Our Senior hurlers opened their County Championship campaign with a three point victory over Moycarkey in Holycross on Saturday evening last. There are no easy games at the top table and with last years finalists, Loughmore and Kiladangan, making up the group there was pressure on both sides to record an opening win. As a result there was a hint of nervousness in both sides early on. However it was Brackens who settled the quicker with Shane Doyle in good form from both frees and play. Three opening points from placed balls were followed by three more from play courtesy of Shane Bourke, Paddy Cadell and Eanna McBride to leave us 0-6 to 0-3 ahead at the first water break. In a low scoring second quarter Doyle added a beautiful line ball and a peach from play to leave us 0-8 to 0-4 ahead at the short whistle. A Kiwi Morris free opened the scoring in the second half before Brackens landed 1-3 without reply. The goal was a great team effort with Dean McEnroe finishing the ball to the net to open a six point lead. The gap quickly extended to eight following another Doyle free and another from play courtesy of McBride. Moycarkey landed three of the next four to cut the lead to six at the second water break, Andy Ormond grabbing the Brackens point. A Dean McEnroe point put us seven ahead before Jack Morrissey's major gave Moycarkey hope with ten minutes to go. ( 1-12 to 1-8 ). Brackens responded well through a Conor Cadell point before two more for the Littleton boys reduced it to a single score game. Lyndon Fairbrother landed a great score from way out and followed with a free to cancel out two from Kyle Shelley and John Bergin. Andrew Ormond put us four up with our final score of the game before a late Kiwi Morris free left the final score at 1-16 to 1-13. This was our first victory at Dan Breen level since being promoted from Seamus O'Riain in 2019 and provides a real boost ahead of our second round clash with County Champions Kiladangan with whom we drew in the opening round last year.

Team and Scorers: Jack Kennedy James Bergin Tom Murphy Martin Delaney Neil Quinlan Cathal Scully Adrian Bourke Conor Cadell (0-1) Paddy Cadell (0-1) Shane Bourke (0-1) David O'Shea Shane Doyle (0-5, 3f, LB ) Dean McEnroe (1-1) Andrew Ormond (0-2) Eanna McBride (0-2). Subs Used: Lyndon Fairbrother (0-2, 1f) Jordan Moloney.