Ahearn stars as Blues secure their second victory

Raharney 1-17, Clonkill 1-12

By Paul Hughes

After easing past Fr Dalton’s on the opening day, Raharney remain on course for the business end of the senior ‘A’ championship, beating old rivals Clonkill in a tame encounter at TEG Cusack Park last Sunday evening.

The Blues were helped on their way by a fortuitous goal from a second-minute free by Killian Doyle, which earned them a 1-7 to 0-7 lead at the break.

John Shaw’s troops looked far from assured with high-intensity running by the likes of Luke Loughlin (1-3), Jordy Smyth and Robert Cleary causing them all sorts of problems. However, the Loughegar men had their own frailties at the back and were frequently punished, most notably by Eoghan Ahearn, who put in a tremendous individual display with four points from play.

Ahearn’s haul proved to be the difference for Raharney, and though Clonkill netted late on courtesy of a free from Loughlin, the Deelsiders had built up enough of a cushion to secure the points.

Raharney looked lively in the seconds after the throw-in, with a block from Ciaran Nolan stopping a certain goal for Eoin Keyes inside the first minute. However, the resultant ‘65’, struck by Killian Doyle, ended up in the Clonkill net to mark the perfect start for the Deelsiders.

The Blues failed to build on this and didn’t score for another 12 minutes, with both sides posting a couple of wides. Meanwhile, Clonkill made some inroads with Luke Loughlin showing great agility to open the scoring for his side, and Peadar Scally converting a free after 12 minutes.

After a lethargic opening the 14th minute alone yielded three scores, with Joey Boyle and Eoghan Ahearn (Raharney) cancelling out a point from play by Scally.

Clonkill had a sniff at goal minutes later when Jordy Smyth raced in to challenge for a rebounded effort from Mikey McGrath, but this went a-begging, and at the other end Joey Boyle put a goal between the sides with his second point.

The Loughegar men went close again on 19 minutes when Raharney netminder Aaron McHugh batted down a long ball into the square. The loose ball fell kindly for Oisín Murray who tried to finish along the ground but scuffed his shot.

The ensuing minutes did yield something for Clonkill, and they reduced the arrears to a single point through Peadar Scally (a free) and Robert Cleary, the latter after a field-long move involving great vision from goalkeeper Anthony Price and a handpass assist from Luke Loughlin.

Raharney’s Killian Doyle then converted a free but moments later, Loughlin was at it again, this time seizing on a sloppy Raharney pass and pointing off his left.

The tit-for-tat pattern continued and on 26 minutes, Gary Greville shot a superb long-range effort over the bar – his second attempt in as many minutes. Back came Clonkill, and when Oisín Murray got in behind the Raharney defence, his shot was blocked by Raharney netminder Aaron McHugh. Murray recycled to Brian Gaffney, who popped the ball over the bar.

Clonkill were a point from parity but it was the Deelsiders who had the best of the half’s dying embers, with Cormac Boyle adding his name to the scoresheet and Eoghan Ahearn leaving a goal between the sides at the short whistle with his second point.

In the opening seven minutes of the second half, Raharney got a run on their opponents and tacked on more points courtesy of Robert Coyne, Ahearn (teed up by Eamon Cunneen) and Killian Doyle (a free). Ahearn then shot his fourth, taking advantage of an unfortunate error by Luke Loughlin to score off his

left side.

Two consecutive frees from Peadar Scally gave the men in green some respite, but Eamonn Cunneen and Callum McKeogh divided the posts either side of a point from play by Clonkill’s Andrew Shaw. At the three-quarter stage, Raharney led 1-13 to 0-10.

Clonkill were in dire need of a goal, but on 46 minutes Killian Doyle missed a scoreable free for the Deelsiders and the Loughegar men capitalised, with Scally setting up Jordy Smyth for a point to narrow the gap to five.

However, Mickey Dan Murtagh’s charges hit a bump in the road thereafter when Killian Doyle converted a brace of frees for Raharney either side of Peadar Scally being sent off for charging, his second booking.

Clonkill, now down a key forward and seven points behind, kept pushing forward and on 54 minutes, Jordy Smyth swung his hurl at a loose ball, which was deflected out for a ‘65’. Luke Loughlin converted, but his side desperately needed that elusive goal.

With three minutes to go, a point Raharney sub Joe Mulvaney gave the Blues a seven-point cushion going into the final moments, and this was all the more crucial when Clonkill’s finally managed to raise a green flag.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Luke Loughlin drove a low free to the bottom corner of the Raharney net, but with Clonkill still four points adrift, it was too little, too late.

Killian Doyle then put the gloss on the Raharney win by taking his tally to 1-5 with a first point from play – a terrific score from the right wing, just outside the technical area.

As victories go, it wasn’t pretty, and the Deelsiders will have to up their game substantially if they are to reclaim the Westmeath Examiner Cup from holders Castletown Geoghegan.

Scorers - Raharney: K Doyle 1-5 (1-4f), E Ahearn 0-4, J Boyle 0-2, G Greville, C Boyle, R Coyne, E Cunneen, C McKeogh and J Mulvaney 0-1 each. Clonkill: L Loughlin 1-3 (0-1 ‘65’), P Scally 0-5 (4f), B Gaffney, R Cleary, A Shaw and J Smyth 0-1 each.

Raharney: Aaron McHugh; Conor McKeogh, Jamie Mulkearns, Luke Darby; David Hickey, Cormac Boyle, Gary Greville; Rory Keyes, Callum McKeogh; Joey Boyle, Killian Doyle, Robert Coyne; Eamonn Cunneen, Eoin Keyes, Eoghan Ahearn. Subs used: Joe Mulvaney for Cunneen (54), Ciaran Doyle for Coyne (54), Pearse Weir-Norris for J Boyle (59).

Clonkill: Anthony Price; Ciaran Nooney, John Kenny, Ciaran Egerton; Andrew Shaw, Ciaran Nolan, Brian Gaffney; Luke Loughlin, Mikey McGrath; Oisín Murray, Peadar Scally, Jordy Smyth; Niall Mitchell, Robert Cleary, Oisín Murphy. Subs used: Matthew Glynn for Mitchell (49), Oisín Loughlin for Shaw (59), Shane Power for Cleary (60+1).

Ref: Barry Kelly (St Oliver Plunkett's).