Brackens blitzed by impressive Kilsheelan
GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Football Championship Group 2
Kilsheelan/Kilcash 0-3-17 (23)
JK Brackens 0-0-9 (9)
Report: Éanna Mackey in Gortnahoe
Kilsheelan/Kilcash produced a commanding display to defeat JK Brackens in their opening Group 2 fixture of the County Senior Football Championship on Saturday evening.
Last year's beaten finalists laid down an early marker with an impressive all-round performance, leading throughout, finishing with ten different scorers. Jamie Roche was the standout performer, finishing with a tally 0-9, including three superb two-pointers in the opening half.
Kilsheelan made a dream start thanks to the brilliance of Roche. The full-forward landed two two-pointers inside the opening ninety seconds to give the Suirsiders a 0-4 to 0-0 lead before the second minute had elapsed.
Jack Kennedy opened Brackens' account in the third minute, but his effort was quickly cancelled out by Mickey McGuire. In the fifth minute, a powerful run from Jack Nevin forced an excellent save from goalkeeper Oisín O'Donoghue before Kennedy converted a free a minute later to reduce the deficit to 0-5 to 0-2.
Points from Paul Maher and Conor Freaney extended Kilsheelan's advantage before Paddy Cadell and another Kennedy free left the scoreboard 0-7 to 0-4 after eighteen minutes.
Lucas Shiel then produced an excellent individual score before Barry Kehoe added another. Conor Cadell responded for Brackens, but Roche continued to dictate proceedings, knocking over three successive scores, including his third two-pointer of the evening.
However, the closing stages of the half were overshadowed by an off-the-ball incident that resulted in Kilsheelan's Tommy O'Connor receiving a straight red card.
Brackens almost made the numerical advantage count on the stroke of half-time when Paddy Cadell found himself through on goal, but O'Donoghue produced another outstanding full-stretch save to preserve his side's seven-point cushion as Kilsheelan took a 0-12 to 0-5 lead into the interval.
Brackens began the second half brightly, with Cadell and Kennedy landing two quick scores inside the opening minute to offer hope of a comeback.
However, it proved only a brief resurgence. Lucas Shiel, Conor Freaney and Shane Garland all split the posts as Kilsheelan quickly regained complete control of the contest. Matters became even more difficult for Brackens in the 39th minute when captain Conor Cadell was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card, leaving both sides reduced to fourteen men.
From there, the South outfit never looked back. They reeled off six unanswered points, with Roche and Michael Freaney each contributing a brace, while Mark & Barry Kehoe also got on the scoresheet to put the result well beyond doubt.
Paddy Cadell finally ended Brackens' scoring drought in the 52nd minute with his third point, leaving the score at 0-21 to 0-8 heading into the closing stages. Garland and Kennedy exchanged late scores before Billy Murphy had the final say, rounding off an emphatic victory for Kilsheelan-Kilcash as they opened their championship campaign in impressive fashion.
Player of the Match: Jamie Roche (Kilsheelan/Kilcash).
Kilsheelan/Kilcash: Oisin O’Donoghue (9); Conor Neville (8), Paul Maher (0-1, 8), Jason Madigan (8); Emmet Butler (7), Mark Stones (7), Conor Freaney (0-2, 8); Lucas Shiel (0-2, 8), Michael Freaney (0-2, 8); Tommy O’Connor (5), Barry Kehoe (0-2, 8), Mickey McGuire (0-1, 7); Shane Garland (0-2, 1f, 7), Jamie Roche (0-9, 3x2play, 2f, 9), Mark Kehoe (0-1, 7).
Subs: Billy Murphy (0-1, 7) for Maher (50), Sean Ryan (6) for M Kehoe (56), Shane Egan (NR) for B Kehoe (59).
JK Brackens: Brian Roche (5); Niall Delaney (6), Ned Delaney (6), Tommy Burke (5); Ned Walsh (5), Éanna McBride (6), Michael Cahill (6); Lorcan Roche (6), Paddy Cadell (0-3, 7); Jack Nevin (5), Jack Kennedy (0-5, 3f, 8), Conor Cadell (0-1, 5); Dean McEnroe (5), Shane Doyle (5), Cian Broderick (5)
Sub: Cathal Scully (6) for Broderick (39).
Referee: Brian Tyrell (Clonmel Commercials).