Local games are always well hyped and this latest U15 B group game played in Skehana yesterday evening was no different. It was the hosts who hit the ground running with the wind at their backs as they had racked up 1-3 through Cillian Roche; his goal coming when he whipped on a bouncing ball before Pearses opened their account with a David Walsh fine effort from play. Roche responded immediately though with another goal as he burst with pace and power through the heart of Pearses defence. Jonah Donnellan tacked on a free but S/M/M responded from play and Cillian Roche struck over off his hurl.
Cillian Roche attempted to drive a close in free to the net but Tommy Nutley, just turned 13 years, was having none of it as he pulled off a super save. Tiarnan Lohan added to the hosts tally from play and then Tommy Nutley pulled off another point blank save to concede a 65’ which was drove wide. Roche added 2 more S/M/M frees with 2 Donnellan frees in between. The hosts appeared to be home and dry by half time as they tacked on 2 more from play as Paddy Flynn pointed on the stroke of half time and Kyle McDonagh went off injured, replaced by Eoghan Ryan. As S/M/M enjoyed many periods of dominance during the first half, it was going to be a tall order to recover from a 2-10 to 0-4 half time deficit.
Things didn’t re-start too well for the Pearses lads in the 2nd half as Cillian Roche went on the rampage again, drew yet another super save from Nutley but the lurking No.15 pulled on the rebound to the net as S/M/M laid down a second half early marker. Straight from Diarmuid Ryan’s puck out, Pearses hit a mini purple patch. Jonah Donnellan won the ball, went on a surging run and the goalie Paddy Lohan made a super save to turn the ball around the post for a 65’ which was converted by Donnellan. Donnellan tacked on 2 more frees & David Walsh pointed from out near the sideline. Paddy Lohan made another super save 11mins into the 2nd half from a close range Jonah Donnellan free which he deflected over the bar.
Cillian Roche added to S/M/M’s scoring tally with 2 further points- a free and from play. The next spell saw Pearses in the ascendancy. Jonah Donnellan fired over when an inch or two lower would have seen it fly under. With 7mins to play a long Diarmuid Ryan clearance saw the ball hop nicely for Jonah Donnellan who eventually got past Paddy Lohan & David Walsh followed up with an effort from play. S/M/M fought back as they struck another customary point. Roche fetched the resultant puck out and went on the run but brave Tommy Nutley was quick to advance off his line to avert the imminent danger. Skehana converted another from play & Donnellan from the half way line. Roche & Donnellan traded frees late on to finish out: S/M/M 3-15 to Pearses 1-14 in a game of fierce hard hits and crunching tackles as one would expect in local rivalry.
Panel: Tommy Nutley, Daniel Lydon, Diarmuid Ryan, Cathal Hynes, Kyle McDonagh, Dylan Roche, James Queeney, Conor Hillary, Fionn Donohue, David Walsh, Jonah Donnellan, Cian Burke, Sean Kelly, Conor Walsh, Darren Moran, Eoghan Ryan, Stephen Murphy, Luke Mitchell.