Brackens claim first ever Mid Senior title

GAA: Centenary Agri Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Final

JK Brackens 0-19

Drom & Inch 1-15

Report: Michael Dundon in Boherlahan

A thundering last quarter by JK Brackens swept them to an historic first ever Mid senior hurling title, as Andrew Ormond’s injury time point got them over the line on Sunday against a Drom & Inch side hotly tipped to win.

A modest enough contest was redeemed by a pulsating finish as the Templemore lads came from six points down after 45 minutes to draw level at the end of normal time before, in the seventh minute of added time, Ormond hit the winner for Brackens who outscored their opponents eight points to one in the last quarter.

Even at that Drom & Inch had a chance to salvage a draw but Seamus Callanan’s free from inside his own half struck the woodwork before being cleared by the Brackens boys whose delight at Johnny Dooley’s final whistle was boundless.

Drom, on the other hand were left to rue a plethora of wasted chances with sixteen wides costing them the title they last held in 2019.

Thirty years after the JK Brackens club was founded, Eamon Corcoran’s charges finally brought the Johnny Leahy Cup to Templemore and Clonmore, and the added bonus for their endeavours is that this win assures them of a place in the county preliminary quarter-finals should they not qualify from their group – a huge life-line with such as champions Loughmore-Castleiney and Kiladangan to be reckoned with.

Drom & Inch were the better side in the first half, particularly in the second quarter, as they turned a 0-4 to 0-6 deficit into a 0-13 to 0-9 advantage by the interval. Ten wides were to prove costly, from play and frees, as the favourites were not on their game.

Just as they had done in their semi-final with Upperchurch, JK Brackens came into their own in the second half. Andrew Ormond had the ball in the Drom net inside a minute, but the score was disallowed for an infringement in the build-up.

Drom looked to have one hand on the cup when Seamus Callanan punished a badly executed short puckout in the 45th minute with a goal that put Drom 1-14 to 0-11 clear.

It looked as though there was no way back for Brackens, but they responded with points from Lyndon Fairbrother (2), Neil Quinlan and Dean McEnroe to be only two adrift after 51 minutes. Johnny Ryan, now delegated free-taking duties, pointed for Drom but Brackens continued to reel in their flagging opponents with three points from Fairbrother frees to level after 58 minutes.

With temperatures in the high twenties, the intensity of this contest also hotted up. Brackens let two possible point chances slip in injury time before Andrew Ormond whipped over the winning point after 67 minutes.

There was still more drama. Drom were awarded a free inside their own half, but Seamus Callanan’s well-struck effort hit the woodwork and Brackens policed the rebound to safety ensuring their memorable win.

It was JK Brackens’ day, and they richly deserved it for the level of commitment shown and their composure when things went against them. Lyndon Fairbrother’s free-taking was their trump card with only one lapse from ten shots. The steadiness of Paddy Cadell, Tom Murphy, and Martin Delaney in defence; the industry of Conor Cadell, and the three points from play by Andrew Ormond were other key factors in the Templemore success.

Defeat was a huge disappointment for Drom & Inch particularly in a contest where they had enough chances to win with something to spare. This wastefulness will be a concern as they face into their county championship campaign in a group featuring Borris-Ileigh, Sarsfields and Templederry Kenyons. Drom were below their best despite the best efforts of Kevin Hassett, Fintan Purcell, Robbie Long, Jamie Moloney, Seamus Callanan, and Liam Ryan to lift them.

Player of the Match: Lyndon Fairbrother (JK Brackens)

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy (6); Luke Ormond (6), Tom Murphy (7), Martin Delaney (7); Jordon Moloney (6), Paddy Cadell (8), Neil Quinlan (0-1, 6); Dean McEnroe (0-2, 6), Cathal Scully (6); Conor Cadell (0-1, 6), Andrew Ormond (0-3, 7), Shane Doyle (0-2, 1 s-cut) 7); Shane Bourke (0-1, 6), Lyndon Fairbrother (0-9f, 9), David O’Shea (6).

Subs: Lorcan Roche (6) for O’Shea (56); Shane Scully (NR) for Bourke (60+3).

Drom & Inch; Eoin Collins (0-1f, 6); Emmet Moloney (6), Liam Ryan (7), Kevin Hassett (0-1, 6); Fintan Purcell (0-2, 7), Podge Campion (6), Steve Nolan (0-1, 6); John Campion (0-1, 6), Robbie Long (0-1, 7); Lorcan Campion (6), Jamie Moloney (0-1, 7), Seamus Callanan (1-3, 0-2f) 7); Johnny Ryan (0-3, 2f) 7), Mikey Connors (6), Tommy Nolan (0-1, 6).

Subs: Tony Cahill (6) for T Nolan (46); David Butler (6) for Connors (48); Jack Lillis (6) for J Ryan (59).

Referee: John Dooley (Thurles Gaels)