Cashel King Cormacs retrieve nine-points deficit to salvage a draw in Tipperary senior hurling championship

Cashel King Cormacs 2-21 JK Brackens 1-24

A draw was the fairest result in this game at Holycross on Sunday evening and it keeps Group 4 of the FBD Insurance Seamus O’Riain Cup very much alive going into next weekend’s final round of games. 

All four teams stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages so it’s all to play for when Cashel KC meet St. Mary’s while JK Brackens take on Clonakenny.

Cashel raced into an early lead with Conn Bonnar’s brace of points cancelling out Shane Bourke’s opener. In the 11th minute the West Tipp side held a two point lead with good individual points from Aaron Moloney and Bonnar again. 

JK Brackens gradually began to impose themselves. Lyndon Fairbrother, deadly accurate from placed balls but also a constant threat in open play, knocked over two frees and one from play. In between Shane Scully pointed as the Brackens raced into a 0-7 to 0-4 advantage. Scully added another point in the 21st minute as Cashel were in danger of falling behind. James Cummins, who  had an excellent game, pointed to stem the flow but again Fairbrother was deadly in front of goal, adding 3 points in as many minutes. 

Cashel were struggling at times to cope with a slicker Brackens outfit. Dylan Fitzelle pointed for Cashel but Fairbrother added three more points (2 frees) as Cashel were in danger of losing touch, 0-6 to 0-13, after 20 minutes. 

Adrian Cummins pointed for Cashel, but in the 26th minute David O’Shea showed composure to convert the opening goal, and Brackens now held a commanding 1-13 to 0-7 advantage. 

Ross Bonnar quickly replied with a point for Cashel. Soon after Adrian Cummins fetched from the air and cooly pointed to keep Cashel in the hunt. Eoin Fitzpatrick pointed with Fairbrother adding two placed balls. Midfielder Tom Murphy pointed from play, with Conn Bonnar pointing a free with the last puck of the half to leave the interval score 1-16 to 0-10 in favour of JK Brackens. 

Cashel had lost  influential players Lee Burke and Michael Coleman during the half but the turnover saw a rejuvenated  King Cormacs, as they quickly went about cutting into the deficit.  

Eoghan Connolly, now playing in a more advanced role, began  to stamp his class on proceedings. In the opening 4 minutes Conn Bonnar added 2 points (1 free) while Adrian Cummins added another. 

But there was quite a shift in dominance in open play. The Cashel backs were now on top and tigerish in the tackle and the Brackens threat had been stifled temporarily. In the 36th minute Jonathan Walsh sent the sliotar crashing to the  net to strengthen the Cashel fightback. It gathered further momentum in the 41st minute when Dylan Fitzelle displayed fantastic skill to bring his team level  with Cashel’s second goal. Brackens had to wait until the 13th minute of the half to register their opening score of this pulsating half, a free from long range from Cathal Scully. This score ignited them back into action and it was now score for score. 

Connolly added two  (one free) along with one from Ross Bonnar after a surging run and pass from Connolly. But Brackens matched their opponents, adding points from Eoin Fitzpatrick, Shane Bourke and a pointed free from Fairbrother. 

Twice Cashel held a slender one point lead after Fitzelle and Conn Bonnar pointed but in typical fashion Brackens dragged themselves level with points from David O’Shea and substitute Andrew Ormonde. In a dramatic closing few minutes in which the lead changed hands, Cashel thought they had snatched an unlikely victory with Fitzelle’s superb late point but it was matched at the other end by Fairbrother to bring  a pulsating second half of hurling to a close.

Cashel had standout displays from Simon Delaney, James Cummins and Ciaran Quinn in defence while Eoghan Connolly, Ross Bonnar, Adrian Cummins and Dylan Fitzelle also made impressive contributions. 

JK Brackens were well served by Cathal Scully, Neil Quinlan and Tom Murphy while Lyndon Fairbrother, Shane Scully, David O’Shea and  Eoin Fitzpatrick were always to the fore. 

Cashel KC: Owen Quirke, Simon Delaney, Ciaran Quinn, John Darmody, James Cummins (0-1), Eoghan Connolly (0-2, 1 free), Lee Burke, Ross Bonnar (0-2), Michael Coleman, Conn Bonnar (0-8, 5 frees), Patrick Fahy, Adrian Cummins (0-3), Aaron Moloney (0-1) Dylan Fitzelle (1-3) and Jonathan Walsh (1-1).

Subs: Cormac Ryan for Lee Burke and Brendan Kelly for Michael Coleman. 

JK Brackens: Darren Russell, Michael Egan, Cathal Scully (0-1 free), Jack Fogarty, Keith Kennedy, Noel Quinlan, Martin Delaney, Tom Murphy (0-1), Eanna McBride (0-1), Aidan Fogarty, Lyndon Fairbrother (0-12, 7 frees), Shane Scully (0-2), David O Shea (1-1), Eoin Fitzpatrick (0-3) and Shane Bourke (0-2).

Subs: Andrew Ormonde (0-1) for Michael Egan, Lorcan Egan for Aidan Fogarty.

Referee - Noel Cosgrove (Marlfield).

For more Tipperary sport read Loughmore/Castleiney and Nenagh Eire Og play a thrilling draw in the County Senior Hurling Championship