Raharney push Offaly champions all the way

Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship Semi-final
Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-13
Raharney 1-8

A goal with the second last puck of the match from Dan Currams helped Kilcormac/ Killoughey to a flattering five-point win over Raharney in a gripping Leinster club senior hurling semi-final, in front of over 4,000 spectators in pleasant conditions at Mullingar yesterday afternoon.

The Westmeath champions started nervously and Ciarán Slevin made them pay for a couple of unforced errors with two points from play in the opening three minutes.

Veteran corner forward, John Shaw got Raharney on the board with a clever point in the eighth minute. Two minutes later, Ciarán Doyle pounced for an opportunist goal against the run of play to give his side a two-point lead. The sides went in on level terms at the break, 0-7 to 1-4.

Both sides defended heroically, with Peter Healion very prominent for the Offaly champions at centre half back.

Killian Doyle came more into the game in attack for the home side and, when his twin brother Ciarán slotted over a superb point from near the terrace sideline, Raharney led by 1-8 to 0-9 with just six minutes of normal time remaining.

A shock looked very much on the cards, but the experience of Kilcormac/Killoughey shone through in a hectic finale, during which Raharney sub Brian Connaughton spurned a chance to score what might have been a decisive goal.

However, it was the Offaly men who showed the greater craft scoring four unanswered points, via Slevin (three – including two frees) and Cillian Kiely.

With Raharney pressing forward in search of a goal in added-time, Slevin teed up Currams and the captain duly rifled the ball to the net.

KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: C Slevin; Con Mahon, G Healion, A McConville; K Grogan, P Healion, B Leonard (0-1); D Kilmartin, K Leonard; C Slevin (0-9, 0-5 frees), Conor Mahon, C Kiely (0-2); J Gorman, D Currams (1-0), P Geraghty (0-1, lineball). Sub: T Geraghty for Gorman (39 mins).
RAHARNEY: A Doyle; T Doyle, C Jordan, D Giles; G Greville, P Greville, A Sheils; N Flanagan, C Boyle; J Boyle (0-1), K Doyle (0-3, 0-1 free), R Greville; C Doyle (1-3, 0-1 free), B Smyth, J Shaw (0-1). Subs: C Flanagan for T Doyle (35 mins), F Boyle for Smyth (39 mins), B Connaughton for N Flanagan (48 mins).
Referee: D Hughes (Carlow).