hennessy for H Maher (60), Diarmuid Meagher (NR) for M McGrath (60+1).

JK Brackens: Tom Bourke (6); Sean Collier (6), James Bergin (6), Tadhg Nolan (6); Sean Purcell (7), Lorcan Egan (6), James Ryan (6), Eoin Fitzpatrick (6), Ned Walsh (7), Joe Bourke (6), Shane Scully (6), Ciaran O’Shea (7); Ned Delaney (7), Darragh Doyle (6), Martin Bergin (6).

Subs: Brian Roche (6) for Ryan (45), Aidan Prout (6) for Bergin (50), Dylan Moloney (6) for Bourke (52).

Referee: Tom McGlinchey (Newport).