Despite a second half fightback against Cois Fharraige yesterday Pearses lost out by the minimum to a last minute goal in Turloughmore. There was a strong wind and it was always going to be a matter of which team utilised it best. It was a competitive first half and Pearses had a fair share of attacking into the strong wind. We were unlucky in that most of the frees awarded were further out the field and were not really scorable in the conditions. The backs coped well limiting Cois Fharraige to 0-5. Colm Raftery was on target from 2 placed balls, leaving the score at half-time at 0-5 to 0-2.
Cois Fharraige played an extra man at the back for the second half and started well against the wind. Colm Raftery responded from a free for Pearses, leaving the score 0-6 to 0-3. Then a pass from Daragh Kelly to the inrushing Paul Moore unlocked the Cois Fharraige defence and Moore finished to the net, levelling the game. Cois Fharraige pulled ahead again from a placed ball. Raftery hit back from play. Pearses were having a purple patch and following a goalmouth scramble Gary Hennelly finished to the net to put Pearses back in front. Immediately after play was held up, resulting in a Cois Fharraige man receiving his marching orders for a second yellow card.
The break in play seemed to break the Pearses momentum and even with the numerical disadvantage Cois Fharraige were refusing to die. Colm Raftery was having a rare off-day from placed balls while Cois Fhairraige were battling hard and succeeded in reducing the margin to the minimum. Ronan Bellew pointed for Pearses to extend the margin to 2. It looked like it might be enough. I was a dangerous lead and disaster struck, when a speculative shot at goal by Cois Fharraige dipped under Finbar Healy’s crossbar.
It was the worst possible way to lose the game, but Pearses were outbattled and too many of the team’s leaders were not at the races. Best for Pearses on the day were Ronan Bellew, Dara Skehill, Paul Moore and Gary Lally. Cois Fharraige advance to a Quarter-Final, while Pearses now enter a Preliminary Quarter-Final. Our opponents are not yet known.
Pearses: F Healy; R Skehill, B Egan, T Broderick; R Bellew (0-1), D Skehill, G Lally; E Cunniffe, P Moore (1-0); R Lally, K Beckett, J Lally; G Dwyer, C Raftery (0-4, 3f), G Hennelly (1-0). Sub used: D Kelly for Dywer (HT).