REIGNING CONNACHT AND Roscommon champions Padraig Pearses were knocked out at the quarter-final stage of their county senior football championship yesterday evening.
Pearses were defeated 1-11 to 1-6 by Roscommon Gaels in Dr Hyde Park as they saw their title defence end in the last eight clash.
Pat Flanagan’s team had enjoyed a brilliant start with Jack Tumulty’s early goal helping them go ahead 1-2 to 0-0.
But their lead was cut to the minimum, 1-3 to 0-5, at half-time before Cian Connolly’s early second-half goal propelled Roscommon Gaels to victory. They will play Oran or Strokestown in the semi-final.
Padraig Pearses had collected their second Roscommon senior title in three seasons last year before pushing on to defeat Galway’s Mountbellew-Moylough and Mayo’s Knockmore to lift the Connacht title. Their All-Ireland ambitions were ended at the semi-final stage by Dublin’s Kilmacud Crokes.
In yesterday’s other Roscommon quarter-final, St Brigid’s saw off Clann na nGael by 2-12 to 1-12. Ben O’Carroll fired two goals for the winners and they will now take on Boyle or Michael Glaveys in the semi-final.
