Pearses 1-13 Clarinbridge 0-12: The Club’s Senior hurlers got their 2015 Championship campaign off to a winning start defeating Clarinbridge in Duggan Park, Ballinasloe on Saturday last. Pearses led from the start and kept Clarinbridge at arm’s length throughout. The game’s only goal came on the just before half-time from Tomás Flannery and Clarinbridge never recovered.
Ronan Bellew opened the scoring from a pointed free, before Cyril Donnellan had a goal-bound shot saved at the scoreboard end. Bellew pointed the 65. Clarinbridge’s only scorer was Evan Niland at corner-forward and two frees from him levelled the game. Donnellan again and Emmett Ward reopened that two point gap, 0-4 to 0-2.
The score was 0-5 to 0-4 on the 21st minute when Emmett Ward seen his goal attempt go just wide. The teams shared the next two points (Donnellan for Pearses) as the first half ticked into injury time. Tomas Flannery won possession 35 yards from goal and burst through the middle before finishing to the net, a score that would prove crucial. Half-time 1-6 to 0-5.
The Bridge started the second half well and Niland put the first three points on the board, two from frees. One of which could have been a goal as Niland was inside the cover before being fouled, 1-6 to 0-8.
Pearses’ response was good and three frees from the Ronan Bellew made it 1-9 to 0-8 on the 45th minute. The teams went score for score in the final quarter. Niall Skehill got behind the Clarinbridge cover after 50 minutes only to see his shot for goal saved.
On 55 minutes another Niland point left just a goal between the teams, but a good Pearses move through the middle ended in Cyril Donnellan flashing the ball over the bar. Clarinbridge piled on the pressure at the other end, but some excellent defending kept them at bay. Niland missed a scoreable free, before a 21-yard free was stopped by a combined effort on the Pearses goal-line.
The Pearses backs were tight throughout, with just four of Clarinbridge’s points from play. Donnellan and Colm Raftery won the midfield battle, while Bellew and Flannery lead the forward line. Pearses will take on Ardrahan in Round 2 to be played on the weekend of May 9th/10th.
Pearses: F Flannery; T McDonagh, T Kenny, R Lally; A Bellew, D Wynne, K Hardiman; C Raftery, C Donnellan (0-3); R Bellew (0-9), J Gelston, T Flannery (1-0); G Lally, E Ward (0-1), C O’Grady. Sub used: N Skehill.