Clann 2-11 2-10 Padraig Pearses

 

Senior Championship Round 1.

 

 

CLANN NA NGAEL came back from the dead to stun Padraig Pearses in Johnstown and get their Senior Championship campaign off to a dream start. 

 

 

Pat Fallon’s side were 2-10 to 1-9 behind with a minute to go when they fired 1-2 without reply in stoppage time to gun down their neighbours. Oisin Flaherty lashed over the bar when Paddy Gavin sent a long ball inside to get Clann back within three in stoppage time. Emmet Kenny was the hero when his kick from range caused chaos in the Pearses defence and ended up in the net. 

 

With seconds to go, Emmet Kenny was fouled and Ciarán Lennon made no mistake to win it. 

 

 

Pearses looked home and hosed when Jack Nevin scored their second goal with eight minutes left as Clann struggled to make inroads and went 20 minutes without a score in the second half, but never gave in. It was all square at the break at 0-6 to 1-3, as Pearses hit the net through Adam McGreal but kicked 10 first half wides. 

 

 

Clann took time to get going but were soon motoring thanks to Dylan Sumner, Alan McManus and 0-4 from Fearghus Lennon. But they had to work hard to get shots away against a rigid Pearses defence, with Niall Carty tracking Ultan Harney on the edge of the square. 

 

Ciaran Lennon announced his arrival from the bench at half with a super goal when he terrorised the Pearses defence to lash home to make it 1-7 to 1-5. The visitors rallied with 1-3 without reply to go four up, when Alan McManus was desperately unlucky not to stop Nevin for their second goal when Clann were turned over. 

 

But Clann never threw in the towel as Tom Lennon and Oisín Flaherty kept them alive before Emmett Kenny’s strike and the Ciaran Lennon free to win it at the death. 

 

The next game for our senior men’s team sponsored by Matrix Bathrooms and Heating is against Boyle in round 2 of the Roscommon Senior Championship on August 17th. 

 

 

CLANN NA NGAEL: S Kelly; D Duff, S Gavin, S Pettit; P Gavin, D Sumner 0-1, C Duignan; O Lennon, A McManus 0-1; P McManus, D McManus 0-1f, E Kenny 1-1; F Lennon 0-4, 3f, I Harney, U Harney. Subs: Ciaran Lennon 1-1 for Ian Harney, Tom Lennon 0-1 for S Gavin, Oisín O'Flaherty 0-1 for Paul McManus, Josh Lennon for Fearghus Lennon, Kieran Connaughton for Alan McManus 

 

 

REFEREE: Paddy Neilan