14-man Brackens send Upperchurch down

GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Hurling Relegation Final

JK Brackens 0-18

Upperchurch/Drombane 1-14

Report: Michael Dundon at The Ragg

A twenty-five year sojourn in the top flight in Tipperary senior hurling came to an end for Upperchurch/Drombane on Saturday as they lost to JK Brackens in a tense encounter in the county relegation play-off.

The ‘Church were hugely disappointed at the finish, but they can have no complaints. They enjoyed a four point lead at half-time (1-11 to 0-10) and against opponents down to fourteen men with the loss of Shane Doyle to a straight red card after 25 minutes, should have pushed on to ensure their senior survival but a dismal third quarter which saw their opponents shoot eight points without reply, was their undoing. That, and a few gilt-edged points chances which went astray.

This was the second week running that JK Brackens shaded a tight game against the same opposition. A week previously, with Upperchurch a man short for the second half, Brackens hung on by the skin of their teeth to win through to the county senior football final. This second success atones for a double defeat for Bracken last year by Upperchurch and underlines how closely matched the clubs are.

There was a lot of passion and healthy physicality in the encounter from the start with JK Brackens the pace-setters at 0-4 to 0-2 after nine minutes but Upperchurch shot right into the frame with Pat Ryan’s goal on fourteen minutes for the lead.

It was nip and tuck all the way and Upperchurch were ahead 1-8 to 0-8 after 25 minutes when Shane Doyle was red-carded for a high tackle. Jack Butler and Aaron Ryan points stretched Upperchurch’s lead, and it looked as though they were on their way.

Brackens showed commendable composure as they steadied the ship but at the interval, they were still behind 0-10 to 1-11. Advantage Upperchurch, most definitely or so we thought.

Brackens were a revelation in the third quarter and Lyndon Fairbrother was the man who inspired them. Always highly regarded as a free-taker, he excelled on this occasion and pointed three in the opening nine minutes of the second half. Andrew Ormond added another to level 0-14 to 1-11. Fairbrother was missing nothing, and another brace, one from Conor Cadell and Fairbrother’s 11th point had JK Brackens cruising, 0-18 to 1-11 going into the last quarter.

Upperchurch missed a number of point chances from frees and play to aggravate their situation, but Pat Ryan had their first point of the second half in the 48th minute. They needed scores but they were slow in coming, Padraig Greene pointing in the 57th minute, before repeating the effort after 61 minutes. There was only a point in it and the momentum was with Upperchurch, but time was against them as Brackens dug deep to hold their slender advantage to the finish.

There was no trophy on offer here but there was jubilation aplenty as the Templemore/Clonmore lads danced with joy at having avoided the drop and it is anybody’s guess how much this win will boost their confidence as they face the mighty Clonmel Commercials in the football final next week-end.

The biggest positive the players and management will take from the encounter is the character and spirit shown by the team when they were faced with the crisis of being behind and a man down. Their response was magnificent and indicative of the calibre of the players in the side.

In their hour of needed free-taker Lyndon Fairbrother came up trumps with eleven points, ten from frees with not a blot on his copybook. Andrew Ormond and Conor Cadell were hugely influential also with goalkeeper Jack Kennedy making one great match-winning save to defy Pat Ryan before half-time. A goal then and Upperchurch were out of sight. Jordan Moloney, Stephen Cahill, and Neill Quinlan were others to make their presence felt.

One had to have sympathy for Upperchurch-Drombane. They really should not have found themselves in the relegation situation and now face a considerable challenge to regain their senior status, such is the keenness of the premier intermediate competition.

Their third quarter slump proved very costly and while they may ponder how they might have fared with a full squad; they will also acknowledge that they had the chances to win but did not take them. Keith Ryan, Pat Ryan goalkeeper Ciaran Shortt and Jack Butler led by example with Ger Grant, and Dean Carew also doing well.

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

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy (7); Jamie Bergin (6), Luke Ormond (6), Martin Delaney (7); Jack Bergin (6), Eanna McBride (6), Jordan Moloney (7); Conor Cadell (0-3, 7), Paddy Cadell (6); Neil Quinlan (6), Stephen Cahill (6), Cathal Scully (6); Andrew Ormond (0-3, 7), Shane Doyle (0-1, 5), Lyndon Fairbrother (0-11, 10f, 9).

Subs: Dean McEnroe (6) for Moloney (42); Eoin Fitzpatrick (NR) for Scully (57); Cathal Scully for Fitzpatrick (59 inj).

Upperchurch/Drombane: Ciaran Shortt (7); Mikey Lavery (6), Ger Grant (7), AJ Shanahan (6); Keith Ryan (7), Gavin Ryan (6), Dean Carew (7); Niall Grant (6), Aaron Ryan (0-1, 6); Jack Butler (0-2, 7), Diarmuid Grant (6), Paul Shanahan (6); Luke Shanahan (0-1, 6), Padraig Greene (0-9f, 6), Pat Ryan (1-1, 7).

Subs: Paddy Phelan (6) for N Grant (45); Oisin Treacy (6) for A Ryan (54); Colm Ryan (7) for L Shanahan (55).

Referee: Peter Carroll (Burgess).