Pearses 3-13 Ardrahan 0-6: Report by Martina Donnellan. A strong opening half laid the groundwork for Pearses U14’s for a facile victory over Ardrahan in Round 6 of the hurling championship played in Ardrahan yesterday evening. Led all through by the dominant Orin Burke who gave an absolutely outstanding exhibition of everything good in hurling, Pearses were 2-7 to 0-3 up at the break. Orin had Pearses off the mark with a point from play within 2 mins after Jack Reilly originated the move in defence, involved Ollie Laheen and Darragh Roche who had just returned from injury.
Ardrahan’s No. 11 equalised from play on 5mins after a blazing run through the middle but that was as near as they were to get. Orin Burke raised the first of his 3 green flags when Paddy Kenny sent in a high lobbing free after Cilly Fahey was fouled, the ball was flicked into the path of the inrushing Burke who goaled with ease. Orin Burke pointed again after weaving his way across the goal into a more scoreable position after good work from David Walsh, Conor Kelly andamp;amp; Ronnie Hynes. Orin Burke made another goal chance which was saved and the rebound was picked up by Darragh Roche who fired over from close range. Another clearance by Jack Reilly was added to by Laheen, fed to Burkie who snatched his 3rd point from play by the 12th minute. Ollie Laheen then had a great goal chance as he throttled in on goal, took a hefty shoulder on route, his walloping goal bound effort was saved but a free resulted after Anthony Feeney was fouled in a goalmouth shemozzle which was duly tapped over by Orin to make it 1-5 to 0-1. Anthony Feeney then pointed after a good solo from Darragh Roche.
Ardrahan converted a 65’ after Harry Mitchell saved a dangerous ball and immediately added a free from close range. Pearses replied emphatically though as an Ardrahan puck out was batted down by Paddy Kenny straight into the path of Orin Burke who showed some brilliant side steps before lashing to the net to raise his 2nd green flag of the half. Ollie Laheen drew another save from the Ardrahan goalie and the resultant half clearance fell to Darragh Roche who put over from an acute angle; his 2nd of the day. It’s great to see this lad back! Ardrahan then had a chance destined for the net but Harry Mitchell was alert to the bouncing ball to turn it around the post for a 65’ which failed to find the target. The hosts also failed to score another 65’ just before the break to keep the deficit between the teams to 10 points. Pearses 2-7; Ardrahan 0-3.
Immediately on the resumption, Pearses maintained their momentum. A fabulous line cut from Paddy Kenny was fetched by Orin Burke in front of his man and his whopper of a shot deflected off an Ardrahan defender, who was felled to the ground immediately, such was the powerful force of the shot. It had to be most painful. As play continued, Darragh Roche pulled on the rebound which went right across the face of the goal, not too far off the mark. Orin made certain 5mins into the half and even though there was quite a lot of hurling still to be played, his 3rd goal strike gave an air of finality to the match. It was a ‘perfect’ goal, fit for any occasion – Cilly Fahey’s delivery was fetched cleanly after a huge Burke acrobatic leap, his effort was saved and while a combination of Dara Scarry, Darragh Roche and Anthony Feeney tried their best to poke it home, the loose clearance was picked up by Burke who fired to the net on the 2nd attempt to claim his hat trick of goals.
If it was soccer he would get to keep the ball, but in truth he earned a bag of them. No 10 scored for Ardrahan from quite an acute angle. Orin, who was on fire, pointed again, as he fetched a Fahey delivery from the sky, rounded his man but the ball could have easily dipped under the crossbar but just carried over. Darragh Roche found himself on the end of Conor Kelly’s probing run as he snatched his 3rd point of the day. Cilly Fahey was then fouled, his man receiving a yellow card in the process and Orin tapped over the resultant free to make it 3-10 to 0-4. No. 10 for Ardrahan tried his luck with a close range free which he blasted low and hard but there was no passing the vigilant Mitchell in goals. At this stage Cian Burke, Cathal Hynes and Diarmuid Ryan were introduced. Orin Burke then went on a probing run, flicked to Fahey on his left but was fouled after the pass and again he made no mistake with the close range free to bring his personal tally to 3-7, 3-4 from play on an exhibition day for him as James Queeney was introduced for him.
Paddy Kenny’s blockdown led to a Cormac Hillary clearance and after good work from Feeney in the ruck, the ball broke to Cilly Fahey who tapped it neatly over. Ardrahan put over a close range free with 2 mins to go while Ollie Laheen’s ground stroke took a deflection off an Ardrahan hurl and almost squeezed in at the butt of the post. Right at the death as Ardrahan tried to salvage some glory, Harry Mitchell made certain that no chances of eating into the lead materialised as he saved a close range free and then scooped the ball up for Jack Reilly’s long clearance from danger. Cilly Fahey had a great blockdown in the middle of the field, picked up the loose ball and with that familiar gait of his throttled forward with goal on his mind but was put out for a 65’ which was put straight over the black spot by Jack Reilly to finish on a plausible note: Pearses 3-13; Ardrahan 0-6.
Scorers: Orin Burke 3-7 (0-3F); Darragh Roche 0-3; Anthony Feeney 0-1; Cilly Fahey 0-1; Jack Reilly 0-1 (65’)
Panel: Harry Mitchell, Conor Hillary, Jack Reilly, Cormac Hillary, Jonah Donnellan, Conor Kelly, David Walsh, Ronan Hynes, Paddy Kenny, Cilly Fahey, Anthony Feeney, Oliver Laheen, Darragh Roche, Orin Burke, Dara Scarry, Cian Burke, Diarmuid Ryan, Cathal Hynes and James Queeney.