GYMCO Antrim Junior Football Championship semi-final
Pearse’s v Rasharkin (Sunday, 2pm, Toome) 
 
A KICK of a ball is all that has separated Pearse’s and Raskarkin in their two meetings to date in 2021, but they clash for a third time this season at Toome on Sunday with a place in the Junior Football Championship final at stake.

When the sides clashed in Division Three back in June, they played out a thriller at Woodlands with Pearse’s winning a high-scoring contest 6-8 to 3-15.

It was a very different game and a different outcome when they met in the Division Three final one month later.

Pearse’s had battled past St Comgall’s in the semi-final while St Mary’s claimed a one-point win over Lisburn in the other semi-final.

The promotion play-off at Ahoghill was a far cry from their shootout with Rasharkin winning 0-12 to 0-9 to claim their place in Division Two for next season.

Pearse’s weren’t helped by two red cards in the second half, the first of which, manager Tomás O’Neill still disputes.

However, he insists his side are determined to give a better account of themselves this weekend.

“Meeting each other three times in one season, there won’t be any hiding place,” said O’Neill.

“I think for us it is a case of unfinished business. I don’t think we gave a decent account of ourselves in the league final.

“I am still a bit sore from it so I don’t know about the players! We are just happy to get another crack at them.

“The league meeting was a bit wild – it was two attacks playing with no defenders!

“In the final, we went in ahead at half-time and we were playing poorly enough.

“At the start of the second half, we got a man sent off. I’d still dispute the decision, but that was us up against it.

“To be honest, Rasharkin hit a couple of excellent long-range points at the end of the game and that proved to be the difference.

“The second sending off was inconsequential, but Ethan Devine’s was tough to take.”

Rasharkin continued where they’d left out and topped Group Two with maximum points, although they were granted a walkover against Ballycastle in their final game.

Pearse’s secured their semi-final berth thanks to wins over O’Donnell’s, Wolfe Tones and Laochra Loch Lao, but the North Belfast men suffered a 2-13 to 0-9 reversal to St Comgall’s at Dunsilly.

That loss was on Friday, August 20 and Pearse’s didn’t play again until Sunday, September 19 in what was their final outing in Group One.

Bar one player, O’Neill insists his squad have a few niggles but other major injuries ahead of Sunday’s semi-final, but says the long gaps between games has been far from ideal.

“We’ve a lot of boys who play soccer with Beann Mhádagháin and it is good that they’re part of that team as well,” said O’Neill.

“We’ve one guy who is out and a few boys with a few niggles. The biggest issue for us has been the gaps between the games. Our last match was on September 19.

“Before that, it was the middle of August against St Comgall’s. You are talking about two competitive games in the space of two months which isn’t ideal. We’ve had a few challenge games outside the county which worked well and we’re looking forward to the semi-final.”