Kinvara 2-13 Pearses 0-16: Kinvara made it two out of three in the trilogy, in this Junior B Hurling Semi-Final Replay played in Loughrea on Saturday. Pearses looked like they might edge it after recovering from a Kinvara goal before half-time, but another late goal snatched the win for Kinvara.
The teams shared four points evenly in a lively opening five minutes, taking up where they left off in the drawn game. A Robbie Donnellan goal attempt was kept out, before he pointed from a tight angle. Pearses took three of the next five points. Niall Skehill (2) and Aidan Kilkenny with a great score from the left wing, after dispossessing the Kinvara defender, 0-6 to 0-4.
Mark Kavanagh brought the gap down to one again, before a solo run point from Robbie Donnellan made it 0-7 to 0-5 after 23 minutes. Another Kavanagh free and three minutes later David Huban, who had earlier left the field for treatment to an injury, whipped the ball to the back of the Pearses net and Kinvara led for the first time. Two Pearses points to Kinvaraandamp;rsquo;s one, left it 1-7 to 0-9 at half-time.
Pearses had a great start to the second half, with the first four points (Skehill, Murphy, Donnellan and Moore) to lead by three after eight minutes. Huban and Kavanagh frees kept Kinvara in touch, before Robbie Donnellan made it 0-14 to 1-9 at the three quarter stage.
Kinvara would outscore Pearses 1-4 to 0-2 in the final quarter. First David Huban pointed a free from over 80 yards. Aidan Kilkenny responded for Pearses. Two Kinvara points and a Kealan Beckett point meant Pearses led 0-16 to 1-12 after 21 minutes.
Mark Kavanagh levelled the game in the 26th minute. Three minutes later it looked like we were poised for extra-time. The goal was a killer blow and Pearses couldnandamp;rsquo;t pull one back in the dying minutes and Kinvara advance to play Clarinbridge in the Final.
For Pearses Paul Lally was outstanding throughout, despite some special treatment. Niall Skehiill, Robbie Donnellan and Aidan Kilkenny with 0-11 from play between themandamp;nbsp;were other standout players.
Pearses: P Hillary; A Naughton, P Raftery, J Jenkins; B Egan, D Wynne, P Lally; P Moore (0-1), N Skehill (0-5); K Beckett (0-1), R Donnellan (0-4), L Morrissey;andamp;nbsp;L Murphy (0-3),andamp;nbsp;A Kilkenny (0-2),andamp;nbsp;C Oandamp;rsquo;Grady. Subs used: R Skehill, D Kelly.