Junior Football Championship – Round Robin 2
Pearses 2-11 O’Donnell’s 0-09
A totally dominant second half saw Pearses come from behind to beat O’Donnell’s in Friday evening’s Junior Football Championship Round 2 game at St Agnes. At the end of the opening quarter O’Dees appeared to be in a strong position when they led by three points, but two goals in as many minutes for Pearses turned the game on its head as Pearses pushed on to lead by 2-05 to 0-08 at half time.
After the change of ends the 2022 winners took full control conceding just one more point while adding six of their own to win by eight in the end, and move above O’Donnell’s in score difference in the group.
With a stiff breeze behind them in the first half O’Donnell’s went three ahead inside eight minutes with points from Pearse Rice, John Rafferty and Johnny O’Donnell, who fisted over from close range. Two points from Pearses centre forward Stephen Fitzsimons cut the gap back to a single point, but O’Dee’s responded well and points from Joe Rafferty and Pearse Rice stretched the gap out to three again at the end of the opening quarter.
The gap was still at three with eighteen minutes gone, but Pearses hit back with two goals and a point in quick succession, man of the match Fitzsimons getting the first goal and adding a point immediately afterwards, while corner forward Sean Moreland got the second goal a minute later.
Padraig McKissock and Johnny O’Donnell came back with two for O’Donnell’s but Fitzsimons and Moreland ended the half strongly for Pearses to give them a 2-5 to 0-08 lead at the interval.
Liam Deegan stretched the Pearses lead to four in the first minute of the second half, and though O’Donnell’s came back with one at the other end soon afterwards it was to be their last score of the game. With the wind behind them there was no stopping Pearses and with the excellent Fitzsimons adding four more points and Moreland and Pater Johnston also getting in on the score act, they pushed on to win with a bit to spare.
for more pics from this game click on the link below