ACFL Division 3
Pearses 1-7 St. Agnes 0-6
Aggies travelled to North Belfast on a perfectly sunny Wednesday evening hoping for a different result to their slim defeat to Lisburn in the previous game. At the Cricky they came upon a Pearses outfit who had shook off early season rust with returning numbers and were on the back of two successive victories. This game also marked the first run out in Pearses’ new home kit sponsored by the North Belfast Community Foodbank in the original green and gold the club wore in their early years.
Pearses started quickly with two early chances that slid wide of both posts in the first couple of encounters. These let-offs seemed to waken Aggies up who opened the scoring with two unanswered points early in the first half. Pearses got their account for the evening opened with good work down the right flank by Seán MacMuralain, his pass was fed to Naoise Ó Cuilín who turned and fired over from distance.
The game was level when Stephen Fitzsimons picked the ball up on the right hand side of the pitch, worked his way central past 3 Aggies’ players and continued his good form from recent weeks by sending his shot straight over the black spot. As the game settled, the Pearses’ defence broke up an Aggies’ attack, a switch of play by Brendan Devine started a quick counter attack, after a number of successive hand passes the ball again found Fitzsimons who put the North Belfast side ahead for the first time in the game.
Aggies pulled level with a point from distance that looked like it could be dropping into the net rather than over the bar but solid goalkeeping from Niall Largey allowed the goalkeeper to tip it over the crossbar and ensure the damage was only a point. Largey was called into play again collecting another Aggies’ shot that dropped short before starting another break, a fumble from the Aggies goalkeeper fell to Fionn Grew who fired wide.
While scores were level at 3 points apiece, Aggies’ had several chances, all of which drifted wide as they began to get a hold on the ball. However, a kick-out won dominantly by Barry Harper who turned and fed Naoise Ó Cuilín the ball from his mark was sent sailing between the posts as the North Belfast side started to smell blood. Following that, pressure from Seán MacMuralain forced a throw ball from the Aggies’ defence near the side-line. Pearses’ reliable free taker Fitzsimons duly stroked the ball between the posts from the angle.
Aggies pulled back within 1 when they found the boys in green and gold light at the back as the fired over from close range. However, this solely preceded the best moment of football in the game. Pressure led to Aggies conceding possession close to their own 45m line, a rapid attack ensued with Naoise Ó Cuilín and Phil Murray cutting through the opposition defence with overlapping runs and hand passes, finally, as the keeper came rushing out the smart Naoise Ó Cuilín slipped the ball to Fionn Grew who made no mistake from short range to score his 7th goal of the season.
Another Aggies’ point was followed by Seán MacMuralain’s first point of the evening. Before Niall Largey was forced into a point blank save which looked a certain goal for the team in black. Fitzsimons fired over again from a tight angled free which has begun to become a regular occurrence this season. Before dragging narrowly wide as Piaras Donaghy drove through multiple fouls in the middle of the park and slipped the ball to Fitzsimons, on this occasion, there was a rare miss for the inform forward. As the half time whistle approached Aggies had the chance to bring it to a one score game, however, their goal bound shot hit the cross bar and Aggies only managed a point from this opportunity.
Half Time – Cumann an Phiarsaigh 1-7 0-6 Naomh Úna
As the second half began Pearses started on the front foot immediately. Donaghy won the ball from the throw in, and quickly the ball found Seán MacMuralain who made no mistake in slotting the ball between the sticks. Aggies then went straight up the pitch and slotted over from distance to cancel the opening score of the half. Pearses began to up the gears when Donaghy shrugged off 3 challenges before dipping it over the bar, this was followed by a forward mark taken by Naoise Ó Cuilín who composed himself and slotted between the posts. Fionn Grew then latched on to a bad kick out from the Aggies keeper before sending his shot between the posts. These 3 unanswered Pearses’ points seen the North Belfast side open a gap of 7. However, Aggies did not lay down and answered back with 3 of their own which began to create a bit of nerves for the team from the North of Belfast.
Good play from Aodhán McCavana allowed Naoise Ó Cuilín to thread a lovely ball to his cousin Fionn Grew who turned and settled the nerves of the Pearses spectators as he fired over the bar from wide right. Aggies came straight back up the pitch and a spectacular block from Cormac O’Neill which was tidied up by Ciaran McCavana in the full back line and seconds later captain Piaras Donaghy was casually slotting the ball over the bar. Donaghy nearly got himself a goal as he fielded a wayward kickout from the Aggies’ keeper, he burst towards goal, going past numerous players and drew a brilliant save from the keeper between the sticks.
Seán MacMuralain added another point from wide right as he continued to cause the away team issues with his pace. Before Largey again saved a goal bound effort, as he shoved off fouls from the Aggies corner forward, he started a break which led to a short range free in. Stephen Fitzsimons fired over again despite the cries from the Aggies’ defensive shield. Pearses began to kill the game with multiple passes back and forth on the edge of the Aggies’ 45m line. A quick break once Aggies regained possession led to a close range point which was the last Aggies would get on the night as the game was rounded up with good work from Oisín Grew who set up Donaghy to add another score to his tally and give the team in green and gold a strong result.
Full Time – Cumann an Phiarsaigh 1-16 0-11 Naomh Úna
Line up N Largey, C McCavana, J Goodall, B Devine, C O’Neill, A McCavana, N O’Gorman, B Harper, P Donaghy (0-3), S MacMuralain (0-3), S Fitzsimons (0-5), P Murray, N Ó Cuilín (0-3), F Grew (1-2), O Grew Subs C Burns, C Hughes, G McIlroy, L Giannetto, T MacMuralain, T Johnston, OÓ Cuilín, R Bannon