Pearses 1-4; Mullagh-Kiltormer 5-3: Next up were Mullagh-Kiltormer whom the management knew were quite a formidable side and were hot favourites to top the group having won their 2 previous games. Cian Murphy opened the scoring almost immediately after the throw-in with a superb long range effort from play, straight over the black spot. Kiltormer equalised 2 mins later with a free as both sides were still settling into it and finding their feet.
Kiltormer scored a fortuitous goal following a goalmouth shemozzle which ended up in chaos as somehow the ball found its way past Harry Mitchell in the Pearses goal. Pearses replied immediately through a Cian Murphy pointed free after a foul on young Conor Kelly. Ethan Lally showed that a ground pull is far from extinct in hurling as he pulled first time in another goalmouth shemozzle and rattled the net to put Pearses 1 point ahead.
Straight from the Kiltormer puck out Cian Murphy won possession, bulleted forward before throwing over his 3rd point of the game and 2nd from play to leave the score 1-03 to 1-01 at half time. Kiltormer put the minimum between the sides after the restart with a pointed free from the stand side of the field. 4mins into the 2nd half Kiltormer stepped it up a gear scoring a classic goal leaving Harry Mitchell with no real chance and straight from a short puck out Kiltormer capitalised again with another goal to go 3-2 to 1-3 ahead.
From here the game slowly slipped away from Pearses grasp as Kiltormer’s scores came more easily but the Pearses lads kept plugging away. Kiltormer added another point from a placed ball and then lobbed Harry Mitchell for their 4th goal to make it 4-3 to 1-3 with 15 mins gone in the 2nd half. Cian Murphy then scored his 2nd pointed free after he himself was fouled. Just before the end Kiltormer turned the screw with another goal, which resulted from a long ball sent into the square from near the dugouts; although it looked like Harry had saved it, the ball was deemed to have crossed the line.
So Mullagh-Kiltormer topped the group and went on to the semi-final stages of the Justin Cheevers Cup. Some huge highs and some hard hitting lows made for a great days hurling and the management team have no doubt that these lads, many of whom will be underage again not alone next year but also the year after, will be back and will have their day, some day!
A word of thanks to the ladies/mammies for the copious cups of tea and mouth-watering sweet andamp;amp; savoury goodies provided to help keep players and supporters well nourished. Thanks also owed to Niall Skehill, manager who looked like one of the players himself in the squad photo taken afterwards (sorry Niall) and to the mentors Eddie Mitchell, Sean O’Neill and Martin Scarry for their trojan efforts.
Pearses: Harry Mitchell, Oisin Donoghue, Brian Kelly, Robert Fahy, Peter O’Neill, Robert Hynes. Luke Mitchell, David Hillary, Ethan Lally (Captain); Darragh Roche, Cian Murphy, Conor Moran, Paddy Kenny, Ronan Hynes, Conor Kelly, Dara Scarry, Jack Reilly, Mark Donnellan, Eanna Cunniffe, Cormac Hillary, Stephen Grady.
Report by Martina Donnellan