Mangan's heroics force replay

Westmeath SHC Final/Raharney 1-19 Castletown Geoghegan 1-9 : Without ever reaching epic status, this was an intriguing clash, the closeness of which had the 2,000 fans at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday on the edge of their seats right to the end.

Three minutes from the end of normal time, Alan Mangan, more renowned for his prowess on the football field, batted home a late Castletown-Geoghegan goal to force a replay; it was no more than his side deserved.

Mangan was in inspired form over the hour, adding seven points to his priceless goal as Raharney slipped up.

The Deelsiders, for whom Paul Greville, Brian Smyth, John Shaw, Francis Boyle and Niall Flanagan stood out, stole a march in first-half injury time when corner forward Stephen Morley turned a Brendan McKeogh crossfield shot past Paddy Moloney.

It gave Raharney a two-point cushion (1-6 to 0-7) at half-time.

But despite playing with the wind in the second half, Raharney scored only three points as Castletown defended heroically, Derek Gallagher, Emmet Dalton, Patrick Clarke and substitute Kevin Jackson to the fore.

Then came Mangan's heroics.

RAHARNEY: J Greville; P Mullen, P Greville, D Carey; J Greville (capt), B Connaughton (0-4), A Doyle; B Smyth, C Jordan; J Shaw (0-2), F Boyle (0-1), N Flanagan (0-1); S Morley (1-0), B McKeogh, C Flanagan. Subs: Alan Giles (0-1) for Doyle, P Connaughton for C Flanagan.

CASTLETOWN-GEOGHEGAN: P Moloney; R Corcoran, E Dalton, D Gallagher; R Whelan, P Clarke, M Garvin; J Clarke (capt, 0-1), D Langan; A Mangan (1-7), P Corcoran, R Jackson (0-1); G Jackson, P Dalton, B Lahart. Subs: Kevin Jackson for R Whelan, E Óg Clarke for R Jackson, P Connaughton for G Jackson, J Brennan for Garvin.

Referee: S Carroll (Cullion).