Brackens exact revenge from Feile defeat to Durlas Óg to win U15 Mid Football title

Mid Tipperary U15A Football Championship Final

JK Brackens 4-7

Durlas Og 1-5

JK Brackens made amends for their defeat in the Feile na nGael final with a resounding win over Feile winners Durlas Óg in the Stakelums Home and Hardware sponsored Mid U15 football final at The Ragg on Sunday.

The Templemore boys were short some players for the Feile final but on this occasion, at full strength, they were surprisingly comfortable winners over rivals whose form dipped considerably.

Durlas Óg got the ideal start with an Eoin Webb goal after two minutes but their joy was short-lived as four minutes later Sean Burke, who was to be a thorn in the Thurles team’s side all evening, burst through for a goal.

There was little between the sides in the first half with Thurles spurning two goal chances and Brackens guilty of some erratic shooting but in the 28th minute Padraic O’Shea struck a decisive blow for the winners-elect with their second goal, a fine individual effort.

JK Brackens led at the break 2-4 to 1-1 and Durlas Óg clearly needed to up their game on resuming but it was the Templemore boys who continued to dictate. Sean Burke’s second goal after 36 mins really put them in the driving seat, leading 3-5 to 1-1 and they never looked like being caught after that.

To their credit Durlas Óg never gave up but in their pursuit of goals rejected point opportunities which, if converted, might have given them a platform for a rally. Sean Burke’s third goal for Brackens after 51 minutes ended all hopes for the defending champions and JK Brackens ran out comfortable winners with management availing of the opportunity to use their bench in the closing stages.

This was a win JK Brackens relished and they now face North champions Ballina in the county semi-final. There is a lot of talent in this team and they have match-winners in Sean Burke, Padraic O’Shea, Dan Coffey, Larry O'Brien, Niall Delaney, and goalie James Leahy.

Durlas Óg has some regrouping to do before the Feile. The challenge for them is to treat this as a one-off disappointment and drive on. Despite being repeatedly fouled Euan Murray was their top performer with the Rossiter brothers Andy and Kieran, Jakub Magalinski Darragh Cornally and Darragh O’Dwyer others to impress.

JK Brackens: James Leahy; Jack Duggan, Kinnian O’Brien, Kyle Quinlan; JR Corpez, Niall Delaney, Larry O’Brien; Sean Stone, Ryan Loughnane (0-1); Odhran Dalling, Padraic O’Shea (1-4, 0-4f), Stephen Fogarty; Jack Burke, Sean Burke (3-2), Dan Coffey.

Subs: Andrew Quinlan, Peter Breen, Oisin Brophy.

Durlas Óg: Ryan Quill; Ciaran O’Mahoney, Andy Rossiter, Oran Fogarty; Darragh Cornally, Euan Murray (0-1), Cillian Ryan; Brody Donoghue, Jakub Magalinski; Aaron Darmody, Kieran Rossiter (0-2), Niall Gleeson; Bobby O’Dowd, Darragh O’Dwyer (0-2), Eoin Webb (1-0).

Subs: Charlie Lawlor, Jack Brett, George Barry, David Ayilarian.

Referee: Johnny Butler (Upperchurch Drombane)