Williams goal crucial as Gaels remain unbeaten

Lough Lene Gaels 4-15, Clonkill 2-18

Lough Lene Gaels garnered a crucial brace of points in the Senior ‘A’ hurling championship at TEG Cusack Park on Saturday evening, where they saw off a gritty Clonkill side after a gripping second half to maintain their unbeaten run.

Although they misfired badly at times, Lough Lene Gaels did enough to eke out a victory as their quest for a first Westmeath Examiner Cup success since 2002 continues. A David Williams goal in the 50th minute proved crucial, the centre forward finding the net when the Clonkill ‘keeper Scott Murray failed to clear after making the initial save. It came just after Clonkill had drawn level through a Kian Loughlin major.

Last year’s finalists shot an unanswered 1-2 at this juncture to go five points clear and they never looked in danger of losing after that, but they will certainly focus on a lack of composure that almost cost them dearly. Clonkill, having lost three of their four games, are fourth on the table and out of contention.

Lough Lene Gaels were dreadful in the shooting department and unless they improve considerably on their opening 15 minutes, their long wait for a senior title will continue. It was a thoroughly scrappy opening 20 minutes, the standard seldom rising above mediocre levels.

Clonkill waited over 15 minutes for their first score from play, a point from dual star Luke Loughlin.

At half-time it was Clonkill who led by a solitary point, 1-8 to 1-7, and Pat O’Toole and Frank Aughey would certainly have been the happier of the management teams at that stage. Their side were well in contention, a Niall Mitchell goal after 27 minutes being the key score of the opening half.

Lough Lene Gaels manager, Joey Williams - joined by Alan Murray, John Joe Fitzsimons, Conor O’Shea, Shane McAnarney and Mike Connolly - had much to ponder at the interval. Eleven first-half wides and a few poorly struck shots that landed short left them facing a potential crisis.

They were more clinical in front of goal after the break, scoring 3-8 to get the job done. There is room for improvement and the Gaels will realise that with bigger tests ahead in the coming months.

Clonkill will take positives from this fine effort and they competed strongly at times, scoring 19 times (matching their opponents), but Lough Lene Gaels were worthy winners.

Clonkill were outplayed in the opening quarter, but Lough Lene Gaels struggled to find the target and will be grateful that Derek McNicholas pounced for an opportunist goal in the 13th minute when the opposing defence failed to clear the danger. It was an easy tap-in for McNicholas, following David Williams’ pass, and they opened up a six-point lead at this stage.

Clonkill showed character to respond and Niall Mitchell and Kian Loughlin shot points as they rallied impressively. Their effort brought tangible reward in the 27th minute when Mitchell used his height advantage to win a Robbie Cleary delivery and finish to the net for a textbook goal. An injury-time free from Kian Loughlin left Clonkill a point ahead at half-time.

Mitchell was seriously effective in the air and the Gaels looked vulnerable to that, although it was noticeable that they moved Tommy Doyle back into the edge of the square in the second half to consolidate their position.

Doyle played at wing-back and got two points from play, but his strength in the full-back position is also vital to the Gaels and they were alert to the danger after the concession of that first-half goal.

Lough Lene Gaels’ second goal two minutes after the restart was another crucial moment, McNicholas applying the finish to Jason Malone’s delivery. McNicholas showed great determination to get in hook and win back possession for his side, which led to David Williams finding Shane Williams for their tenth point, making it 2-10 to 1-9. Thereafter, they maintained the lead for most of the second half and, while Clonkill got within a point after Kian Loughlin’s 43rd-minute free, a third Lough Lene Gaels goal kept them at bay.

It came midway through the second half when McNicholas found midfielder Brendan Doyle, who applied the finish, making it 3-12 to 1-13.

Clonkill registered 1-2 without reply to get back on level terms by the 50th minute, however. Luke Meyler and Kian Loughlin (free) got the minors, before Alan McGrath, Meyler and Kian Loughlin all combined in a slick move for the latter to find the net.

When the tough question was put, Lough Lene Gaels found the answer and that will please them most of all. David Williams’ goal arrived with the kind of swiftness that suggests they have more gears and they will need a similar reaction when even bigger tests arrive at a later stage.

Conor McCrossan and McNicholas both shot crucial points to strengthen their position and they led by 4-14 to 2-15 with seven minutes remaining.

Tommy Doyle got a valuable score after Kian Loughlin’s free gave Clonkill hope and late scores from Kian Loughlin (free) and Darragh Kenny (65’) were not enough to rescue Clonkill. Kenny’s came in the fifth minute of added time.

It was tense near the end, but the Gaels had a four-point lead when Tommy Doyle was penalised for overcarrying, giving Kian Loughlin a 20-metre free from which he shot for goal, but the ball went wide. A more powerful strike was needed to find the net from that chance and a goal would have provided real drama at the finish.

Ultimately, Lough Lene Gaels did enough to secure their fourth successive victory and with greater efficiency (they shot 14 wides in total), they will be a difficult team to stop once again.

Scorers - Lough Lene Gaels: D McNicholas 2-1, D Williams 1-4 (0-2f; 0-1 ‘65’), B Doyle 1-0, S Williams and R Williams 0-3 each, T Doyle 0-2, C McCrossan and M Daly 0-1 each.

Clonkill: K Loughlin 1-12 (0-10f), N Mitchell 1-1, L Loughlin 0-2, L Meyler, D Egerton (f) and D Kenny (‘65’) 0-1 each.

Lough Lene Gaels: Noel Conaty; Daniel Reilly, Dan Higgins, Eoin Daly; Philip Reilly, John Egan, Tommy Doyle; Brendan Doyle, Micheál Daly; Shane Williams, David Williams, Jason Malone; Ryan Williams, Derek McNicholas, Conor McCrossan. Subs: Marcus Kennedy for Malone (43), Thomas Kennedy for P Reilly (55), Daire Daly for D Reilly (inj., 59), Aaron Kennedy for R Williams (60).

Clonkill: Scott Murray; Ciaran Nolan, Darragh Egerton, Paul Poynton; Darragh Kenny, Peadar Scally, Jack Murtagh; Robbie Cleary, Andrew Shaw; Oisin Dowdall, Luke Loughlin, Luke Myler; Kian Loughlin, Niall Mitchell, Matthew Glynn. Subs: Jordy Smyth for Murtagh (40), Alan McGrath for Glynn (46).

Referee: Caymon Flynn (St Brigid’s).