Thriller sees Raharney prevail in U19 semi-final

U19 Division 1 hurling championship semi-final: Raharney 2-25, Castletown Geoghegan 1-26 (after extra time)

Paul Doolin reports

In Castletown Geoghegan on Saturday afternoon last, Raharney made retribution for being beaten by the Black and Ambers in crucial matches in 2022 with this narrow victory in the U19 championship after a thrilling game that lasted over 80 minutes before the sides could be separated.

Raharney showed the battling qualities that have made the Joristown men so hard to beat over many years, and ground out a victory based on hard work and determination, even when under serious pressure.

Castletown, for their part, will rue a six-point second half lead that was whittled away, and indeed for not pulling away in extra time. But after a game in which no side deserved to lose, it was Raharney who showed the mental fortitude and energy needed to prevail.

The first half was evenly contested, with Raharney and Castletown holding sway at various intervals as the game progressed, and the Blues led at the break by 1-7 to 0-9 through and early opportunist goal from Aaron Ready and points from Dylan Duffy, Caolan Ready, Jack Larkin and the very impressive Eamonn Cunneen (three frees and a beautiful strike from long range).

Castletown, meanwhile, scored through two David Reilly beauties from play, three Peter Murphy frees, a ’65’ and two superb individual strikes by Sean Jackson, and Liam Maxwell with the pick of the bunch after being found by Reilly. At the short whistle, it was all to play for.

Raharney extended that lead on the restart with the impressive Cunneen adding two frees and a wonderful strike from long range, but then the home side upped the ante and took the game to the visitors, scoring 1-7 without reply.

Jackson added three frees and hit a stunning score from long range; Peter Clarke pointed after a fine solo run; Shane Doran and Murphy finished off well-constructed moves, and the former netted from long range after a mishap in the Raharney rearguard.

With 10 minutes to go, Raharney looked done and dusted, but they are simply not for lying down and they responded admirably with four Cunneen frees and a penalty that went over the bar to move within one score.

Jackson and Cunneen then exchanged frees, before Murphy put Castletown two ahead from a very narrow angle as we headed to the last minute of normal time.

However, Jack Larkin and Joe Mulvaney drew the Deelsiders level again with defiant aptitude. Jackson looked to have settled the affair when he pointed in the 32nd minute for Castletown, but four minutes later Cunneen fired the leveller, and amazingly we were headed for extra time.

Clarke (Castletown) and Cunneen (Raharney) exchanged points, before two Mulvaney worldies, one from Aaron Ready and then a goal from the latter (out of nothing) saw Raharney pull away again. But Shane Corcoran and Murphy (from a free) kept the margin to four as we headed into the last ten added minutes.

David O’Reilly, Murphy and another Jackson free saw Castletown pull within a single score, but they could not sustain the pressure, and after Clarke missed a goal chance, Raharney came down the field and Cunneen pointed from play and from a free to all but settle the affair.

Jackson marked his superb display with a late pointed free, but it was not enough, and after 80+ minutes Raharney had prevailed and claimed their place in the county final against Na Piarsaigh.

Scorers – Raharney: E Cunneen 0-15 (11f, 1 pen), A Ready 2-1, J Mulvaney 0-3, J Larkin 0-2, D Duffy, C McKeogh, C Ready and B McGrath 0-1 each. Castletown Geoghegan: S Jackson 1-11 (0-6f, 1 ’65’), P Murphy 0-7 (4f), D O’Reilly 0-3, P Clarke 0-2, S Doran, S Corcoran and L Maxwell 0-1 each.

Raharney: Mark Doherty; David Weir, Jamie Mulkearns, Matt Shaw; Cian Weir, Dylan Duffy, Joe Mulvaney; Eamonn Cunneen, Jack Larkin; Ciaran Daly, Michael Doherty, Callum McKeogh; Aaron Ready, Caolan Ready, Brian McGrath. Subs: Winston Larkin for McGrath (41).

Castletown Geoghegan: Sean Clarke; Alan Conlon, Ryan Boyne, Peter Dalton; Sean Jackson, Michael Lynam, David Maloney; Peter Clarke, Shane Doran; Shane Corcoran, David O’Reilly, Odhran Gavigan; Peter Murphy, Peter Reynolds, Liam Maxwell. Subs: Neil Pearson for Gavigan (38), Gavigan for Pearson (e-t).

Ref: Mick Murtagh (Clonkill).