JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: JK Brackens and Holycross advance while Ballinahinch head for Munster

The Junior A quarter-finals were played over the course of last weekend with eight teams vying for a place in the final four, and the games didn’t disappoint with plenty of goals and tight games throughout the four fixtures.

North champions Ballinahinch were the first divisional winner in action, playing off their last eight game against Lattin Cullen in Cappawhite on Saturday afternoon, and duly delivered a victory on a 1-16 to 0-15 scoreline.

This game was close throughout with Ballinahinch just about edging the first half by taking a 0-8 to 0-7, but the game-winning moment came in the second half when Ger Grace found the back of the net for the men in blue and gold in the middle of the half, and despite heavy scoring contributions from Mark Russell (0-4) and Cahtal Dillon for Lattin Cullen, it was the North champions who advanced with late scores from their subs bench sending them into the last four and another step to bouncing straight back up to the Intermediate ranks.

In the second of Saturday’s quarter-finals, JK Brackens recorded a very hard-earned win over south final runner-ups Moyle Rovers, in a game that required extra time for the mid champions to win.

Brackens led by 0-10 to 0-8 at half time in Littleton, playing with the breeze in the first 30 and with Moyle Rovers in the ascendancy in the second half thanks to a Dean English goal, JK Brackens had to dig very deep to force extra time as they trailed by four points at one stage, but showed great character late on.

And the Templemore men were the better side in extra time with Darragh Doyle the big contributor in that time, as he finished the game with 0-13 with 11 of those from placed balls as the mid men advance to the final four.

The third and final game of the weekend was a goal-fest in Golden as Holycross Ballycahill overcame south champions Clonmel Óg in an exciting contest; the mid runner-ups winning out on a 5-11 to 2-13 scoreline.

A strong first half set the platform for this Holycross win as goals from Paraic Russell, Audie Lohan, and Jack Skehan had them in pole position, leading 3-9 to 0-8 as Clonmel Óg looked heavy-legged all over the pitch.

The Clonmel men did make a better fist of it in the second half and had brought the teams back level with ten minutes to go thanks to two goals from Mattie Norris but two fortuitous goals for Holycross late on from Frank Hanafin and Paraic Russell again, saw them fall over the line and bounce back well from their mid final loss th JK Brackens.

The final quarter-final is fixed the be played this coming weekend between Clonoulty Rossmore and Roscrea.

Finally, by virtue of being the final first team left in the competition, Ballinahinch have been confirmed as this year's Tipperary representatives in the upcoming Munster Junior Hurling Championship.