Loughmore crush off-colour Brackens

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 3 Round 2

Loughmore/Castleiney 2-32

JK Brackens 2-20

Report: Michael Dundon in Templetuohy

Bookmakers’ odds on Loughmore/Castleiney retaining their County Senior Hurling title will have shortened considerably following this demolition of neighbours JK Brackens in round 2 of group 3 on Sunday.

It wasn’t so much that Loughmore won – it was more about the manner in which they chalked up a twelve point victory from a tie most people fancied would go to the wire, that is prompting speculation that this will be the year they win back-to-back titles for the first time.

They were the complete masters here against a Brackens side which had won the Mid title a few weeks back and who were primed for a serious go at the county crown following an opening win against Lorrha. That Mid win guarantees them a place in the knock-out stages of the county championship, irrespective of how their final group game against Drom & Inch goes but there is sure to be some serious soul-searching after this drubbing.

From start to finish Loughmore/Castleiney dominated. The game was played on their terms as they ran Brackens ragged in the opening half. They had three points on the board in four minutes, and even though Brackens countered with an Andrew Ormond goal a minute later, Loughmore continued to chalk up the points, 0-6 to 0-2 over the next seven minutes before, in the 13th minute, Mossie McGrath netted for them off a John McGrath pass for a 1-9 to 1-2 lead.

The game was rapidly slipping beyond Brackens’ reach and by half-time they were 1-8 to 1-19 adrift as they struggled to counter the influence of the McGrath brothers, Noel in particular. Shane Doyle’s free-taking was their main source of scores. He had six in the half, and it was hard to see the Templemore lads redeeming their plight.

Despite a few Brackens’ surges, Loughmore kept them at arm’s length throughout the second half. Loughmore were leading 1-25 to 1-12 when Brackens fired over five unanswered points to which Loughmore promptly replied with three of their own.

Andrew Ormond’s second goal on 54 minutes had Brackens trailing 2-18 to 1-30 but in injury time Paul McCahey, off a John McGrath pass, netted for Loughmore to bring the curtain down on a twelve point win that did not flatter them.

Next up on the hurling scene for Loughmore/Castleiney is a meeting with Lorrha in what is a dead-rubber. The Mid side are playing with a confidence born of experience and success, probably better than last year, and the challenge for them will be to maintain that level of performance.

Noel McGrath was yet again orchestrating things for them, popping up all over the field. Brothers Brian and John, Ciaran Connolly, and Ed Connolly also had key roles while goalkeeper Aidan McGrath, for the second game in succession, scored a point from play, yet another string to the Loughmore bow.

JK Brackens will want to forget this game in a hurry. They are much better than seen here but they never really got going and before they had broken sweat, they were out of contention. They meet Loughmore again in the football championship this Sunday, an opportunity to make amends perhaps, but restoring confidence and self-belief will be a big challenge in the coming days.

Andrew Ormond was their main threat in attack. Shane Doyle’s free-taking also greatly helped while Eanna McBride, Paddy Cadell, Ned Walsh and Jamie Ormond also put in a big shift.

Player of the Match: Noel McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

Loughmore/Castleiney: Aidan McGrath (0-1, 6); Lorcan Egan (6), Willie Eviston (0-1, 6), Ed Meagher (6); John Ryan (0-1, 6), Brian McGrath (0-1, 7), Tommy Maher (6); Noel McGrath (0-5, 9), Ciaran Connolly (0-2, 7); Ed Connolly (0-2, 7), Tomas McGrath (1-1, 6), Ciaran McCormack (6); Liam McGrath (0-2, 6), Ciaran McGrath (0-1, 6), John McGrath (0-13, 10f, 7).

Subs: Eoin O’Connell (6) for Ryan (25 inj), Paul McCahey (1-1, 7) for L McGrath (49); Philip O’Connell (0-1, 6) for McCormack (55); Liam Treacy (NR) for C McGrath (58); Joey Hennessy (NR) for Maher (60+2).

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy (6); Luke Ormond (6), Cathal Scully (6), Sean Walsh (6); James Corcoran (6), Eanna McBride (0-1, 7), Ned Delaney (0-1, 6); Paddy Cadell (0-1, 7), Jordan Moloney (6); Shane Doyle (0-10f, 7), Conor Cadell (6), Stephen Cahill (6); Ned Walsh (0-1, 7), Andrew Ormond (2-2, 7), Jamie Ormond (0-1, 6).

Subs: Lyndon Fairbrother (0-1, 6) for Moloney (HT); Ciaran O’Shea (0-1, 7) for N Walsh (52); Michael Cahill (0-1, 7) for Cahill (52).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess).