Clarinbridge find time to end Pearses’ challenge

Pádraig Pearses 1-14

(after extra-time)

By James Kent in Kenny Park

Clarinbridge survived a second-half recovery from Pearses to get the job done in extra-time and book a preliminary quarter-final against Gort this weekend.

The one disappointment from the game from a Clarinbridge point of view was the loss of Galway U-21 star, Patrick Foley, to what looked like a recurrence of a troublesome hamstring injury in the first-half, and he will be a major doubt for this weekend’s game with Gort.

Clarinbridge led by five points – 0-9 to 0-4 – at half-time, having played with the aid of a stiff breeze in the opening half; and Pearses made even better use of having the elements at their back in the second-half, hitting 1-7 to send the game to extra-time.

However, the ‘Bridge hit 1-4 early in extra-time to put the tie out of reach of Pearses to seal their place in last 12 of the Galway Senior Hurling Championship.

Clarinbridge, a side brimming with youthful exuberance, would have fancied their chances going in to the game against their more experienced opponents after only suffering one defeat in the group stages to a much-fancied Turloughmore outfit.

As for Pearses’, their form since the resumption of the championship would have offered some encouragement, dishing out heavy defeats to both Moycullen and Abbeyknockmoy before suffering defeat to unbeaten Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry in their final group game.

Coming into this game, Shane Cusack’s side boasted the most miserly defence in the championship having conceded just 1-65 in their five previous games but they could do little to stop the ’Bridge taking a 0-9 to 0-4 lead going in at half-time after having a gust blowing heavily in their favour.

Evan Niland was their tormentor-in-chief, hitting five points in the first-half, with Barry Daly, Michael Daly (0-2), Barry Daly (0-1) and Niall Armstrong (0-1) also finding the target in the opening half.

Pearses would have been even further adrift at the break were it not for goalkeeper Fearghal Flannery, who made a hat-trick of top-drawer saves in the opening half to keep his net intact.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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