Larkins dice with danger but just do enough to edge past wasteful Pearses opponents

Tommy Larkins 0-13Padraig Pearses 0-11

STEPHEN GLENNON IN KILLIMOR

INJURY-time points from David Hickey and Jason Flynn helped Tommy Larkins shoplift a dramatic Group A victory in Killimor on Saturday evening – so securing the Woodford/Ballinakill side a place in the knockout stages while consigning Padraig Pearses to the dreaded relegation play-offs.

While a Tommy Larkins win ultimately saved the Galway senior hurling championship from entering the realm of fixtures chaos, that will be of little comfort to a brave Padraig Pearses outfit which really was unlucky not to take a more tangible result from this keenly contested clash.

However, the manner in which Pearses find themselves in relegation – the awarding of their game and championship points to Athenry after the Ballymacward/Gurteen failed to fulfil the fixture due to the death of their Club President – will surely rankle, more than ever, with the management and players this week.

In any event, Pearses could – and should – have saved their own bacon in this one, having all but dominated the second period. However, a succession of wides – eight in all in the second half – along with the spurning of a couple of goal chances was ultimately to cost them dearly.

No doubt, had their top scorer Tomas Flannery (broken hand) been fit, the story could have been so different but, then again, Tommy Larkins could make similar representations given they were missing a plethora of players, among them Declan Garvey (honeymoon) and Kevin Hooban (injured).

As it was, with 57 minutes gone and the game tied at 0-11 apiece, this became as much a test of resolve as it was a test of self belief. In the end, Tommy Larkins showed they had both – their success at various underage grades, particularly U-16, minor and U-21, in recent years bearing fruit. In other words, Larkins knew how to win this game when it was there to be won.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.