Mid Tipperary U19A Football Final: Captain McCormack points Sarsfields to victory

Joe O Sullivan Cab and Bus Hire Mid Tipperary under 19 A football final

Durlas/Na Sairsealaigh Og 1-7

J K Brackens Og 0-9
Team captain Liam McCormack pointed a forty five in the fourth minute of extra time to give Durlas Na Sairsealaigh Og a thrilling win over J K Brackens Og in the Joe O Sullivan Cab and Bus Hire Mid Tipperary under 19 A football final at Morris Park last week.

In a hectic finish to a smashing contest that looked to be headed for extra time after Brian Quinn had levelled from a free for Brackens two minutes earlier, Mc Cormack, whose pace and control was a constant threat to Brackens all evening, showed great composure in executing the pressure kick in a contest that could have gone either way.

The Thurles lads got off to a lively start with McCormack pointing after 3 minutes and then Jack O Mara netted in the 9th minute to put them firmly in the driving seat. Brackens, who were without injured Joe Bourke and Ned Walsh, were slow to settle. Jamie Ormond had their first point after 13 minutes followed by a Brian Quinn point from a free as they began to get a grip on proceedings.

The victorious Thurles Sarsfields U19A football panel with their mentors

Sarsfields however, with Darragh Stakelum a driving force from midfield, were always dangerous on the attack. Fiachra O Gorman pointed for them after 24minutes but they had goalie Lorcan Cummins to thank for a great save to deny Jamie Ormond a likely Brackens’ goal in the 28th minute. Cummins again came to Sarsfields rescue on the stroke of half-time preventing Jack Nevin goaling and at the other end Tom Bourke in the Brackens goal was equally alert to foil Liam McCormack’s bid for a Thurles goal.

Shaun Jordan had the last score of the first half, a point for Brackens, which left them 0-4 to 1-2 behind but very much in the hunt as they defended their title.

Inside a minute of resuming Brackens were level as Michael Cahill pointed but the Thurles boys were not yielding and Robbie stapleton nudged them ahead again 2 minutes later only for Michael Cahill to level again in the 5th minute. When Brian Quinn pointed Brackens in front in the 8th minute, it looked as though they were heading for victory but Durlas Na Sairsealing Og had other ideas.

They were dismayed when Urban Nolan had the ball in the Templemore net after a fine flowing movement to have the effort disallowed for an infringement of the square but forged ahead (1-5 to 0-7)with points from Alex Moloney and Liam McCormack going into the last quarter.

Killian Fennell kept Brackens on their heels with a 47th minute point but 5 minutes later Thurles had a penalty appeal denied when Cathal McElgun appeared to be fouled. Liam McCormack’s free in the 53rd minute restored the winners’ lead but then Brackens felt they were entitled to a penalty when Michael Cahill was grounded, a foul which resulted in a black card for Alex Moloney, but in the ensuing melee, the referee penalised a Templemore player and opted to throw in the ball.

It was a huge let-off for Thurles and then came Brian Quinn’s levelling pointed free in the 62nd minute. Extra time now seemed certain but in a final twist Thurles forced a forty five and Liam McCormack sent his kick sailing between the posts to secure his side’s victory.

The final whistle was greeted with unbridled delight by the winners and their followers and rightly so. They had overcome a quality Brackens side who had already beaten them in the round-robin section of the championship and they will now look to the county semi-finals with optimism.

Football success at underage level is nothing new to many of this group and with Darragh Stakelum, Liam McCormack, Jack O Mara, Emmet Fogarty, Ciaran Woodlock and goalie Lorcan Cummins providing the leadership, they can progress further.

It has been a disappointing run of losses for the Brackens club who in little over a week were also eliminated from the county senior hurling and football championships but it is apparent that there is a lot of young talent in the club and their day will come. Luke Ormond, Michael Cahill, Jamie Ormond, Jack Nevin, Shaun Jordan, Brian Quinn and goalie Tom Bourke all contributed handsomely to the team’s bid to retain their title.