Colleran catapults Pádraig Pearses to senior football championship glory

Pádraig Pearses 1-11

Roscommon Gaels 1-9

Hodson Bay Hotel Senior Football Championship Final

Eoin Colleran kicked 1-3 to help Pádraig Pearses to their third Fahey Cup in six seasons as Frank Canning's men overcame Storm Ashley and a brave Roscommon Gaels comeback in rough conditions at Dr. Hyde Park.

Despite the conditions, both teams served up a gripping contest that really came to life in the final quarter when five quickfire Roscommon Gaels points left just a point between the teams.

But Pearses used all their experience to hold their nerve with late points from Paul Carey (free) and substitute Jack Nevin sealing the deal.

It appeared that Pádraig Pearses had one hand on the Fahey Cup at half time.

Despite the worsening conditions, Frank Canning’s men used all their experience to control the tempo and, more importantly, possession.

With Niall Daly and Niall Carty pulling the strings, Pearses slowly went about putting a buffer between the teams.

Niall Daly and Peter Gillooly, from a free, swapped early points but from there, Pearses took over.

Ronan Daly split the posts after being picked out by Colleran before the latter exchanged passes with David Murray to push his side 0-03 to 0-01 ahead after 12 minutes.

Pearses’ dominance continued as a big turnover on Senan Lambe by Declan Kenny ignited a move that procured a fisted point for Adam McGreal.

In the 16th minute, Pearses were really in the box seat when Paul Carey did brilliantly to gather possession and set sail for goal. His shot was saved by Roscommon Gaels goalkeeper, James Fetherstone, but Colleran was on hand to fire the rebound into an empty net.

Just when it looked like Roscommon Gaels might be cast adrift, they were handed a lifeline in the 20th minute when Mark Healy’s attempt for a point was batted out by Pádraig Pearses goalkeeper, Paul Whelan. John McGuinness picked up the rebound and blasted the ball to the roof of the net.

But Pearses reasserted their superiority with a couple of frees from Carey and another from play by Colleran left them 1-07 to 1-01 ahead at the change of ends.

Both teams shared two points each in the third quarter — John McGuinness and Mark Purcell (free) adding to Roscommon Gaels’ tally, while Carey (free) and Colleran, with an effort that appeared wide, responded for Pearses.

Then, out of nowhere, Roscommon Gaels found the resolve to mount a stirring comeback.

Points from substitute Rory Carthy (free), Mark Purcell (one from play and one from a free), Ryan Conlon and the excellent McGuinness in jig time left just a point in it, 1-09 to 1-08, with five minutes remaining.

But the 2021 Connacht club champions used all their experience to quell the Gaels rebellion, and those late points from Carey (free) and Nevin confirmed Pearses as the undisputed kingpins of Roscommon club football.

Pádraig Pearses: Paul Whelan; Gavin Downey, Niall Carty, David Murray; Declan Kenny, Caelim Keogh, Conor Harley; Conor Ryan, Niall Daly (0-01); Conor Daly, Ronan Daly (0-01), Adam McGreal (0-01); Eoin Colleran (1-03), Paul Carey (0-04, 0-04f), Jack Tumulty. Subs: Seán Canning for McGreal (44), Jack Nevin (0-01) for Tumulty (55), Conor Lohan for Harley (58), Mark Richardson for Downey (62), Emmett Kelly for Colleran (62).

Roscommon Gaels: James Fetherstone; Cathal Dineen, James Connolly, Eoghan Carthy; Senan Lambe, John McManus, Tim Lambe; Mark Purcell (0-03, 0-02f), Mark Healy; John McGuinness (1-02), Scott Oates, Ryan Conlon (0-01); Cian Connolly, Peter Gillooly (0-01, 0-01f), Richard Walsh. Subs: Kieran Kilcline for Gillooly (37), Conor Grogan for Dineen (42), Rory Carthy (0-02, 0-02f) for Walsh (49), Ronan Gleeson for Oates (54).

Referee: Dermot Lyons (Castlerea St. Kevin’s).

*Match report, reaction and analysis from this afternoon's game in Tuesday's Roscommon Herald.