This article is from page 62 of the 2011-11-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 62 JPG
Dromid Pearses 2-12 – Meelick 0-09 at Meelick
AS EXPECTED it is Kerry champions Dromid Pearses who comfortably march on to a Munster Club Junior Semi-Final after accounting for a spirited but limited Meelick challenge. The Clare club’s home advantage was not enough to halt the eventual onslaught inflicted by the superior Kingdom outfit who raced out as winners by double scores.
With a minute on the clock Seán Ó Curráin laid down an early marker to open the game’s scoring after brilliantly securing possession from a Meelick kick-out before unleashing his perfectly judged shot between the posts.
Pearses full-forward Niall Ó Sé soon added a second before Meelick’s midfield maestro Kevin Harnett eventually set his team on their way after five minutes. Ó Sé was proving to be in the form of his life and it was his terrific goal after a quarter of the encounter had surpassed, that was the ultimate difference between the teams at the interval on a score of 1-6 to 0-6.
This goal was a huge blow to the ever-improving Meelick momentum. The east Clare club may have stolen five out of the last six scores in the opening half but the concession of such a soft goal when they were temporarily minus a full-back due to injury, meant their hardworking efforts were to no avail and left trailing by three points at half-time.
The second half saw Pearses seize complete control with double All-Ireland winning Kerry captain Declan O’Sullivan at the fore of everything good for the South Kerry side. His individual tally of four points was important but his influence as key play-maker was even more crucial to his team’s second half master class.
A Tomas Ó Curráin penalty added more gloss to their ever-increasing scoring haul to quell any hope of a miraculous Meelick come-back. A duo of Meelick defenders combined to drag him to the ground to leave Limerick’s Richard Moloney with an easy decision.
Unfortunately Shane Daly who had already made two match win- ning saves was left with no chance and was beaten for a second time by a perfectly struck kick low into the bottom corner of the goal. Both teams lost players to second yellow cards, William O’Shaughnessey for Meelick and minutes later captain Aodán Ó Concubhair for Pearses as a bad tempered clash got even worse. In fact the Kerry club were lucky not to have been reduced to 13 when wing back Micheál Ó Siochain’s received a yellow instead of read card, much to the dismay of the Meelick faithful.
Meelick deserve significant credit however for their maintained effort for the duration of this Munster tie. Pat Finucane excelled at centreforward while Kevin Harnett was equally impressive around the middle but will be disappointed with two missed frees towards the end that he would usually convert with ease.
Their combined total of eight points almost accounted for all their team’s scores with full-forward Brian O’Neill the only other player to add his name to the home side’s score sheet.
The more ruthless and powerful team deservedly came out on top and the pre-match favourites for Munster and All-Ireland honours have already justified these claims with this impressive nine point victory.
Dromid Pearses
Alan ÓHógáin (7), Padraigh ÓSuilleabháin (7), Domnic ÓSuilleabháin (7), Donal ÓSuilleabháin (7), Donnacha ÓSuilleabháin (7), Caoimhin Ó Sé (7), Micheál ÓSiocháin (7),Tomas ÓCurráin (8) (1-1, Pen.), Cian ÓhÁilliosa (7), Gearóid Ó Suilleabháin (7) (0-1), Declan ÓSuileabháin (8) (0-3, 2f),Aodán ÓConcubhair (6), Eoin ÓLaoire (6), Nial ÓSé (9) (1-4), Seán ÓCurráin (7) (0-1)
Subs
Croistóir ÓFearcheallaigh (7) (0-1) for G ÓSuilleabháin, Micheál ÓConcubhair (6) (0-1) for ÓLaoire, Pól McGearailt (6) for ÓhÁilliosa, Micheál ÓSé (6) for ÓSiocháin, Seamus (6) Ó Suilleabháin for Donal ÓSuilleabháin.
Meelick
Shane Daly (8), Mickey Kelly (7), Sean Cooney
(6), Gary Kennedy (7), Stephen Hayes (7), Barry Harnett (7), É Mulvihill (7), Niall Mullen (7), Kevin Harnett (8) (0-4, 3f),WilliamOShaughnessy (6), Pat Finucane (8) (0-4, 2f), Gary Moloney (7),Andy White (7), Brian ONeill (7) (0-1), Oisin Hickey (7)
Subs
Damien Moloney (7) for Cooney, Daragh Quinn (6) for ONeill, Sean OConnor (6) for White, Gary Callinan (6) for Hickey, Luke Davis (6) for Mulvihill.
Man of the match
Niall Ó Sé (Dromid Pearses) Referee Richard Moloney (Limerick)