Beagh 0-21 Pádraig Pearses 1-14
Éanna O’Reilly, Connacht Tribune
A strong finish from Beagh saw them take the spoils against Pearses in the Senior B championship in Loughrea on Sunday afternoon. The South Galway side impressively outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-1 in the closing stages to record a very valuable win.
Pearses fell to their second defeat of the championship, after a game in which they competed well but faded during the last 10 minutes.
It was Anthony Kenny’s side who made the better start, scoring the first three points of the game. Cian Murphy pointed two frees, either side of an impressive Emmet Ward score from the right wing.
Beagh responded with two good points from Joe Gantley, before Murphy’s third free made it 0-4 to 0-2. Beagh then had a strong five-minute spell, scoring three consecutive points. Adrian Tuohey, Daithí Keane, and Gantley tallied the scores to put Derek Deely’s side ahead for the first time.
Pearses responded with three points of their own. Conor O’Neill and Emmet Ward pointed, before ‘keeper Fearghal Flannery landed a long range free, which left them 0-7 to 0-5 ahead after twenty minutes.
The contest swung once again, with Beagh dominating late in the half. Evan Hunt pointed two frees, Gantley sent over his fourth from play, and Darren Hynes landed a score from the right wing
At the other end, Murphy forced an excellent save from Beagh ‘keeper Stephen Di-viney. The corner forward soon pointed his fourth free for Pearses, who went into the in-terval 0-9 to 0-8 behind after playing with the wind.
The third quarter remained very close. Keane sent over a superb individual score for Beagh before points at the other end from Dean Reilly and Ward (free) levelled the contest.
Hunt and Murphy ex-changed frees to make it 0-11 apiece, before points from Gantley and Hunt (free) saw Beagh edge two points ahead. Ward replied for Pearses with an impressive long range free, to leave the minimum between the sides.
Hunt converted two more frees during the next five minutes to extend Beagh’s lead. Ronan Bellew replied with a good point for Pearses, before the game’s only goal was scored four minutes later.
A high delivery into the Beagh square was batted down by Diviney before the inrush-ing Tomás Flannery flicked the sliotar to the net. Pearses were in front for the first time in the second half, but it was Beagh who raised their game there-after.
The South Galway side tal-lied three points in a row, from Hunt, Keane, and Pádraic Lan-ders. Pearses’ Orin Burke pointed at the other end, but Beagh replied with another three in succession. Diviney landed an impressive long range free, before Kevin Kee-han sent over an excellent score from the right wing.
A late 21 metre free from Pearses’ Fearghal Flannery was blocked on the line and cleared by Adrian Touhey. Keane got on the end of Tuo-hey’s clearance and sent over his fourth point of the after-noon, to seal the win for Beagh.
Pádraig Pearses: F Flannery (0-1 free); G Kenny, T Kenny, R Carr; E Cunniffe, J Barrett, A Bellew; M Hennelly, T Flannery (1-0); E Ward (0-4, 0-2f), R Bellew (0-1), C O’Neill (0-1); C Murphy (0-5, 0-4f), C Fahey, D Reilly (0-1). Subs: O Burke (0-1) for O’Neill (53mins); C Ward for Hennelly (56mins).
Beagh: S Diviney (0-1 free); E Tuohey, M Rosengrave, E Mahon; D Hynes (0-1), A Tuohey (0-1), F Tuohey; O Forde, P Landers (0-1); K Keehan (0-1), J Gantley (0-5), E Hunt (0-7, 0-5f); D Lucey, J Morris, D Keane (0-4). Subs: J Walsh for Morris (53mins).
Referee: Karol Collins.