Pearses take on Ardrahan in the first round of the Senior Hurling Championship at 6.30pm this Saturday evening in Kenny Park, Athenry. The last time the sides met was in a Relegation Playoff in November 2011. Ardrahan emerged on top that evening, 1-13 to 1-10, but Pearses went on secure Senior status by defeating Kinvara.
Both sides report injuries to influential players. Pearses are without Cyril Donnellan, who underwent surgery recently, last year’s Pearses Senior Hurler of the Year, Cormac Ward and Adrian Bellew. Ardrahan are without John Greene and Joe O’Leary and there are doubts over the fitness of Iarla Tannian, who missed Galway’s recent League Semi-Final with Kilkenny with a hamstring injury.
Pearses will look to Emmett Ward, Jimmy Gelston, Tomandamp;aacute;s Kenny and the Hardiman and Flannery brothers to lead them in the absence of Cyril and Cormac. The likes of Enda Cunniffe, Brian Sweeney and Keith Donnellan are also in the reckoning for starting places. Ardrahan will depend on big Jonathan Glynn, Maurice Callanan and Ger Hennelly for leadership.
Both teams were Quarter-Finalists last year and both ran the eventual County finalists (Portumna and Loughrea) close, so this is likely to be a tight game. It should make for an entertaining tie, so please come along and support the team. The game is preceded by another first Round game, Sarsfields v Carnmore at 5pm.andamp;nbsp;
2011 Pearses v Ardrahan: F Flannery; A Kenny, T Kenny, P Raftery; T McDonagh, S Raftery, K Hardiman; A Kilkenny (0-1), S Hardiman; D Wynne (0-1), C Donnellan (0-1f), J Gelston (0-1); T Flannery (0-5f), C Ward (1-0), R Lally (0-1). Sub used: K. Hillary.