Ballinasloe 3-13 Pandamp;aacute;draig Pearses 1-10. Pandamp;aacute;draig Pearses Junior footballers got their League campaign off the ground last Sunday in Ballinasloe GAA grounds. Ballinasloe andamp;ndash; spearheaded by a number of recent All-Ireland medalists and a proportion of minors who put twelve goals past Tuam Stars the previous day in the Minor A Championship andamp;ndash; utilised their extra man well after Pearses’ Robert Finn had to go off with an ankle injury.
Pearses started off the stronger side with Seandamp;aacute;n Hardiman and Ronan Skehill pointing from play in the opening minutes. Ballinasloe registered their opening score in the ninth minute. Shortly afterwards Pat Mahon was quick to respond to a breaking ball in the Ballinasloe square, finishing to the net to put Pearses four clear, 1-2 to 0-1. Further Pearses points followed from Hardiman and Darragh Skehill, before a lapse in concentration in defence led to a Ballinasloe goal. However, Pearses still went in at half-time a point in front.
Leo Morrissey, operating at midfield with Tommy McDonagh, won the second half throw in and proceeded up the field to win a close-in free which Hardiman converted along with another score by Ronan Skehill from play putting Pearses three clear. Ballinasloe then made a change to their game plan, bringing out of their goalkeeper to operate as a extra man in the half-forward line. As a result Ballinasloe dominated the final-quarter, apart from Cathal Hogan and Tomandamp;aacute;s Kenny points from play.andamp;nbsp;
Overall the management of James Clancy and Adrian Queeney were happy as they were looking for a performance from this historic first day out for the newly formed Football branch of Pandamp;aacute;draig Pearses. They felt that we had dominated for long periods of the game, even when a man down. Anybody interested in playing Junior football this year is asked to contact James Clancy as there will be a large number of games in both League and Championship throughout the summer.andamp;nbsp;
Pearses: Edmund Flannery, Tom Ryan, Tomandamp;aacute;s Kenny, Robert Finn; Niall Skehill, Dermot Skehill, Ronan Skehill; Leo Morrissey, Tommy McDonagh; Darragh Skehill, Sean Hardiman, Adrian Queeney; Shane Hanlon, Cathal Hogan, Pat Mahon.
Thanks to Leo Morrissey for Match Report