Pádraig Pearses 2-20
Killimordaly 4-14
Darren Kelly, Tuam Herald
Honours even in last Wednesday evening’s Galway U-20 B1 Hurling Championship final under lights in Ballinasloe as Killimordaly came from four points down with a late surge before Pádraig Pearses levelled matters for the eighth time and forced a replay.
Pearses reached the decider after topping a group with Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Annaghdown and Fr Joe Walsh’s before getting the better of Micheál Breathnach and Ahascragh-Fohenagh in the knock-out stage.
Killimordaly accounted for Micheál Breathnach, Liam Mellows and Sylane in the round-robin before shooting the lights out against Salthill-Knocknacarra and Tommy Larkins. They couldn’t stop scoring goals – 11 alone came in their past two matches – so something had to give against a Pádraig Pearses side that kept clean sheets in both the quarter- and semi-finals.
Killimordaly edged a hugely enjoyable opening half by 2-7 to 1-9 on the back of superbly taken goals by Darragh Monahan and Shane Earls after five and 16 minutes, respectively. The finishing in this B1 decider, the fourth tier in U-20 hurling, was extremely impressive from open play and especially placed balls, with just five wides combined before the break.
Earls was very prominent and converted five frees to go with another from play. The third Killimordaly player to find the target in the half was Iarla Broderick who – along with Liam Janssen, Michael Lewis and Ronan Cahalan – helped the club’s seniors to retain their senior status by defeating Moycullen three days earlier.
Pearses were also productive off frees from their excellent ‘keeper Harry Mitchell – who made a string of fantastic saves throughout – and top scorer Darren Moran (four). Galway U-20 star Jonah Donnellan, who was superb, arrowed over a sublime cut and also struck a 13th minute goal in a slick move that was off the training ground as he powered onto a Mitchell puckout before cutting in from the right flank to finish. Two late points from Donnellan, who had Michael Lewis for company throughout, took him up to 1-3 for the half. Tadhg Harte was also on the mark for Pearses.
A second Donnellan sideline after the restart and two more Moran frees saw Adrian Queeney’s charges hit the front before Ronan Cahalan, another county U-20 on view, sprinted through to bat past Mitchell for a 3-8 to 1-12 Killimordaly lead in the 35th minute. That increased to 3-11 to 1-14 entering the final quarter following Darragh Monahan, Cahalan and Iarla Broderick points.
Darren Moran kept the Pearses tally ticking over and the inside-forward, who ended his evening with 1-10, latched onto a Donnellan free that broke inside the square and flashed the sliotar to the net. White flags from Harte, Diarmuid Ryan and Moran’s latest free made it a very productive spell for Pearses that turned a three-point deficit into a three-point lead.
That position improved further when points from Jonah Donnellan and Conor Walsh answered a seventh successful free from Earls. At 2-19 to 3-12 up in the 58th minute, Pearses were in possession of the game’s biggest lead until Killimordaly, managed by James Coen, came with a late rally.
Points from Iarla Broderick (free) and captain Owen Earls narrowed the gap before the influential Jerry Hardiman’s point attempt was partially blocked before Darragh Monahan collected, spun his marker and played in Luca Walsh for a go-ahead goal in the last minute of normal time.
It was left to Pearses to draw the sides level in the third added minute when Padraic Kelly, who impressed in defence with Jack Kenny, won a distance free that Moran held his nerve to convert and ensure the sides must do it all over again.
Next Wednesday evening is the replay date in Duggan Park (throw-in: 6.15pm) in a double-header that includes the U-20 A decider between Loughrea and Clarinbridge (8pm). Before that, Pearses have serious business to attend to in this weekend’s Premier Intermediate relegation final with Beagh.
PÁDRAIG PEARSES: H. Mitchell (0-1, free); J. Queeney, A. Feeney, C. Hillary; H. Tierney, J. Kenny, P. Kelly; D. Lydon, J. Donnellan (1-5, 0-2 sideline cuts); D. Scarry, D. Ryan (0-1), C. Walsh (0-1); D. Moran (1-10, 0-9 frees), T. Harte (0-2), J. Sommers.
KILLIMORDALY: D. Mulhern; L. Earls, L. Janssen, S. Monahan; N. Whisriskey, I. Broderick (0-3, 0-2 frees), B. Whisriskey; M. Lewis, O. Earls (0-1); J. Hardiman, L. Walsh (1-0), R. Cahalan (1-1); D. Monahan (1-1), S. Earls (1-8, 0-7 frees), R. Taylor. Sub: I. Earls, for N. Whiriskey, half-time.
REFEREE: Paul Fahy.