Pearses accounted for an understrength Athenry side (short of 5 regulars) in this League clash yesterday evening. Pearses had 3 points on the board after 5 minutes, before the lively Gary Lally struck for the game’s first goal. Athenry then stirred to life, with their first two points of the game, before Shane Raftery responded with a long-range free.
Pearses then struck for another goal, when Tomandamp;aacute;s Flannery collected the ball 21 yards from goal, before unleashing an unstoppable shot past the Athenry keeper. The sides then went point for point until the break, Cyril Donnellan picking off 0-4, one of which could have crept under the crossbar for a third goal. The half-time scoreline read Pearses 2-12 Athenry 0-8.
An improved Athenry returned for the second half. The opening 8 minutes were a stalemate, with neither team giving the umpires any work. Athenry then struck 1-2 without reply during their most productive period of the game. Pearses then hit back to kill that momentum, when the Gary Lally pressurised the newly introduced keeper into making a mistake, before finishing to the net.
The final quarter, passed without much incident the sides trading points as the game come to it’s conclusion. Both sides were guilty of some bad wides. It was a useful workout for both sides, but their sights were surely set on a bigger date in 2 weeks time (in the Championship).
Pearses: P O’Brien; A Kenny, T Kenny, P Raftery; R Lally, S Raftery (0-2), A Bellew; S Hardiman (0-2), J Gelston (0-1); C Ward, M Barry, C Donnellan (0-4), T Flannery (1-1), E Ward (0-2), G Lally (2-2). Subs used: F Flannery, D Skehill, R Donnellan (0-1), T McDonagh, E Cunniffe.