Kilsheelan Kilcash make the most of JK Brackens ill-discipline to win round 3 tie

FBD Insurance Senior Football Championship - Group 1 - Round 3

Kilsheelan Kilcash 2-12

JK Brackens 0-12

By Ronan Loughnane

Two first-half goals from Mark Kehoe and Liam Freaney paved the way for this Kilsheelan Kilcash victory over a JK Brackens side that finished with 12 men. 

Two red cards along with two more of the black variety might suggest a tempestuous affair, but it was more hard-fought than troublesome. It was Brackens who started brightest with Paddy Cadell pointing in the opening minute following a typical burst and when he advanced a minute later he drew a foul which Jack Kennedy converted. 

The very lively Billy O’Connor opened Kilsheelan’s account with a point from play in the third minute before Jamie Roche landed the first of his six frees a minute later. Mark Kehoe profited from sloppy Brackens defending in the next play and he billowed Cian Sheedy’s net for the opening goal. 

The handy following were licking their lips after such a fast start but sadly the game slipped back to what we have come to expect nowadays and we had to wait until the fifteenth minute for our next score, a free from Roche, to leave Kilsheelan 1-3 to 0-2 ahead after the opening quarter. Jack Kennedy landed a great point from play following a superb catch by Shane Doyle before a flowing Kilsheelan move ended with O’Connor’s second from play. 

A big turning point came in the 20th minute when Dean McEnroe received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident. But their numerical advantage disappeared in the 23rd minute when Conor Davin-Murphy was black-carded for a deliberate foul on Jordan Moloney. 

Paddy Cadell continued to carry the fight to Kilsheelan with a fine point in the 24th minute to reduce the lead to two. Freaney flicked home Kilsheelan’s second goal three minutes before the break when Evan Comerford’s free dropped in the square (2-4 to 0-5). 

 Jack Kennedy (free) and Mark Kehoe (play) traded points in the 28th minute before Brackens grabbed the last two points of the half through Kennedy (mark) and a nice point from Lyndon Fairbrother following further good work from Cadell. 

At 2-5 to 0-8 ahead and a man advantage, Kilsheelan were in good shape on the restart and they stretched their lead to five with points from Conor Neville and Evan Comerford ’45. Brackens goalie Cian Sheedy kept his team's fading hopes alive with a brilliant one-handed save from Davin-Murphy before a sweet Jamie Ormond point reduced the arrears to four in the 39th minute. 

Brackens had to be mindful of their score difference as an Ardfinnan victory could scupper their last eight hopes. Roche and Kennedy exchanged frees in the 43rd minute before the Kehoe brothers combined to send Barry through for a lovely point. 

Substitute James Corcoran impressed when introduced and he kicked a lovely point off his left foot in the 50th minute to reduce the deficit to four (2-9 to 0-11). Brackens could afford a seven-point defeat and still advance and when Jamie Roche popped over three late frees the ice was very thin. 

The dismissals of Paddy Cadell (black card) and Jordan Moloney (second yellow) set the heart rates racing among their supporters but another Kennedy free combined with an equalising Grangemockler goal settled any lingering nerves. Kilsheelan were very deserving winners on the day and time and again they found space behind the Brackens rearguard. 

They played some lovely attacking football at times and had excellent performances from Evan Comerford, Conor Neville, Daire Brennan, Billy O’Connor, and the Kehoe brothers, Mark and Barry. For Brackens, it was a very disjointed performance and they will have to improve substantially if they are to advance. Paddy Cadell was their best player while Jack Kennedy, Shane Doyle, and James Corcoran had their moments. 

Kilsheelan Kilcash: Evan Comerford (0-1 45’); Conor Neville (0-1), Jason Madigan, Tadhg McGuire; Emmet Butler, Daire Brennan, Billy O’Connor (0-2); Micheál Freaney, Billy Murphy; Tommy O’Connor, Mark Kehoe (1-1) Barry Kehoe (0-1); Jamie Roche (0-6f) Conor Davin-Murphy, Liam Freaney (1-0).

Subs used: Senan Butler for Davin-Murphy (53).

JK Brackens: Cian Sheedy; Jamie Bergin, Tom Murphy, Martin Delaney; Stephen Cahill, Eanna McBride, Jordan Moloney; Adrian Bourke, Shane Doyle; Paddy Cadell (0-2) Conor Cadell, Lyndon Fairbrother (0-1); Dean McEnroe, Jack Kennedy (0-7, 0-5f, 0-m), Jamie Ormond (0-1).

Subs used: Michael Cahill  for S Cahill (40); James Corcoran (0-1) for Doyle (43, inj).

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers)