Pearses 0-14 Kinvara 1-9: Pearses secured their senior status yesterday with a two point victory over Kinvara in the Final Relegation Playoff in wet and windy Kenny Park, Athenry. Pearses led by six at half-time, but a good third quarter by Kinvara brought them level. Points from Cyril Donnellan and Tomandamp;aacute;s Flannery insured Senior Hurling for 2015.
Jimmy Gelston setup Flannery in the first minute for the gameandamp;rsquo;s first point, before adding a point of his own a minute later. Pearses were guilty of three wides, before another Flannery point (free) in the 6th minute, 0-3 to 0-0. Galway Minor, Conor Whelan, opened Kinvaraandamp;rsquo;s account with a point in the 7th minute, but Pearsesandamp;rsquo; response was instant, an Adrian Bellew point. Cyril Donnellan had been involved in the build-up to earlier scores, but now landed a super point from the stand sideline to make it 0-5 to 0-1.
Whelan got two back for Kinvara, one a 65andamp;rsquo;. The second quarter was all Pearses with five points in succession, four from play. The pick of them, an inspirational long range effort by Jimmy Gelston. Kinvara’s only response, a free from long-serving David Huban in injury time. Half-time 0-10 to 0-4. Kinvara, with the wind, stormed back into the game and outscored Pearses 1-4 to 0-1 in the third quarter. Whelan and David Huban (2) with the first three points, before Donnellan tapped over a Pearses penalty. Then the gameandamp;rsquo;s only goal, a shot from the right wing by Ronan Kilkelly, deceiving keeper Aidan Kilkenny, 1-8 to 0-11.
Flannery (free) and Whelan swapped points to leave the game deadlocked again. Then a goal chance for Donnellan going just over to put Pearses back in front. A minute later and another Flannery free gave Pearses a two point lead. Kinvara pushed for a goal in the remaining two minutes of injury time, but long range frees from Colm Callanan and Shane Kavanagh both dropped wide. Pearses have survived this yearandamp;rsquo;s injury crisis and can look forward to a better year next year at Senior level. Well done to all involved!
Pearses: A Kilkenny; A Kenny, T Kenny, P Raftery; R Lally, D Wynne, K Hardiman; J Gelston (0-2), A Bellew (0-1); R Bellew, C Ward, S Hardiman; T Flannery (0-6), E Ward (0-1), C Donnellan (0-4). Subs used: G Lally, C Raftery.