Mullen fires Raharney to five-point victory over rivals

Raharney 0-18, Clonkill 0-13

Raharney had five points to spare over Clonkill in a competitive and feisty Intermediate Hurling Championship clash at Decotek Park, Collinstown on Friday.

This second-round encounter was evenly contested for long stretches and Clonkill led by two points at half-time, 0-9 to 0-7, before Raharney eventually took control in the final 14 minutes (including added time). Clonkill had led by 0-12 to 0-11 after 52 minutes, but they managed only one further score, while Raharney added seven points to take the spoils.

The result means Raharney have one victory from two games, while Clonkill are pointless.

While this was the second-string sides of the two big rivals and it was not your archetypal championship clash, there was an edge to the game and neither side was willing to give an inch. However, it was Raharney’s greater scoring power in that final 14 minutes that proved the difference on the evening – free-taker Donie Mullen most prominent during that spell with four crucial scores from placed balls.

Corner forward Aaron Ready also got in on the scoring act two minutes into added time before substitute Brian Smyth applied the coup de grace with a fine long-range point, a score that was greeted with rousing approval.

Clonkill had their opportunities: in added time, substitute Paul Poynton was denied a goal by Raharney ‘keeper Darragh Weir, who also got a vital touch to prevent Niall Dowdall netting in the follow-up, the latter failing to get enough power in the shot.

It was at times a fiery encounter and both sides finished with 14 men. An incident after 28 minutes appeared to leave some residue. Raharney’s David Weir took umbrage to a rough challenge from Niall Dowdall and retaliated, and after that, the game seemed to drift out of control.

A ruck in the Raharney square midway through the second half – after Evan Scally’s free dropped short, posed another problem. The referee consulted with his umpires and nothing came of it, but retribution followed soon after, leading to an ugly incident from which both sides were reduced to 14 men. Clonkill’s Eoin Kenny and Raharney’s Eoin Weir headed for the proverbial early shower.

A monster strike by Christopher Austin gave Clonkill their opening score on eight minutes, but Donie Mullen showed fine accuracy from over 60 metres to keep Raharney in front and they opened a four-point lead by the 18th minute as Ryan O’Neill, and Jamie Carr and Joe Mulvaney, added to Mullen’s scores. Scally (free) and Conor Daly responded for the Loughegar men and Dowdall also notched a free with a fine strike in what was a productive seven-minute spell that brought them level, and Scally ensured they had turned it around by half-time.

That was the general trend – both teams had their moments and remarkably there were no goals. Clonkill got ahead twice in the second half before that Raharney run, Mullen’s terrific free from distance on 57 minutes one of the highlights. Despite a wonderful point from beyond midfield by Austin in the third minute of added time, Clonkill could not recover.

Scorers – Raharney: D Mullen 0-11 (8f), A Ready 0-2, R O’Neill, J Carr, J Mulvaney, D Core and B Smyth 0-1 each.

Clonkill: E Scally 0-4 (3f), N Dowdall 0-3 (1f), C Austin (1f) and E Kenny 0-2 each, C Daly and P Poynton 0-1 each.

Raharney: Darragh Weir; Cian Weir, Jack Coyne, Conor Donoghue; Eoin Weir, David Weir, Mark Doherty; Joe Mulvaney, Jamie Carr; Donie Mullen, Brian McHugh, Caolan Ready; Aaron Ready, Ryan O’Neill, Darragh Core. Subs: Winston McHugh for B McHugh (40), Brian Smyth, Nathan McCabe and Niall Flanagan for O’Neill, D Weir and C Weir (54).

Clonkill: Darragh Egerton; Scott Murtagh, Jamie Coffey, Ciaran Morrison; Cian Quinn, Jack Murtagh, Christopher Austin; Carl McCormack, Riley Sheahan; Evan Scally, Mark Keegan, Conor Daly; Stephen Colgan, Niall Dowdall, Eoin Kenny. Subs: Paul Poynton for Sheahan (20), Ciaran Nooney for Quinn (45), Tomas Daly for Scally (52).

Referee: Robert Dillon (Fr Dalton’s).