JK Brackens dethroned at the first hurdle by professional Thurles Sarsfields performance

Centenary Agri Mid Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Thurles Sarsfields 1-23

JK Brackens 1-12

By Michael Dundon

Champions JK Brackens bowed out of the Centenary Mid senior hurling championship when incurring an eleven points defeat at the hands of Thurles Sarsfields in the quarter-final at The Ragg on Sunday.

Brackens were understrength with key men Paddy and Conor Cadell, Eanna McBride and David O Shea absent and they did not have the strength in depth to sustain such losses against opposition of the calibre of Sarsfields who themselves were without regulars Denis Maher, James Armstrong and Paddy Creedon.

It was a clash with huge potential but it failed to deliver with nothing approaching championship intensity at any stage. Some thundery showers did not help players who frequently experienced difficulty with their footing and ball control.

In a contest which never reached great heights Sarsfields were in control all the way and once they moved ahead(0-3 to 0-2) with Cathal Moloney’s 12th minute point, they never looked back. Sarsfields scoring options far exceeded those of the opposition but approaching the interval with a 0-13 to 0-5 lead, they coughed up a goal to Lyndon Fairbrother for J K Brackens after a great run by Dean McEnroe, but they were still 0-14 to 1-5 clear at the interval.

Sarsfields had seven different marksmen in that period with Eoin Purcell hitting four points from play in an impressive first half. Inside a minute of resuming he had the ball in the Brackens net, a score which really killed off whatever chance the Templemore lads had of making a second half comeback.

Darragh Stakelum saw a goal-bound effort hit the timber after 41 minutes and Brackens never really tested Sars goalie Patrick McCormack during the hour in a performance that was well below the high standards they set themselves when winning the title for the first time last year.

Sarsfields face Holycross-Ballycahill in the semi-final at the week-end knowing that they have lots of room for improvement but reassured in the knowledge that they have the potential to lift the Johnny Leahy cup. They will take encouragement from the form of Billy McCarthy who appears to be coming back to his best after some dreadful injuries and in particular Eoin Purcell who had a man-of-the-match outing with 1-6 from play.

David Corbett also did well in an unusual fullback role and Ronan Maher was a dominating figure at the heart of their defence all through. Stephen Cahill and Jack Derby were others to catch the eye as new manager Paudie Maher sets his sights on silverware in his first year in management where he is joined by Paddy McCormack, Michael Gleeson, Brian Stakelum and Ger Corbett.

JK Brackens focus now turns to the county championship and they will be hoping to have their full panel available as they seek to keep their season going. No one could fault them for endeavour in this encounter but they were struggling all the way to contain their rivals. Andrew Ormond who scored four points, was the main threat in an under-performing forward line which relied heavily on Lyndon Fairbrother’s free-taking for their tally though Eoin Fitzpatrick also did well.

Cathal Scully and Tom Murphy worked heart at the heart of their defence but it was backs to the wall all the way for them in an encounter they will want to quickly put behind them as they eye the Dan Breen cup campaign in a few weeks time.
Martin Delaney limped out of the game with eight minutes to play and Brackens will be hoping that the injury will not keep him out of county championship action.

Brackens are under new management this year with Michael Hyland, Brian Hogan, Kevin Mulryan, John Ivers and Stephen Butler at the helm. They are in a difficult group in the county championship along with Drom-Inch, Mullinahone and Nenagh Eire Og and it is going to take a much-improved level of performance than this if they are to reach the knock-out stages of the competition.

Thurles Sarsfields: Paddy McCormack; Seosamh Ryan, David Corbett (0-1), Stephen Maher; Jack Derby, Ronan Maher (0-1f), Michael Purcell; Stephen Cahill (0-2), Cian Stakelum; Cathal Moloney (0-1), Darragh Stakelum (0-2), Billy McCarthy (0-4); Eoin Purcell (1-6), Conor Stakelum, Aidan McCormack (0-5, 0-4f).

Subs used: Conor Lanigan for Cian Stakelum (48); Tommy Doyle (0-1) for A McCormack (48).

JK Brackens: Jack Kennedy; Stephen Cahill, Tom Murphy, Martin Delaney; Luke Ormond, Cathal Scully, Jordan Moloney; Dean McEnroe, Adrian Bourke; Diarmuid Delaney, Neil Quinlan, Eoin Fitzpatrick (0-2); Andrew Ormond (0-4), Shane Doyle, Lyndon Fairbrother (1-6, 0-6f).

Subs used: Jamie Bergin for Delaney (52).

Referee: Johnny Butler (Upperchurch Drombane)