JK Brackens advance to semi-final meeting with Upperchurch in Tipperary senior football championship

JK Brackens 2-10 Killenaule 3-3

JK Brackens won through to an FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship semi-final against fellow mid Tipperary side Upperchurch/Drombane with a thoroughly deserved win over Killenaule in the quarter-final at Cashel on Sunday.

The Templemore side were stunned by a Killenaule goal from Oisin Kelly after just 24 seconds, but once they took the lead themselves seven minutes later they were never headed again.

Full forward Jack Kennedy was their star performer, scoring 1-7, including a goal from a superbly-struck penalty that gave them the lead for the first time.Conor Cadell, Paddy Cadell and Cathal Scully also impressed in attack.

It was a disappointing display from Killenaule, with perhaps hurling and football involvement every week taking its toll, but they never got to the pace of the game. Short a number of regular starters, including Michael Doyle, Thomas Keaveney and Eoin Shaw in attack, they played second best to Brackens for much of the game.

A late goal from a Paudie Feehan penalty, two minutes before the end of normal time, gave them some hope but it was too late to make any impact.

Both teams finished the game with fourteen players following two late dismissals – JK Brackens’ Conor Cadell with a black card following an earlier yellow, and Killenaule’s Joe O’Dwyer on two yellows.

The south Tipp side had a dream start. They won a free seconds after the throw-in, with Paudie Feehan and Joe O’Dwyer quickly involved in their first attack, before the ball fell to the unmarked Oisin Shelly, who volleyed it to the net past Kuba Beben.

Only 24 seconds had elapsed, but it was another 24 minutes before they scored again, a pointed free from Joe O’Dwyer.
In the meantime, JK Brackens had scored 1-5 without reply, as they totally dominated play.

Cathal Scully fisted their first point in the third minute from a Tom Murphy pass, and they were level by the sixth minute from two Jack Kennedy frees – Kennedy’s free-taking was hugely impressive in difficult conditions, with wind and intermittent heavy rain.

He was equally lethal from a penalty in the seventh minute when Tom Murphy was pulled back on a run towards goal, and Kennedy’s spot kick low to the corner gave Micheal Fitzgerald no chance in the Killenaule goal. Points from play from Conor Cadell and Kennedy pushed Brackens into a 1-5 to 1-0 lead at the midway point of the first half.

Killenaule were beginning to make an impact and when Joe O’Dwyer’s pointed free in the 24th minute was followed thirty seconds later by their first point from play from Luke Ryan, it reduced the margin to three points, 1-5 to 1-2.

But a minute later JK Brackens produced the move of the game. Swift and accurate inter-passing – maybe fifteen in all – saw the ball finally end up with Cathal Scully and his peach of a goal ended a stunning move.

It knocked Killenaule back again, and when Kennedy pointed another free it was Brackens seven points clear at the break, 2-6 to 1-2.

Killenaule needed a response and they got it at the start of the second half, with Paudie Feehan orchestrating a lot of their best play.

An early wide from Tom Stakelum was followed by a great goal from Luke Ryan, with David McCormack the provider, and when Paddy Codd shot over a superb score five minutes in, the Killenaule supporters were in full voice again, with the margin down to three points, 2-6 to 2-3.

But Killenaule were not to score again for over twenty minutes. JK Brackens responded well to the threat to their lead, and their dominance upfront resulted in winning three kickable frees that Jack Kennedy duly converted.

When Conor Cadell added a point from play it stretched the lead out to seven again, 2-10 to 2-3, with twelve minutes to play.

The only sign of hope for Killenaule came two minutes from time when Joe O’Dwyer was fouled in the square after winning possession from a Paudie Feehan free. Feehan’s penalty was well struck past Beben to reduce the margin to four points but they had insufficient time to make any further inroads.

It was a disappointing outcome for Killenalule, not helped by a scoreless 24 minutes in the first half, and over twenty without a score in the second. However, Paddy Codd, Jack Hassett, Killian O’Dwyer, Paudie Feehan and Joe O’Dwyer never gave up the battle.

JK Brackens had no such difficulty in front of goal, with superb displays from Jack Kennedy, Conor Cadell, Paddy Cadell and Cathal Scully upfront, and Tom Murphy and Jack Nevin marshalling a strong defence.

JK Brackens: Kuba Beben, Luke Ormond, Jack Nevin, Stephen Cahill, Martin Delaney, Tom Murphy, Adrian Bourke, Paddy Cadell, Lorcan Egan, Eanna McBride, Lydon Fairbrother, Conor Cadell 0-2; Cathal Scully 1-1; Jack Kennedy 1-7, 1-0 penalty, 0-6 frees; Dean McEnroe.

Subs: David O’Shea for Adrian Bourke, Shane Doyle for Cathal Scully, Jordan Moloney for Stephen Cahill, Andrew Ormond for Dean McEnroe.

Killenaule: Micheal Fitzgerald, Finn Nolan, Jimmy Feehan, Jack Hassett, Ciaran O’Dwyer, Paddy Codd 0-1; Killian O’Dwyer, Tom Stakelum, Oisin Shelly 1-0; Dean O’Connor, Paudie Feehan 1-0 penalty; Joe O’Dwyer 0-1 free; Luke Ryan 1-1; Cian Johnson, David McCormack.

Subs: Eoin Barry for David McCormack, Daniel Guinan for Cian Johnson, Padraig O’Dwyer for Oisin Shelly, Dara Fitzgerald for Luke Ryan.

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan).