Raharney wins in dramatic fashion thanks to Doyle’s injury-time goal.
Sport can be quite brutal! Killian Doyle crushed Lough Lene Gaels’ hearts last Sunday afternoon in ideal hurling conditions at TEG Cusack Park by firing home a magnificent goal for Raharney deep into injury-time to deny the underdogs their first Westmeath senior hurling title in 21 years.
Despite some disappointing shooting at both ends, this was a fantastic sporting contest full of skill and effort, and it was extremely difficult for the Collinstown men to leave Mullingar without the Westmeath Examiner Cup, which they appeared to have in their grasp at the end of normal time.
The game, however, is not over until the referee blows the final whistle, and Doyle demonstrated his undoubted class by bringing his personal tally to 1-11 (despite appearing to be hampered somewhat by injury) with a sensational late goal, albeit many in the losers’ camp felt afterwards that the free that led to the goal was a harsh call. Indeed, there was still time for Derek McNicholas, whose previous goal was out of this world, to watch his 25-metre free kick rebound against the butte of the post to round off a thrilling game.
.
When Grace Nic Domhnaill performed Amhrán na bhFiann before to the throw-in, following a typically superb musical show by regular visitors, the Mullingar Town Band, a big and enthusiastic crowd was present, with the bulk of them backing the ‘Yellow Bellies’.
The underdogs got on the board first with a great point from David Williams in the second minute, but the men in blue took control and led 0-5 to 0-1 by the eighth minute thanks to points from the Doyle twins, Ciaran (one from play) and Killian (two frees), Eoin Keyes, and Eamon Cunneen. Killian Doyle (a free) and Tommy Doyle (a wonderful lift and hit)
swapped points before Williams (a free) and McNicholas (a signature quality score) brought the Gaels within one point. Killian Doyle (from play) gave the Deelsiders a 0-7 to 0-4 lead in the 15th minute, when they had seven wides to their opponents’ two.
Joey Williams’ team equalized in the 18th minute when McNicholas sent the sliotar goalward and Jason Malone was fouled. Williams hammered the ball low to the net as a consequence of the penalty. Joey Boyle and Tommy Doyle (a fantastic score from near the terrace sideline) quickly traded places.
points. Cunneen teed up Killian Doyle in the 25th minute, who looked certain to score, but Daniel Reilly scooped the ball off the goal line via the upright. After a point exchange between David Williams and Boyle, Shane Williams scored at the conclusion of normal time. Killian Doyle hit two huge frees in extra time to give Ger Flanagan’s team an 0-11 to 1-7 lead at the break.
By the 35th minute, Lough Lene Gaels were a goal up (1-11 to 0-11) thanks to three points from the excellent Eoin Daly (later awarded official man of the match by the press corps) and a free from David Williams (who had a mixed day from placed balls). A free from Killian Doyle and a stunning goal from skipper Robbie Greville cut the gap to a bare minimum before Micheál Daly increased the Gaels’ lead with a fantastic point.
A clumsy foul on replacement Brian McGrath led in a Raharney penalty in the 39th minute. Killian Doyle’s strike was unimpressive and was saved by fellow Westmeath player Noel Conaty, with Doyle having the minor consolation of converting the resulting ’65’. After that, David Williams (a routine free) and Keyes (a great solo effort) traded points. McNicholas blasted home a beautiful goal under pressure in the 45th minute to put the Gaels ahead by 2-13 to 0-15.
Killian Doyle and Eoin Daly exchanged points before McGrath scored a great solo goal in the 51st minute to close the gap to a bare minimum. Sub Aaron Kennedy (open play) and Killian Doyle (free) traded points early in the second half, but a fantastic brace from ‘Jogger’ Doyle, who was playing very well in a somewhat unfamiliar offensive style, put the men in purple and gold ahead by a clear goal (2-17 to 1-17) by the 59th minute. However, a free from Killian Doyle and a point from Keyes (after the Gaels failed to clear their lines) reduced the lead to a single point at the end of regular time.
A surprisingly short amount of one minute (minimum) added-time was announced, and shortly after, a questionable decision resulted in a long-range Ciaran Doyle free, which found his brother Killian, who duly bore down on goals – when a simple point chance beckoned – and fired an unstoppable shot past Conaty. Within a minute, McNicholas’ piledriver from a 25-metre free came back off the post. The final whistle brought elation to the winners and despair to the losers when Shane Williams’ last-gasp ’65’ was cleared.
Following the game, Frank Mescall, chairman of the Westmeath County Board, along with Martin Slevin of competition sponsors Slevin’s Coaches, presented the Westmeath Examiner Cup to the winning captain Robbie Greville, who became the third sibling from the famous Raharney family to lift the trophy, following Johnny in 2006 and Paul in 2016.
Eoin Daly (Lough Lene Gaels) was named player of the match. The teenage wing forward was unlucky to lose, as was Tommy ‘Jogger’ Doyle, who each scored four points from open play in a huge effort from the Collinstown club.
Given the outcome, the giving of a late free out to Raharney, which resulted in the winning goal, was a critical event.
The match’s quality was on par with deciders in any of the so-called historic counties.
Wides: Raharney 14 (first half, 8); Lough Lene Gaels 10 (4). Raharney 1 (0); Lough Lene Gaels 1 (0) for the ’65s. Raharney 1 yellow card – D Finn; Lough Lene Gaels 0
Raharney will play the Dublin champions in the Leinster club championship on November 11/12 at TEG Cusack Park.
Raharney: K Doyle 1-11 (0-9f, 0-1’65’), E Keyes 0-3 (0-3f, 0-1’65’), B McGrath 1-0, J Boyle 0-2, R Greville, E Cunneen, C Doyle 0-1 each. D Williams 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), T Doyle, E Daly 0-4 each, D McNicholas 1-1, S Williams, M Daly, A Kennedy 0-1 each for Lough Lene Gaels.
Cormac Boyle, Robbie Greville, David Hickey; Eamon Cunneen, Gary Greville; Rory Keyes, Killian Doyle, Joey Boyle; Eoin Keyes, Ciaran Doyle, Eoghan Ahearn. Devin Hill came on for Cunneen (h-t), and Brian McGrath came on for R Keyes (h-t).
Noel Conaty; Philip Reilly, Dan Higgins, Daniel Reilly; John Egan, Daragh Qamar, Shane Williams; Brendan Doyle, Micheál Daly; Tommy Doyle, David Williams, Eoin Daly; Derek McNicholas, Jason Malone, Marcus Kennedy for Lough Lene Gaels. Aaron Kennedy came on for Malone (41), while Thomas Kennedy came on for Reilly (injury, 54).
Mickey Dan Murtagh (Clonkill) is the ref.
