Pearses Bow Out

Sunday 14.01.2018

Championship Football

Tyrone champions Galbally bowed out of the Ulster U21 Paddy McLarnon Cup in Creggan on Sunday afternoon on a day when they failed to play the football that they are capable of. They led 0-3 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter thanks to points from Liam Rafferty, Ronan Nugent and Mark Donnelly but that was as good as it got for them. Shea Downey fired in a goal with Thomas Donnelly hitting a couple of points as the Derry champions led by two at the interval.

Rafferty closed the gap on the restart but unbelievably that proved to be the Pearses last score of the game. Despite playing against the wind Galbally were on top but a key moment then arrived in the game when a goalbound shot from Rafferty was deflected onto the bar and Nugent’s effort from the rebound from close range was saved. A goal at that stage may well have changed the outcome of the game but Lavey grew in stature and in the closing stages Donnelly landed three points as well as converting a penalty as it finished 2-7 to 0-5.