Brackens building a head of steam in seeing off Rockwell

GAA: FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship Group 4

JK Brackens 3-13

Rockwell Rovers 2-7

Report: Michael Dundon in Holycross

JK Brackens struck early and decisively to clinch top spot in group 4 of the County Senior Football Championship, their nine point win over Rockwell Rovers on Sunday maintaining their unbeaten record in the round-robin stages.

Bracken’s track record in the championship in recent years suggested that they would win this game, but nobody anticipated it would be so stress-free against a Rockwell Rovers outfit from whom much was expected but who failed spectacularly to deliver on the day. The West boys were no match for Brackens who produced their best display of the campaign so far to sail through to the knock-out stages.

Fielding at full strength for the first time in this championship, Brackens took control from the word go, Paddy Cadell goaling in the fifth minute after his brother Conor created the chance.

Rovers were run off their feet by the speed and energy of the opposition with their counter-attacking football creating huge gaps in the West defence. Goal number two came aftnine minutes when Jack Kennedy netted off Dean McEnroe’s feed and so it continued for the half with Brackens ahead 2-7 to 0-2 after 23 minutes.

An Aidan Barron goal for Rockwell raised their hopes but Jack Kennedy had a third Brackens goal just before half-time for a 3-10 to 1-3 lead.

It could have been much greater, Conor Cadell hitting the post after twenty minutes, as did Tommy Murphy approaching the break, but even without converting those chances, JK Brackens were clearly not going to be caught.

With scoring difference to count in terms of second place and relegation, Rockwell needed to address their growing deficit urgently and they tried valiantly to do so. Instead, Brackens spurned another goal chance when Jack Kennedy’s penalty was saved by Eoghan Doyle after 40 minutes, Dean McEnroe having been fouled.

Rockwell scores were coming too infrequently to trouble Brackens who were 3-13 to 1-6 ahead when TJ Ryan was fouled, and Alan Moloney tucked the penalty in the Templemore/Clonmore sides net.

They added a couple of points before the finish but by then it was all very pedestrian and the concentration focusing on the other result in the group as the statisticians determined that Moyle Rovers would claim second spot behind Brackens with Rockwell to fight against relegation.

The scoreline left no room for conjecture other than how much Brackens would have won by had they taken all their chances. Their early performances were hampered by the absence of key men like Paddy Cadell and Eanna McBride but now, restored to full strength, they are shaping like potential winners of silverware.

There was much to admire about their play when the game was taking shape. The speed of their counter-attacks, the support for the player in possession, and their willingness to shoot for scores all were excellent. Jack Kennedy shaded the Man of the Match accolade with 2-4 to his credit, but Conor Cadell, Dean McEnroe and Paddy Cadell were not far behind with Stephen Cahill and Tommy Murphy also impressive.

Rockwell Rovers have a lot of work to do to maintain their senior status. They are capable of much better than this, but their play lacked the tempo, urgency and verve required to compete at this level. How they react to this defeat is in their own hands and will determine their standing for next year. Few of their men did themselves justice, the exceptions being Robert O’Donnell, Liam Fahey, Tom Tobin, Alan Moloney and TJ Ryan.

Player of the Match: Jack Kennedy (JK Brackens)

JK Brackens: Kuba Beben (6); Luke Ormond (6), Tom Murphy (7), Martin Delaney (6); Stephen Cahill (7), Neil Quinlan (0-1, 6), Jordan Moloney (6); Paddy Cadell (1-2, 8), Adrian Bourke (0-1, 6); Conor Cadell (0-1, 8), Dean McEnroe (0-2, 8), Eanna McBride (6); Lyndon Fairbrother (6), Jack Kennedy (2-5, 0-4f, 9), Jack Nevin (6).

Subs: Lorcan Egan (6) for P Cadell (44); Shane Doyle (0-1, 6) for McBride (46); Jamie Bergin (NR) for Delaney (54); Paddy Cadell for Murphy (57).

Rockwell Rovers: Eoghan Doyle (7); Liam Lonergan (6), Robert O’Donnell (7), Peter Heney (6); Kieran McGovern (6), Liam Fahey (7), Joe Lawrence (6); Tom Tobin (7), Aidan Barron (1-0, 6); Kevin Cleary (6), Eoin Byrne (0-1, 6), Luca Fitzgerald (6); Alan Moloney (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-3f) 7), TJ Ryan (0-2, 7), Eoin Shine (0-1, 6).

Subs: Pat Halley (6) for Shine (35); Paul Halley (6) for Heney (44).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).