Pearses travelled to St. Thomas’ yesterday evening more in hope than in confidence with just 16 players available due to injuries & players’ unavailability. However, a gutsy & feisty performance by the entire squad, with smashed hurls, great block downs, great scores & good saves all part of this U15B game. Pearses fielded with some very young players who came of age in this game; they did the simple things well which helped to cap off a fine performance.
A goal apiece in the 2nd half from David Walsh & Diarmuid Ryan helped the Pearses lads ease past St. Thomas’ in this Round 1 U15B Championship game. Pearses led by 0-8 to 0-4 at half time but took command in the 2nd half to finish emphatic 2-17 to 1-7 winners.
The game was evenly balanced at the start with Thomas’ firing over 2 points from play & Cilly Fahey converting a free & a 65’. Pearses first point from play arrived on 10mins when young Padraic Kelly latched on to a loose ball, passed to Diarmuid Ryan who split the posts. Fahey converted his 2nd free after a long delivery from Jonah Donnellan towards talisman Ryan who was fouled & Cilly struck low and hard as the goalie saved well to deflect over the crossbar. Diarmuid added another from play just before the water break when James Queeney won a 50/50 ball, with good defending by Anthony Feeney, found Dara Scarry and Ryan applied the finish.
No. 11 added a Thomas’ point from play on the resumption as Cilly Fahey was helping to mop up any threats in the half back line. Harry Mitchell received a crack across the hand for his almighty clearance while his man received a yellow card for the blow. Fahey then casually tapped over 2 more frees after he was fouled himself. With 4mins to half time, Cilly converted another free after young Conor Walsh was fouled near the sideline. No. 11 responded with his 2nd from play for Thomas’. Pearses in a good passage of play on the stroke of half time went near enough as they searched for the net but Dara Scarry’s final effort hit the side net. Half time: Pearses 0-8; St. Thomas’ 0-4.
Within 4mins of the restart Padraic Kelly tapped over a lovely effort from play. Anthony Feeney did the donkey work to release Dara Scarry but as he was crowded out he recycled to Kelly who fired over. St. Thomas’ responded with their only point of the 3rd Quarter through a free. Cilly Fahey pointed from play from midfield to make it double scores 0-10 to 0-5. James Queeney’s perfect defending was helped up the field to Ryan who again was fouled & Cilly converted the free. He added another free moments later from out near the sideline and one from play from the right wing 45’ out. Dillon Roche’s hard work was rewarded just before the end of Q3 when big Diarmuid won the ball with a few lads hanging off him, shook off the tackles to get in his shot which was blocked on the goal line. The attempted clearance by St. Thomas’ was blocked down by Roche who picked up the loose ball & fired over. 0-14 to 0-5.
The final quarter saw Pearses rack 2-3 to St. Thomas’ 1-2. St Thomas’ restarted with good intent & with their No. 11 bursting through, Darren Moran made a great save only for the ref to call play back for an earlier foul by Jonah Donnellan. The 21’ free was saved by Harry Mitchell only to fall to the same player who smashed the rebound off the crossbar with the eventual clearance by Jonah Donnellan up along the line to David Walsh. David Walsh gave Pearses the perfect start to Q4 as his looping effort from the sideline found its way to the net.
Thomas’ hit back with a goal following a scramble as Pearses backs failed to clear. 1-14 to 1-5. Pearses responded with a Diarmuid Ryan effort from play. Fahey then tried to squeeze a close range free in at the butt of the post but the goalie dived well. In the ensuing play Conor Walsh had an effort which hadn’t the legs to carry over the line; the clearance was picked up by Cilly who threw over his 3rd from play. Thomas’ scored 2 from play in the closing stages. Diarmuid brought his personal tally to 1-3 as Fahey sent a long delivery into the square and Ryan with some work to do, shot low & hard to raise the green flag. His fist pump afterwards told us that’s 1-3 for me! Cillian Fahey gathered the resultant puck out and fired straight over the black spot to bring his personal tally to 0-4 from play & 0-12 overall.
It was an excellent all round performance with the backs standing tall as Conor Hillary, Harry Mitchell, Fionn Donohue, Dillon Roche, Jonah Donnellan & James Queeney made sure no more goals were leaked. Young Eoghan Ryan also did well playing a number of years above his age group while Keith Kitt got stuck in when introduced. Well done lads. It’s good to chalk up the first win in the championship.
Scorers: Cillian Fahey 0-12 ( 0-7F; 0-4; 65’); Diarmuid Ryan 1-3; David Walsh 1-0, Padraic Kelly 0-1; Dillon Roche 0-1.
Panel: Darren Moran, Conor Hillary, Harry Mitchell, Fionn Donohue, Dillon Roche, Jonah Donnellan, James Queeney, Cillian Fahey, Anthony Feeney, David Walsh, Dara Scarry, Pádraic Kelly, Eoghan Ryan, Diarmuid Ryan, Conor Walsh, Keith Kitt.