Ormond brothers down Lower Ormond’s best

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 3 Round 1

JK Brackens 2-28

Lorrha 2-18

Report: Liam Hogan at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

Lorrha’s bid to win their opening game of the County Senior Hurling Championship came unstuck when a talented JK Bracken side pulled away in the last ten minutes after what was up to then an absorbing group 3 encounter on Sunday evening.

Reaching the three-quarter stage mark, Lorrha were very much in the reckoning as they trailed 2-19 to 2-17, and playing very well. However, the Brackens, heartened by the recent Mid final win, had the better bench with the introduction of Lyndon Fairbrother really making the difference; the former Tipp minor scoring two points within minutes of his introduction.

They also have other excellent forwards in the guise of recent All-Ireland senior winner in Andrew Ormond and his brother Jamie, an All-Ireland under 20 winner plus the likes of Shane Doyle, the trio scoring 1-15 from play between them.

Also, in the middle third they possessed busy players in Paddy & Cadell, Ned Delaney, and Jordon Moloney, as they outscored Lorrha 0-9 to 0-2 in those final minutes, picking off their opponents on the counter-attack with Lorrha chasing goals with Eoin McIntyre denied by the crossbar while sub Donnacha O’Meara also had a chance saved by Jack Delaney.

Brackens led 0-2 in the fifth minute when Lorrha came downfield, working the ball through the hands of Eoin McIntyre, Cian Hogan and Christopher Fogarty assisting before Patrick Maher fired home a goal from close range.

The goal sparked a run of scores as the highly influential Niall McIntyre scored twice with his brother Eoin adding his first while the skilful Conor Kennedy also scoring to give Lorrha a 1-6 to 0-3 lead after eleven minutes.

In a free flowing contest, points by Andrew Ormond (2) plus two frees by Shane Doyle, along with another point by Conor Cadell had the margin down to two in the 17th minute.

Michael Dolan and Lee Hogan were keeping guard and a brilliant point from Niall McIntyre had Lorrha three in front but were hit hard with Tom Duggan penalised for tugging off the ball and earned a yellow card. From the resultant 21 yard free, Shane Doyle went low and hard and the net was shaking. Michael Kennedy’s immediate puckout was intercepted by Doyle and Brackens were in front.

The trouble for Lorrha didn’t end there as a clearance by corner back Sean Walsh found Stephen Cahill who scored Bracken’s second goal in the 22nd minute.

Lorrha wasted no time in returning to enemy territory and after the sides swapped scores, it was the turn of Patrick Maher to turn provider for Alan O’Meara who casme through the centre to plant a great goal past Jack Kennedy on 26 minutes.

Jamie Ormond nudged Brackens in front before Cian Hogan scored from distance before the ever present Ormond struck again to make it 2-13 to 2-12 to Brackens at half time.

Two Andrew Ormond points within ninety seconds of the restart served notice of what he and the Brackens attack could do.

However, Lorrha had their go-to men as Colm Fogarty replied with a brace, the first from play. The dependable Jamie Ormond replied but Colm Fogarty pulled one back with a free before Brackens opened a three-point advantage after points by the busy Eanna McBride.

It was Lorrha’s turn to respond, and Eoin McIntyre’s dangerous run was brought to a halt. However, Colm Fogarty’s attempt to take a quick free was overturned after a Bracken’s player, without protecting himself, stepped in front of the ball and received a belt which earned Colm Fogarty a harsh yellow card. The set-back was temporary as Lorrha attacked with sub Donnacha O’Meara blasting inches over the bar. A goal would have been timely at that stage.

The end-to-end pace was relentless with each team finding scores leaving Shane Doyle’s ninety metre free to make it 2-20 to 2-17 and eleven minutes to go.

With the game still in the balance an Andrew Ormond forty-metre sideline ball seemed business as usual. Lyndon Fairbrother’s introduction was marked by a point and when Jamie Ormond scored his sixth, one sensed the new Mid champions could breathe a sigh of relief.

Suddenly the goalposts seemed more visible for the Mid side as they stretched their lead through Andrew Ormond, Fairbrother and an excellent sideline ball from Shane Doyle.

The lead was out to nine, but Lorrha’s resilience helped them reply with a Michael Dolan ninety metre free before back to back points by Andrew Ormond and Ned Delaney put the icing on the cake for Brackens.

Player of the Match: Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens)

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy (7); Luke Ormond (6), Cathal Scully (7), Sean Walsh (7); Paddy Cadell (8), Ned Delaney (0-2, 7); James Corcoran (6), Jordan Moloney (8); Shane Doyle (1-7, 1-4f, 0-1 s-cut) 8), Jamie Ormond (0-6, 9), Conor Cadell (0-2, 7); Eanna McBride (0-2, 7), Ned Walsh (7), Andrew Ormond (0-7, 9), Stephen Cahill (1-0, 7).

Subs: Lyndon Fairbrother (0-2, 7) for N Walsh (46); Michael Cahill (n/r) for Scahill (57) Martin Delaney (n/r) for Scully (58).

Lorrha: Michael Kennedy (6); Lee Hogan (7), Ciaran Haugh (7), Tom Duggan (6); Conor Hogan (6), Michael Dolan (0-1f, 7), Brendan Fogarty (7); Niall McIntyre (0-3, 8), Alan O’Meara (1-1, 7); Eoin McIntyre (0-1, 8), Cian Hogan (0-1, 7), Colm Fogarty (0-7, 6f, 7); Christopher Fogarty (6), Patrick Maher (1-1, 7), Conor Kennedy (0-2, 7).

Subs: Donnacha O’Meara (0-1, 7) for A O’Meara (44 inj); David Fogarty (NR) for C Hogan (55).

Referee: Pater Carroll (Burgess).