Pádraig Pearses comfortably into county senior football final
Caelim Keogh impressed in defence for Pádraig Pearses during Saturday evening's county senior football semi-final against St. Faithleach's. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher
Pádraig Pearses kept St. Faithleach's at arm's length to comfortably qualify for this year's county senior football final against either Roscommon Gaels or Michael Glaveys in two weeks' time.
In what was a poor game played in tough conditions at Dr. Hyde Park, Frank Canning's side were never troubled by a Faithleach's side that had hit 3-17 in their famous quarter-final victory against Clann na nGael.
But the Ballyleague-based side were never given the space to shine here, and with Diarmuid and Ciaráin Murtagh being held scoreless over the hour, their goose was cooked.
With the wind behind them, Pearses made the brighter start with points inside the first ten minutes from Eoin Colleran (free), Paul Carey, Declan Kenny and Adam McGreal (mark).
It took Faithleach's 22 minutes to open their account through defender Kevin Farrell as they trailed by 0-6 to 0-1 at the break.
A brilliant last-ditch block by Niall Daly to deny Diarmuid Murtagh what looked like a certain goal in the third quarter was a big turning point.
Having survived that scare, Paul Carey opened his side's account in the second half from a 44th minute free before Declan Kenny waltzed through the Faithleach's defence for the game's only goal three minutes later.
With substitute Seán Canning adding a much-needed spark to the Pearses attack and Caelim Keogh and Conor Daly doing well in defence, Pearses comfortably saw out the game with points from substitute Lorcan Daly and Carey (free).
Faithleach's final point of the game came from the boot of Jonathan Hussey who was the only Faithleach's forward to find the target during the contest.
Meanwhile, on Friday evening, St. Barry's booked their place in the Junior A Football Championship final following a dramatic 1-11 to 2-7 victory against Ballinameen in Strokestown.
Pauric Halpin was his side's hero as his free in the second minute of injury time edged Barry's past their opponents.
Barry's race into a three-point lead but Ballinameen, despite losing their goalkeeper John McDermott to a black card, were right back in the hunt when full-forward Peter Keane converted a penalty.
The sides were level, 0-6 to 1-3, at the break, and when the sides traded second-half goals through Thomas McGrath and Emmet Burke, extra-time loomed.
But Halpin had other ideas, converting his third free of the evening to hand Barry's the narrowest of wins, a place in the county final and confirmation that they will be County Roscommon's representatives in the upcoming Connacht Club Junior Football Championship.
The other semi-final between Clann na nGael and Roscommon Gaels, scheduled for Ballyforan on Saturday evening, was postponed.
