Ormonds help Brackens stun Holycross to reach Tipp semis

The Ormond brothers Andrew and Jamie were to the fore for JK Brackens

JK Brackens Andrew Ormond in possession against Holycross-Ballycahill. Pic ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon

Tipperary SHC quarter-final: Jk Brackens 2-23 Holycross-Ballycahill 0-28 

The Ormond brothers Andrew and Jamie were to the fore as JK Brackens fended off a late Holycross-Ballycahill rally to reach the last four in the Tipperary senior hurling championship.

Holycross-Ballycahill had led by two points 11 minutes after the break but they were outscored 1-9 to 0-4 over the next 15 minutes as the Ormonds took over.

Lyndon Fairbrother, who was in mean form from frees, landed the goal in the 46th minute after Andrew Ormond has risen to claim a high ball and pass out to his team-mate.

In front of a 3,249 crowd in FBD Semple Stadium, Brackens were scoring for fun midway through the second half but Holycross reeled off six scores to put one within the sides in additional time.

Inside forward Darragh Woods was the game’s top scorer with 12 points but ultimately Brackens’ purple patch was enough to join Thurles Sarsfields, Moycarkey Borris and Nenagh Éire Óg in the semi-finals.

The teams were tied three times inside the first 12 minutes. Both chief marksmen Woods and Fairbrother were striking the ball crisply and the latter’s awareness to set up an eighth minute point for Conor Cadell was a sign of things to come.

JK Brackens Lyndon Fairbrother celebrates scoring a goal. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon

After Tiarnan Ryan sent over his first of three first-half points for Holycross to level the game in the 12th minute, Brackens hit five points without reply. Fairbrother punished a couple of fouls with the Ormond brothers each sending over a point prior to a Fairbrother 65.

Holycross were struggling with Brackens’ plus-one defence but Woods’ free-taking were keeping them in touch and he posted a free either side of Fairbrother’s first point from play.

Tadhg Gould had a shot denied by Brackens’ goalkeeper Jack Kennedy in the 24th minute but Ryan followed it up immediately with his third score of the afternoon to make it a three-point game.

However, the Ormonds combined for a Brackens goal seconds later. Andrew sent the ball towards Jamie who allowed the ball to pass him and his shot was emphatically struck beyond Ewan Bourke.

What followed was surprising given the flow of the game up to that point. Holycross scored the last six points of the half to square it, 0-14 to 1-11. Woods converted two placed balls and then Bryan O’Mara landed an effort from distance.

Woods produced his second from play, Cathal O’Reilly bisected the posts with another long-ranger and then Tiaran Ryan completed the comeback with his third point in additional time.

Scorers for JK Brackens: L. Fairbrother (1-8, 0-6 frees, 1 65); J. Ormond (1-3); A. Ormond (0-4); N. Walsh, S. Doyle, J. McEnroe (0-2 each); C. Cadell, J. Corcoran (0-1 each).

Scorers for Holycross-Ballycahill: D. Woods (0-12, 7 frees, 2 65s); E. Craddock, T. Ryan (0-3 each); T. Gould, D. Ryan, J. Caesar, B. O’Mara (0-2 each); M. Nally, J. Lahart (0-1 each).

JK BRACKENS: J. Kennedy; L. Ormond, C. Scully, N. Delaney; C. Cadell (c), P. Cadell, M. Cahill; E. McBride, J. Corcoran; S. Doyle, A. Ormond, L. Fairbrother; N. Walsh, P. O’Shea, J. Ormond.

Subs for JK Brackens: D. McEnroe for P. O’Shea (h-t); T. Murphy for P, Cadell (temp, 42-45); T. Murphy for J. Corcoran (57); C. O’Shea for S. Doyle (58); S. Walsh for L. Fairbrother (60+2).

HOLYCROSS-BALLYCAHILL: E. Bourke; Jim Ryan, Jack Ryan, C. O’Reilly; J. Lee Dwan, B. O’Mara, E. Morris; J. Caesar, T. Gould; T. Ryan, E. Craddock, B. Hennessy; D. Woods, M. Nally, R. Ryan.

Subs for Holycross-Ballycahill: D. Fogarty for B. Hennessy (43); S. McGrath for Jim Ryan (47); C. Barrett for Jack Ryan, J. Lahart for M. Nally (both 55).

Referee: A. Tierney (Shannon Rovers).