Late Fahy free sees Pearses survive as relegation clash ends level
by Matt Scally Updated: Thursday, 23rd September, 2010 12:25pm
Padraig Pearses 1-10 Kilbride 1-10
Padraig Pearses hung on to their senior status by the skin of their teeth at Johnstown last Friday night after a Sean Fahy free in the fourth minute of injury-time cancelled out what looked certain to be the winning score from Kilbride's Seamus O'Neill moments earlier.
After a fine start that saw the Woodmount side race into a four-point lead, Pearses were clawed back by Kilbride who, for long periods of this game, looked like they would go on to win.
On the scoreboard, at least, Padraig Pearses appeared over-reliant on Sean Fahy and after Kilbride brought a second man back to mark him (James Farrell early in the first half) the corner-forward's obvious influence was somewhat curtailed. Still, his accuracy from placed balls proved vital to his side's hopes in this game and his final tally of 1-8 (seven from frees and a converted penalty) showed just that.
So too was the second-half display of Niall Daly whose surging runs from deep almost single-handedly dragged Pearses back from the dead.
Kilbride will be very disappointed not to have killed off Pearses when they had the chance. A kickable free in the closing stages that was inexplicably kicked short and subsequently lost was a perfect example. Had it been converted, Kilbride would almost certainly have emerged on the winning end of the result.
But credit must go to Pearses who continued to fight admirably for their survival and, despite the late scare, probably deserve another shot at Kilbride.
Under lights, Pearses raced out of the blocks and soon had the lead through a Fahy free from 45 yards out after Michael Duignan had been felled.
Six minutes in and the good start was reinforced when Fahy won a ball, turned his man and headed for goal before being pulled and dragged inside the penalty area. Referee Seamus Regan, who interestingly had entered the field of play only moments earlier (he had arrived late and local ref Kevin Naughton had taken control for the opening minutes), awarded the penalty. Fahy stepped up to take it himself and although Jonathan Farrell got a hand to it, the net bulged and Pearses had a four-point lead.
Kilbride finally got their first of the contest ten minutes in courtesy of an Eddie Lohan free, and his brother Gerry curled over a beauty just seconds later to half the Pearses lead as Kilbride began to come more into the game.
Fahy won and converted his own free on 18 minutes but, just one minute later, Kilbride were back level. A fine move in along the right hand touchline saw Ciaran Moran give the final pass to Eddie Lohan and the veteran forward coolly placed the ball past Tomas Dolan.
And a minute after that, the Fourmilehouse club had the lead for the first time. Seamie O'Neill picked the ball up 45 yards out, skipped inside his man with a delightful dummy and curled over a beauty with the outside of the right.
Their lead was then doubled after Eddie Lohan converted his second free of the night and then just before Seamus Regan's half-time whistle, Conor Devaney floated over a lovely score from a tight-angle after receiving a pass from Eddie.
Upon the resumption, Eddie immediately gave Kilbride a four-point lead with another converted free. Pearses now hadn't scored since the 18th minute, but on 34, they got back into the swing of things with Fahy's third free of the game.
But the four-point gap was soon re-established when Martin McDermott landed a free with the tricky Conor Devaney drawing the foul on this occasion. Fahy got one back for Pearses on 43 minutes with his first and only score from play, but Kilbride appeared able to keep Pearses at arm's length at all times. A truly fantastic Darren Clabby point with the outside of the right from distance did just that with 15 minutes to go.
But almost immediately Pearses replied after Niall Daly embarked on a solo run down the left before finding range with the left from a tight angle.
Two minutes later Daly was on the end of a flowing Pearses move, one that started with goalkeeper Tomas Dolan collecting a weak Conor Devaney shot at the other end, and suddenly Pearses were back in contention.
A fourth Sean Fahy free with ten to play left just the bare minimum between the sides, but another sweet strike from Clabby (almost identical to his previous one) on 52, kept Kilbride's noses in front.
However, two further frees from Fahy in the 55th and 58th minute drew the teams level for the first time since the 19th minute.
A tense finale was on the cards but it wasn't until the 3rd minute of injury-time that the next white flag was raised. And it came courtesy of a huge Seamie O'Neill effort that seemed to hang in the air for an eternity before eventually dropping over Dolan's crossbar.
Pearses looked beaten but there was still time for one more attack. David Moran gained possession close to goal but his attempted shot was blocked down. The Kilbride defender gathered in possession but inexplicably dropped the ball back into the hands of Moran before bringing him to the ground. A free was awarded and Fahy capped off an unerring night from the placed ball to bring the game to a replay.
SCORERS - Padraig Pearses: Sean Fahy (1-8, 1-0pen 0-7f), Niall Daly (0-2).
Kilbride: Eddie Lohan (1-3, 0-3f), Seamus O'Neill (0-2), Darren Clabby (0-2), Conor Devaney (0-1), Gerry Lohan (0-1), Martin McDermott (0-1f).
PADRAIG PEARSES: Tomas Dolan; Denis Whyte, John Connell, John Whyte; Enda Barrett, Niall Daly, Paul Kelly; Niall Finneran, Aaron Feehily; David Grehan, Michael Duignan, Pat Connell; Sean Fahy, Paul Moran, Emmet Kelly. SUBS: Sean Ryan for E. Kelly (20'), Padraig Corbett for S. Ryan (43'), David Moran for Pat Connell (45'), Paul Duke for P. Moran (48').
KILBRIDE: Jonathan Farrell; Gary Feehily, Anthony McDermott, John Shally; James Farrell, Ciaran Moran, Paul O'Grady; Seamus O'Neill, Thomas O'Grady; Conor Devaney, Gerry Lohan, Darren Clabby; Martin McDermott, Eddie Lohan, Stuart Feeley. SUBS: Colm O'Neill for J. Shally (50').
REFEREE: Seamus Regan.
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