Pearses show true grit in intermediate replay

Date Published: 05-Oct-2010

Padraig Pearses 2-8Cappataggle 0-12

(After extra time)

Alan Dooley

in Killimor

PADRAIG Pearses defiantly held on at the end of a bruising contest that required extra time to separate them from the unrelenting efforts of Cappataggle in Killimor on Sunday evening and claim a place in the last four of the Finnerty Plant Hire Intermediate hurling championship.

This replay may have lacked in some of the finer arts of the game, but the huge levels of commitment and intensity shown throughout by both sides meant that it was never less than riveting, and in the last play of the game the result could still have swung in Cappataggle’s favour.

Damien Joyce stood over a 21-yard free knowing that only a goal would suffice for his side and after his first attempt was repelled, he was handed another opportunity from the same spot by an eagle-eyed umpire.

Again, though, Padraig Pearses were able to get a hurl onto Joyce’s fierce drive and the immediate shrill of the final whistle brought joy and relief for the Ballymacward/Gurteen outfit. Having shot a barrage of wides in normal time while playing against 14 men after James Skehill’s sending off late in the first half, Padraig Pearses had Aidan Kilkenny to thank for two fabulous points in extra time.

Cyril Donnellan and Kerrill Hardiman also came up trumps with vital scores while Cappy tired from their earlier exertions and could only muster scores from Alan Dolan and substitute Padraig Egan.The first half had seen Cappataggle race into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 11th minute as Dolan pointed two frees and Barry Shea and Damien Joyce were both on target.

Padraig Flannery’s free was Padraig Pearse’s sole response until Emmet Ward fired over but they should have had a goal earlier when Skehill was caught in possession, but Adrian Bellew amazingly fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

On 16 minutes, though, Cyril Donnellan showed his class by fetching a high ball and darting clear of the Cappy defence and while Skehill saved his initial effort well, Donnellan was sharply onto the rebound to fire to the net.

Unperturbed, Cappataggle wrestled back the lead through points from Dolan and Paul Claffey, only for their ‘keeper to see red minutes later after a collision with Cyril Donnellan. When Flannery raised another green flag for Pearses moments later to put them two points to the good, the sensible money was on them to now pull clear, but Cappataggle had the last score of the half through the impressive Ronan Garvey and they were quickly level after the restart through a Dolan free.