Late Brackens surge puts Toome under pressure

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Group 4

JK Brackens 0-28

Toomevara 1-19

Report: Noel Dundon at The Ragg

JK Brackens scored seven of the last eight points to blitz Toomevara and secure their second set of points in County Senior Hurling Championship on Sunday.

The Mid-men finished the stronger despite being without the services of sharpshooter Lyndon Fairbrother who was ruled out with a leg injury. Toomevara were again forced to start without Tipp star Darragh McCarthy and though he came on after only 18 minutes and contributed six points from frees, his contribution from play was limited enough and he was visibly hampered by the leg injury from which he has been trying to recover.

The game was level on ten occasions with daylight only emerging in that final five-minute spell during which Brackens raced clear and blitzed their opponents.

If scoring difference comes into play, then the saves of Toomevara keeper Rory Brislane could prove absolutely vital – he pulled off a string of excellent stops which kept his side in the game and perhaps more importantly, depending on what picture emerges, ensured that the deficit remained at just six points rather than something more troubling.

Brackens had the breeze at their backs in the first half and though they held a slender 0-14 to 1-10 lead, they would play better hurling in the second half when they also came up with another 0-14 to their name.

Eanna McBride and Shane Doyle had them off the mark early on, but Toomevara made most of the running with Jack Ryan, Adam Hall, Jack Delaney, and Austin Duff scores helping them to settle.

Two long range efforts from the excellent Paddy Cadell and one from a sideline cut from Shane Doyle to go along with a Michael Cahill point, saw Brackens regain composure and they would go on to fire further points from Andrew Ormond, Ciaran O’Shea, and Jamie Ormond, against Duff, Darragh McCarthy – who had just come on as a sub- and Adam Hall points.

Hall was causing a lot of problems for the Brackens defence and when he fired a 26th minute goal to tie up the game, it was a real shot in the arm for Toome’.

Jamie Ormond, Shane Doyle, and Ned Walsh pointed for Brackens before the break though to create the one-point advantage with Jack Delaney and Kevin McCarthy also getting on the scoresheet before referee Johnny Dooley called time.

Toome’ were certainly the happier at the break, and when Darragh McCarthy levelled within two minutes of resumption it looked good for them.

Rory Brislane, having saved well from Jamie Ormond in the first half, denied Shane Doyle in the 36th minute and sub Dean McEnroe in the 51st minute.

Brackens though were getting in on goal and though ultimately, they ended up not raising a green flag, they took their chances of points when they materialised.

Shane Doyle and Jamie Ormond had scores for them before Toome’s best period emerged midway through the half – Kevin McCarthy, Darragh McCarthy (2 frees), Adam Hall, and Jack Delaney all pointed to reclaim the initiative.

But, Brackens hit back and Jamie Ormond (2), Padraic O’Shea, and Dean McEnroe again shoved them one point clear with six minutes of normal time to go.

The final push emerged after Darragh McCarthy had tied up the game with a free, but that push came from Brackens. Eanna McBride gave them the lead again, followed by Padraic O’Shea and Andrew Ormond scores.

Then, the points really flowed with Jamie Ormond (2), Eanna McBride, and Andrew Ormonde helping their side to coast to another victory – Jack Delaney getting the last score of the game at a time when the outcome was never in doubt.

JK Brackens are sitting pretty at the top of the group with two victories and their form suggests that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the championship.

They have two northern scalps in the bag – both county finalists in the last two years – and if they continue to get top performances from Paddy Cadell, Shane Doyle, Eanna McBride, the Ormonde’s, Ned Walsh, and Cathal Scully, they will be very difficult to beat.

Toomevara, by contrast, are in a bit of bother and their next clash against Nenagh Éire Óg will determine their season.

Getting Darragh McCarthy back on the field of play is vital to them and they will be hoping to get more from him from play in the next outing. Still, they will take positives from this game with Adam Hall, Jack Delaney, Conor O’Farrell, and Andrew Ryan producing top displays despite the pressure they were under.

Player of the Match: Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens)

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy (7), Luke Ormond (6), Cathal Scully (7), Ned Delaney (7), Michael Cahill (0-1, 6), Paddy Cadell (0-2, 9), James Corcoran (7), Eanna McBride (0-3, 8), Conor Cadell (6), Padraic O’Shea (0-2, 7), Ciaran O’Shea (0-1, 6), Jamie Ormond (0-9, 6f, 8), Ned Walsh (0-1, 7), Andrew Ormond (0-3, 7), Shane Doyle (0-5, 1 s-cut, 8).

Sub: Dean McEnroe (0-1, 7) for C O’Shea (37).

Toomevara: Rory Brislane (8), Liam Ryan (7), Andrew Ryan (7), Seamus O’Farrell (6), Josh McCarthy (6), Conor O’Farrell (7), Jack Ryan (0-1, 7), Barry O’Connell (6), Austin Duff (0-2, 7), Paul Ryan (6), Kevin McCarthy (0-3, 1f, 7), Patrick Hackett (6), Eoin Grace (6), Adam Hall (1-3, 8), Jack Delaney (0-4, 8).

Subs: Darragh McCarthy (0-6f, 7) for Hackett (18); Colm Canning (6) for Duff (50); Mark McCarthy (NR) for Grace (56); Cathal Frend (NR) for O’Connell (58).

Referee: Johnny Dooley (Thurles Gaels).