Gymco Junior Football Championship (semi-final)
St Mary’s Rasharkin 1-12 Patrick Pearses 0-13
St Mary’s Rasharkin stood tall in the face of a determined comeback by Pearses to claim a place in the final of the Junior football championship against St Comgall’s in a lively semi-final encounter in Toome on today.
The Dreen side, with the division three league title already tucked away will be striving to make it a double as they meet up with last year’s runners up Naomh Comhghall in this year’s decider.
The St Mary’s men were forced into last minute change before throw in as net minder Ryan Doherty was forced to withdraw after injuring his knee in the warm up but in the even his late replacement Tiernan O’ Boyle never put a foot wrong between the posts.
Rasharkin started well but the North Belfast men were first to register but the South West side responded with a trio of points and a Conor McFerran goal to ensure a healthy advantage.
That lead was not to last however as back came Pearses to dominate and only a goal separated them at the short whistle with the Dreen men just a single score clear at 1-07 to 0-07.
That trend continued in the second half with Rasharkin making the early running before easing off the accelerator and indeed a 1-11 to 0-08 lead established at the three quarter mark suggested the St Mary’s men were in the comfort zone.
Pearses looked a beaten docket but they responded poitively and a flurry of scores, five whites raised without response, saw them reduce the lead to the minimum and Rasharkin looked in trouble.
Question were now being asked about their character but the South West side responded positively and a late point from the excellent Andrew Hasson ensured their place in the final.
Today’s game was a repeat of the division three final with league winners Rasharkin and runners-up Pearses meeting to decide a place in the junior championship final.
The North Belfast lads started the better with corner man Finn Grew hoisting white a couple of minutes into proceedings.
Rasharkin did not take long to reply and with their mid field pairing of Jack Quinn and the Ruairi O’ Boyle prominent they opened account in the 4th minute as Liam Quigg raced up the right hand side to raise white and Conor Mc Ferran followed suit.
The South West side were ahead and when Gerard O’ Hagan took advantage of a long delivery and a mixup in he Pearses defence to finish to the net they were four ahead and Liam Quigg followed with another to increase that lead to five.
At this stage Rasharkin were looking comfortable and in control but things were about to change as Pearses came back strongly.
Towering full forward Declan Hackett was causing problems for the Rasharkin defence from the outset and he took advantage of a high delivery by Ethan Devine to forward between the posts in the 12th minute.
Mid fielder Devine started to assert his considerable influence on the game and he was involved in the next couple of scores as Stephen Fitzsimons punished an indiscretions on the former by sending 13th and 14th minute frees between the posts
Pearse had taken a grip on proceedings and a 15th minute score from the excellent Devine saw the gap reduced to the minimum at the first water break.
Rasharkin had been very much on the back foot for a spell but they started the second quarter on the offensive with a Liam Quigg point and although Pearses replied through Finn Carew, a further trio of points ensured a 1-06 to 0-06 lead.
Rasharkin increased that advantage nearing half time but Pearses had the last score of the opening period and an injury time point from Piaras Donaghy ensured only a score separated the sides at the break with the St Mary’s men holding a 1-07 to 0-07 lead at the interval.
It was still all to play for at the start of the second half and it was Rasharkin who nipped away from the start traps the quicker and early scores from Darragh Quigg, Liam Quigg and the hard working Shane Hasson saw them six ahead and looking comfortable again.
Another well directed free kick from ace marksman Stephen Fitzsimons opened the Pearses account but this brought an immediate reply at the other end with a Gerard O’ Hagan score restoring Rasharkin’s six point advantage at the end of the third quarter.
A place in the decider looked secure for the South West team but if such was indeed the case nobody had informed the North Belfast men as they staged another strong come-back.
Piaras Donaghy claimed a 47th minute point and when Aodhan Bannon came forward to add another Pearses were on the move.
Rasharkin seemed to have lost their way and Pearses seized advantage with Liam Deggan splitting the posts and when Ethan Devine and replacement Naoishe Cuilin followed suit only a point separated the sides and the momentum was very much with the beaten league finalists.
Rasharkin looked in trouble having seen a hard earned lead reduced to a couple of points and the scent of a victory was in the air for the Pearses men. They pushed forward in the closing stages and an indiscretion by the opposition defence was punished by the accurate Stiophan Fitzsimons who stroked the resultant free firmly between the posts and reduced the Rasharkin lead to the bare minimum with just a couple of minutes remaining.
A place in the final looked up for grabs but in the event it was Rasharkin who mounted one last attack and a foul on the excellent Shane Hasson was firmly punished when Andrew Hasson calmly stroked the resultant award between the posts and St Marys had secured a place in the final at 1-12 to 0-13.
Rasharkin: Tiernan O’ Boyle, Pearse Kelly, Conor Doherty, Fearghal Kennedy, Conor Hasson, Ciaran Quigg, Liam Quigg (0-01), Jack Quinn, Ruairi O’ Boyle, Shane Hasson (0-04), Donagh Quigg (0-01), Seamus Ellis, Gerard O’ Hagan (1-01), Andrew Hasson Conor Mc Ferran (0-05)
Subs
Thomas Doherty for G O’ Hagan
Fergus Quigg for L Quigg
Thomas Mc Mullan for J Quinn
Pearses: Eamon Mc Kenna, Darren O’ Neill, Nathan Gorman (0-01), Cormac O’ Neill, Barry Harpur, Ruairi Bannon (0-01), Aodhan Mc Cavanagh, Ethan Devine (0-01), Gerard Campbell, (0-02), Parias Donaghy (0-03 , Stiophan Fitzsimons (0-03), Sean Moreland., Oisin Grew, Declan Hackett (0-01), FIinn Grew,
Subs Naosihe Cuilin (0-01) for F Grew
Aodhan Bannon (0-01) for S Moreland
Referee Mark O’ Neill (Armoy)
