Keary has the final say as Loughrea edge past Pearses

Loughrea 0-14 Padraig Pearses 1-10

Two late Neil Keary frees swung this senior hurling quarter-final Loughrea’s way last Sunday as a dramatic final 10 minutes witnessed a superb goal, a sending off and the lead changing hands on four occasions.

In truth, this wasn’t a great game, littered by many unforced errors, between two sides who hadn’t hurled in haste in nine weeks and Padraig Pearses paid the ultimate price by not forcing home their advantage after Johnny Maher received a second yellow card in the 59th minute.

This match had sparkled on occasions but Loughrea looked certainties to advance when they led 0-10 to 0-7 on 50 minutes after Keary’s first two frees before the Gurteen/Ballymacward side reignited the contest with their major to level the teams for the sixth time.

Starting with Fearghal Flannery between the sticks, Shane Raftery was involved in the move that delivered a long ball left off the posts. Cormac Ward, threatening throughout the hour, took a second attempt for control before rattling the roof off the net and Padraig Pearses were back in contention.

Aidan Kilkenny set up Ronan Bellew for the lead three minutes afterwards but a mix-up between Cyril Donnellan’s pass to Anthony Kenny allowed Neil Keary make it 1-8 to 0-11 on 54 minutes.

Keary hadn’t scored in the first half but was finding the target at this crucial stage as another placed ball put Loughrea in front but Tomas Flannery’s response ensured this went down to the wire.

And many in Kenny Park were sensing an upset when Maher’s challenge on Fearghal Flannery resulted in his second yellow card. When Tomas Flannery pointed in the final free, it was looking inevitable that Padraig Pearses would join Beagh as unlikely possessors of final four spots.

But their inability to find points, except Ward, and some elementary errors always gave Loughrea hope and when two chances presented themselves to the efficient Keary, he split the posts on the double to turn the deficit around and Loughrea has sneaked home by the narrowest of margins.

After the long championship gap, it would always be interesting how these teams would adapt.  Emmet Mahony set up Paul Hoban for the first minor for Loughrea before Pearses won a free in the fifth minute.

Fearghal Flannery was called to strike from 20 metres but sent the ball over the bar before Sean Sweeney and Maher both succeeded in tapping dead balls between the sticks and Loughrea lead 0-3 to 0-1 after eight minutes.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.