Claregalway 1-15 Pandamp;aacute;draig Pearses 1-12: It was a disappointing Championship outing for our Junior footballers, going down to Claregalway in the North Board Quarter-Final played in Menlough last Friday evening. Pearses, fielding without a number of their League players, including Niall and Darragh Skehill (injury). The lads failed to capitalise on their second half dominance, as Claregalway progressed to play Sarsfiled’s in the Semi-Final.
Leo Morrissey won the toss for Pearses and opted to play with the slight breeze. Claregalway started the stronger firing over three quick points from play. Pearses’ then found their way back into the game with a Aidan Murray goal, levelling the sides. However, that goal was quickly countered by a Claregalway three pointer. The sides exchanged scores, with Ronan Skehill and Enda Cunniffe causing the Claregalway defence problems. Half-time: Claregalway 1-9 Padraig Pearses’ 1-5.
The introduction of Richie Lally in attack at the break was geared towards a Pearses’ revival, but within minutes Clareglaway had fired over two points from play to extend their lead. The Pearses’ management of James Clancy and Michael Kelly had also introduced Robert Finn at full-back, where he was fully commanding of any situation he faced. Pearses’ then began to gain some momentum, with Aidan Murray, Sean Hardiman and Tommy McDonagh pushing up field and helping to reduce the margin to three points.
A close in free taken by Richie Lally was deflected over the bar to bring Pearses’ within two points but it was in this period that Pearses’ lost their chance of reward, looking for goals, when points would have allowed them back in the game with time on the clock. With time almost up Claregalway launched another attack and although being well marshalled out toward the sideline by the Pearses’ defence they struck for the last point of the game to prevail by three.
Overall after the years Football outings there are different perspectives. Padraig Pearses’ fielded for all their games which is the first time this was done by a football team in the parish since 2009, but yet only achieved one win. Two of the league games were lost by only having fifteen men togged meaning that injury forced the team to see out the remainder of the both games with just fourteen men.Management would like to thank all those who gave positive inputs to the cause in 2013 and in particular those who made themselves available on a regular basis.
Management would also like to thank Noel Burke and Paul Bellew for their help throughout the year along with Ruane’s of Glentane for sponsorship.
Pearses: Edmund Flannery; Adrian Queeney, Rory Treacy, Colm Queeney; Aiden Murray(1-0), Tommy McDonagh, Sean Hardiman (0-1); Leo Morrissey (Captain), Damien Wynne (0-1); Tom Ryan, Enda Cunniffe (0-4), Kevin Lally (0-2); Ronan Skehill (0-3), Cathal Hogan, Paddy Mahon. Subs used: Richie Lally(0-1), Robert Finn.
Thanks to Leo Morrissey for the Match Report.