Hungrier Gaels claim fully deserved victory over Raharney

Lough Lene Gaels 2-19, Raharney 1-14

By Gerry Buckley

A hungrier and more focused Lough Lene Gaels outfit were full value for their eight-point winning margin against an off-colour Raharney side in last Saturday evening’s Westmeath senior hurling championship third round robin tie on a resplendent TEG Cusack Park surface.

The two teams had contrasting fortunes in round two, so for the Collinstown men this was a crucial tie to re-energize their quest for the Westmeath Examiner Cup which has narrowly eluded them in the past couple of years. On this evidence, they are serious contenders again for the blue riband trophy in Lake County hurling while, for their part, the Deelsiders will need to improve greatly if they are to be meaningful challengers come the business end of the campaign.

The teams equally shared four points in a low-key opening six minutes, with the respective number 11s, Killian Doyle (from play after 45 seconds, and a tricky free two minutes later) and David Williams (also one from a free and open play) the men on target.

The Gaels, who had the aid of a slight wind blowing towards the Dunnes Stores end of the ground, added points from another Williams free and John Egan (a fine score from long range), either side of Eoghan Ahearn being hooked when a goal beckoned. Indeed, the defensive work of the winners all through was eye-catching.

Doyle (a free) and Shane Williams (a classy score) traded points, as did Aaron Kennedy (after being superbly picked out by Noel Conaty) and Joey Boyle (from the resultant puck-out). In the 19th minute, a Brendan Doyle delivery teed up Kennedy for a delightful finish past Aaron McHugh, leaving Lough Lene Gaels ahead by 1-6 to 0-4 with 19 minutes on the clock.

Doyle converted another Raharney free and this was followed by a preventable goal scored by Callum McKeogh to leave the margin at the bare minimum. In the closing stages of the first half, Joey Williams’ troops outscored their opponents by three points (all from David Williams – a superb lineball, a free, and the last score of the half from play) to one (a Doyle free) to lead by an unflattering three-point margin at the break (1-9 to 1-6).

Doyle slotted over a ‘65’ after Ahearn had been denied by Conaty directly from the throw-in to the second moiety. Aaron Kennedy (a quality score) and Williams (a ‘65’ after a spectacular Derek McNicholas effort had been saved by McHugh) increased the ‘Yellow Bellies’ advantage. Point exchanges followed via Doyle (another ‘65’ – again Ahearn had been denied at the near post) and Shane Williams, and Marcus Kennedy (from a tight angle) and Doyle (a free).

An unanswered 1-3 between the 42nd and 48th minutes put the men in purple and gold firmly in control. The goal was a batted effort from Marcus Kennedy (when astutely set up by McNicholas), and points followed courtesy of Jason Malone, and two from David Williams (a free and a ‘65’). The gap was now ten points (2-16 to 1-9).

A mini-revival from John Shaw’s men yielded a hat-trick of unanswered points from the sticks of Rory Keyes (a free), sub Ciaran Doyle, and David Hickey (a free). However, they never looked remotely likely to stage a winning comeback. Eoin Daly (a lovely score on the run) and Eoin Keyes swapped points, as did David Williams and Darren Finn (whose lobbed free in injury-time was assumedly meant to drop into the square), before Malone doubled his tally with the last puck of the evening to round off a decisive win for the Gaels.

Scorers –

Lough Lene Gaels: D Williams 0-10 (5f, 2‘65’, 1s/l), A Kennedy 1-2, M Kennedy 1-1, S Williams, J Malone 0-2 each, E Daly, J Egan 0-1 each.

Raharney: K Doyle 0-8 (5f, 2‘65’), C McKeogh 1-0, J Boyle, R Keyes (f), C Doyle, D Hickey (f), E Keyes, D Finn (f) 0-1 each.

Lough Lene Gaels: Noel Conaty; Daire Daly, Dan Higgins, Daragh Qamar; Philip Reilly, Micheál Daly, John Egan; Brendan Doyle, Shane Williams; Derek McNicholas, David Williams, Jason Malone; Aaron Kennedy, Tommy Doyle, Marcus Kennedy. Subs used: Eoin Daly for D Daly (23), Jordan Williams for A Kennedy (inj., 42), Thomas Kennedy for M Kennedy (53).

Raharney: Aaron McHugh; Conor McKeogh, Jamie Mulkearns, Luke Darby; David Hickey, Rory Keyes, Gary Greville; Cormac Boyle, Callum McKeogh; Joey Boyle, Killian Doyle, Robert Coyne; Eamon Cunneen, Eoin Keyes, Eoghan Ahearn. Subs used: Joe Mulvaney (blood, 22-30), Darren Finn for C Boyle (42), Ciaran Doyle for K Doyle (49), Joe Mulvaney for Cunneen (49).

Ref: Alfie Devine (Castlepollard).