Mohill’s Connaught hopes snuffed out by dominant Padraig Pearses second half

Mohill crashed out of the Connacht gold senior club championship on Sunday after a ruthless second half display from Padraig Pearses of Roscommon which saw them masterfully outclassing the Leitrim champions.

Padraig Pearses, who won the provincial championship in 2021, put themselves in the conversation for the All-Ireland title last weekend as they knocked out Connacht kingpins Corofin in Tuam. 

The Roscommon side looked the more nervous of the two teams in the early moments of the games as Mohill, who were seeking their first ever win in the Connaucht championship, adapted better to the slippy conditions, attacking quick off the throw in and carrying the ball deep into Pearses half but Mohill’s Evan Harkin was unable to finish the move as his left foot shot fell wide of the post.

The Leitrim men set out their stall early as they dropped every man they had behind the ball and caused massive problems for the Pearses attack that showed itself to be a dangerous animal on the break in their quarter final win over Corofin. 

Despite that Mohill looked the more dangerous of the two in the opening stages, though they lacked a clinical edge up front as Jordan Reynolds skewed a shot wide for their second miss in the first five minutes.

Still they looked the more likely to open the scoring and in the sixth minute they did after winning a free about 25 metres out from the Pearses goal which Keith Beirne took to fire them in front for the only time in the game.

Pearses spent much of the first half banging against the wall Mohill set up along their 45, but eventually found some space inside for Adam McGreal, who saw his opening shot slap off the post from range on six minutes. 

Both teams looked dangerous on the break but it was Mohill who almost scored big off the running game as they broke at speed after ten minutes, beating the retreating Roscommon men. 

Keith Keegan cut inside and bore down on goal, passing it across to Sean Harkin who just had the Pearses keeper to beat. But he wasn't able to take the pass under control and ended up hitting a dribbling shot on the ground that was easily blocked down by the advancing goalkeeper.

Ronan Daly found a way through the Mohill wall five minutes later, bursting through a gap and swinging a right footed shot over the bar to level the game. The Roscommon men breached the Mohill guard again two minutes later, finding space down the right side and a Gavin Downey handpass to Paul Carey gave the corner forward space to slot it over from close range.

Mohill applied heavy defensive pressure inside their 45 and repelled attack after attack as Pearses moved the ball over and back eventually finding Conor Ryan with a quick kick pass which he took well claiming a mark in the process, he made no mistake slotting it over and Pearses were two points ahead.

But Mohill hit back straight away as Evan Harkin ran at the Pearse’s defence, winning a free kick 40 metres out, which Keith Beirne slotted over with a high curling kick to mark the end of a low scoring but promising first half for Mohill. 

Where the first half was a tight and largely even affair with just one point sperating the teams at the break, the second was anything but tight with Pearses out scoring Mohill ten points to one.

Both teams in search of scores, threw the shackles off to a degree and played a more attacking brand of football, and it quickly became clear that Pearses had more fire power to work with.

Pearses started strongly, winning the throw up and working the ball quickly into the Mohill 45 where Ronan Daly opened the scoring with a point from 40 metres out. 

Mohill took the ball back down the other end where Evan Harkin found a hole in the Pearses defence, carrying the ball and shooting a curling shot over the bar under pressure to bring them back within one.

Keith Beirne and Declan Kenny both missed scorable frees in the opening stages of the second half, before the flood gates opened for Pearses. 

Pearses broke out of defence and ran hard as Mohill retreated, beating the spread and finding themselves bearing down on acres of space in front of the Mohill goal when Conor Daly stuck it over. The move proved a sign of things to come for Pearses.

A Paul Carey free a minute later extended their lead to three and the wheels were starting to turn for the Roscommon men, while Mohill looked like they were in real trouble.

Things went from bad to worse when the advancing Declan Kenny was taken out by David Mitchell about 40 metres out from the Mohill goal. Mitchell received his second yellow for the challenge and the Leitrim men were down to 14. Domhnaill Flynn received a yellow for pulling Ronan Daly down a couple minutes later. 

Pearse brought on a number of substitutes, including Conor Lohan and Eoin Collerhan, who added fresh legs and extra pace to Pearses already ferocious running game which was doing a number on a struggling Mohill. 

A man up and with all the momentum in their favour, Pearses piled the pressure on, finding gaps in the Mohill defence and outrunning them on the break as they put two more scores on the board with long range efforts from Conor Daly and Declan Kenny. 

The Roscommon men could have been further ahead but substitute Eoin Colleran dropped two shots into the hands of Padraig Tighe in the Mohill goal.

They weren't scores they needed however as Jack Tumulty cut inside the Mohill defence and pointed a right footed shot from a nasty angle which was followed up by another long range point from Declan Kenny to put the visitors seven ahead with ten minutes to go.

Mohill had attack after attack snuffed out in the final third as they tried desperately to get something going in the closing stages. An Evan Harkin effort dropped short for Mohill before Ronan Daly and Jack Tumulty swung points over for Pearses.  

Paul Carey threaded a wonderful point between the posts from a tight angle out on the left side to top off a hugely dominant second half for the Roscommon champions who now march on to play Sligo champions Coolera Strandhill in the Connacht final.

Mohill

Team: Padraig Tighe; David Mitchell; Ronan Bohan; Sean Harkin; Shane Quinn; Jack Rowley; Conor Quinn; Domhnaill Flynn; Tadgh Mulligan; Keith Keegan; Evan Harkin; Fiachra McGuinness; Keith Beirne; Jordon Reynolds. Subs: Ronan Gordon for Fiachra McGuinness (51), Caillin Canning for Shane Quinn temp (55), Shane Quinn for Tadgh Mulligan (58), Donal Duignan for Sean Harkin (60+1), Oscar Reynolds for Shane Quinn (64).

Scorers: Keith Beirne 0-2f, Evan Harkin 0-1.

Padraig Pearses

Team: Paul Whelan; Gavin Downey; Conor Daly; David Murray; Ronan Daly; Niall Carty; Caelim Keogh; Conor Ryan; Niall Daly; Conor Harley; Declan Kenny; Adam McGreal; Seán Canning; Jack Tumulty; Paul Carey. Subs: Conor Lohan for Conor Harley (42), Eoin Colleran for Seán Canning (43), Jack Nevin for Adam McGreal (52), Mark Richardson for Gavin Downey (58), Shane Carty for Eoin Colleran (60).

Scorers: Ronan Daly 0-4, Conor Daly, Paul Carey (1f), Declan Kenny, Jack Tumulty 0-2 each, Conor Ryan 0-1, mark. 

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