Pearses 2-9 Sylane 0-2: The Clubandamp;rsquo;s U13 hurlers added a second U13 title in-a-row when they defeated Sylane yesterday evening in a rain-soaked Kenny Park, Athenry. Sylane took an early lead, but once Pearses hit the front, they were in control until the finish. Indeed, so dominant were the boys in black and white, Sylane scored just once again in the remainder of the game!
andamp;Oacute;isin Flannery hit Pearses first point, from a difficult free on the right wing, to cancel out Sylaneandamp;rsquo;s lead. Flannery had three more placed ball attempts in the next five minutes, scoring two. Dean Reillyandamp;rsquo;s pace was causing the Sylane defence some real problems and he rattled the net in the ninth minute. He followed it with a point from play. The action was now mainly in the Sylane half of the field and some Pearses scoring chances went astray, due in no small measure to the terrible conditions. Half-time: Pearses 1-4 Sylane 0-1.
Cian Murphy had a fifth Pearses point on the board just after half-time, before Sylane had a spell of attacks. However, they just couldnandamp;rsquo;t find a way through the Pearses defence, marshalled by Man of the Match Eoghan McCabe at full-back. Sylane’s best opportunity, a goal chance, flashing just wide of Darragh McCabeandamp;rsquo;s post at the town end.
A point from Cathal Kitt got Pearses going again and on the thirteenth minute, Cian Murphy pulled first time to the net, after his initial shot was stopped. andamp;Oacute;isandamp;iacute;n Flannery tagged on two frees, beforeandamp;nbsp;Kealan Creaven struckandamp;nbsp;Sylane’s second point. The last score of the game was possibly the best, when a 40 yard Dean Reilly solo run, ended in him whipping the ball across the square, for Cathal Kitt to double it first time over the bar.
Captain Dean Reilly accepted the cup from County Juvenile Hurling Chairman, Michael Oandamp;rsquo;Hehir (Tuam). He thanked the management and parents for the transport, noting that Petrol/Diesel doesnandamp;rsquo;t come cheap! Well done to the lads and to their dedicated Management team! It was a fantastic win, we are all so proud and Iandamp;rsquo;m sure this bunch are not finished yet!
Pearses: Darragh McCabe; Brian Kelly, Eoghan McCabe, Niall Moran; Jack Barrett, Shane Hynes, Robert Hynes; Cathal Kitt (0-2), Geordan Kenny; Marc Hennelly, andamp;Oacute;isandamp;iacute;n Flannery (0-5f), Luke Mitchell; Ethan Lally, Dean Reilly (1-1), Cian Murphy (1-1). Subs: James Mitchell, Ethan Barry.