Pearse Og take giant step toward SHC final

Pearse Og 3-14

Nh Moninne 2-7

THE hurlers of Pearse Og took another giant step to regaining the ‘Carrickdale Hotel’ Louth Senior Hurling Championship they last won in 2013 when they recorded a third successive victory in the group stages of this year’s competition by seeing off Dundalk town rivals Naomh Moninne in Darver last Thursday evening.

A goal late in the first half had the current senior league champions leading their opponents by eight points at the break and two further goals in the second half saw them dispose of a Moninne outfit with ease despite the concession of two goals in the closing ten minutes of the match.

Free taker and county regular Gerard Smyth struck over the games two opening scores from frees inside the first four minutes of this encounter and his side extended their lead with a good point from play from David Mahoney two minutes later.

Moninne wasted two opportunities to open their account from frees and they would rue these chances as Pearse Og fired over three more points from Smyth, two frees and another from midfielder and captain Shane Callan to lead by 0-5 to 0-0 after a quarter hour.

A foul on the experienced Eddie McArdle did see Moninne finally open their account when Ronan Geoghegan fired over the resultant free on 17 minutes.

Pearse Og almost grabbed the game’s opening goal minutes later but the hard working Moninne defence managed to clear the danger.

Mick Lyons and Mahoney struck for another quick brace of points and when Moninne defender Mark McGuinness kept out an opponent at the expense of a 65 metre free it presented Gerard Smyth with the opportunity to put eight points, 0-9 to 0-1, between the teams after 25 minutes.

It got worse for the black and amber outfit on 28 minutes when a long high delivery into the box saw David Mahoney get a vital touch ahead of keeper James Connolly for the games opening goal.

The concession of this goal appeared to bring more life into the Moninne side and to their credit they grabbed the last three scores, all points, before the break from David Yore who pointed from inside his own half of the field and two frees from Oisin Drumm and Ronan Geoghegan to leave their side trailing at the break by 1-9 to 0-4.

Just as Ronan Geoghegan had ended the first half with a point from a free he did likewise at the start of the second half to cut the deficit to seven points.

Mahoney restored his side’s advantage with his fourth score when he pointed from close range and this was added to on 38 minutes with one of the scores of the match when Shane Callan pointed direct from a sideline cut out on the right wing.

The sides exchanged the next two points from frees before Pearse Og all but sealed Moninnes faith with their second goal on 42 minutes when Gerard Smyth opted to go low for a goal from a 35 metre free which beat the keeper at his right hand post.

The exchange of further points had the eventual winners leading by 2-13 to 0-7 with little under ten minutes of the match remaining. Moninne did manage to penetrate the Pearse Og rear guard for a couple of late consolation goals.

Firstly substitute Ronan O Reilly volleyed the sliotar past keeper Barry Myles from close range on 24 minutes and four minutes later from a 20 metre free awarded for a foul on Stephen Ryan, midfielder Darren O Hanrahan fired to the net guarded by five defenders.

In between these two scores Shane Callan fired over one of his now customary long range points and the same player wrapped up his sides deserving victory when his long range effort deceived substitute keeper Donal Connolly, who had earlier replaced his older brother between the post, to find the back of the net in injury time.

In the match that followed in Darver, holders Knockbridge suffered a major setback in their hope of retaining the title when they were beaten comprehensively by an impressive St Fechins outfit who recorded a 1-13 to 1-6 having led by 1-6 to 1-4 at half time. PEARSE OG: Barry Myles; Shane Kelleher, Brian Minogue, Mark Egan; Aidan Callan, Matthew Myles, Andrew McDermott; Shane Callan (1-4), Gary O Brien; Andrew McCrave, Gerard Smyth (1-6 all frees), Donnach Callan; Mike Lyons (0-1), David Mahoney (1-3), Brian O Sullivan. Subs – Noel Callan for B O Sullivan (39 mins), Richie Scanlon for D Callan (45), John Sharkey for G O Brien (51).

NAOMH MONINNE: James Connolly; Mark McGuinness, Chris Lennon, Daire Flanagan; David Yore (0-1), Oisin Drumm (0-1), Niall Cafferty; Darren O Hanrahan (10), Andrew McArdle; Ronan Geoghegan (0-5 all frees), Ger Collins, Eoin Lafferty; Stephen Rafferty, Eddie McArdle, Andrew Mackin. Subs – Padraig Mulholland for E Lafferty (38), Stephen Ryan for M McGuinness (38), Donal Connolly for J Connolly (45), Ronan O Reilly for E McArdle (49), Shane Connolly for G Collins (53).

REFEREE: Noel Mullaney (Monaghan).