Plunkett's exit championship

St. Oliver Plunkett's wait for a first-ever Westmeath Examiner Cup success is set to continue after their third straight below-par performance saw them flattered to lose by nine points to a vastly superior Raharney side last Sunday in Cusack Park. By virtue of their victory in this remarkably low-key game, the Deelsiders have qualified for a mouth-watering semi-final showdown with their great rivals this decade, Clonkill.Despite a win being a must for both sides, the second game in the Westmeath senior hurling championship double-header was a very lifeless affair and poor entertainment for the small crowd present. The Mullingar side has threatened to make a breakthrough at the highest level in the county in recent years but, in truth, their efforts in the winners' group this year have been bitterly disappointing. The fact that they failed to score until the 23rd minute (by which stage the winners had chalked up 2-8) speaks volumes of the abject poverty of this most recent display by the white and greens. For their part, Raharney will have learned little as they face a massive penultimate round clash and they could afford to take the foot significantly off the accelerator in the later stages of a most uninspiring game on Sunday evening last.A couple of very early Plunkett's wides gave no indication of the mediocre fare they were to offer for most of the remainder of the contest. At the other end, the ultra-consistent John Shaw pointed the way for the blue and whites with a brace of scores from a 35-metre free and from open play, by the fifth minute. Some two minutes later, Francis Boyle chased a long ball from fellow dual star Alan Giles and the corner forward flicked the sliotar to the net, sustaining an injury in the process which was ultimately to lead to his premature withdrawal. Brian Smyth followed up with a third Raharney point, the ball going over via the stick of St. Oliver Plunkett's netminder Peter Collins. It got even worse for the losers in the tenth minute when their defence was at sixes and sevens, allowing Daniel Riggs to fire home a second Raharney goal. The Deelsiders then piled on the misery for their opponents with a succession of points. The scorers were John Shaw (two, the second from a 55-metre free), a huge free from Brian Connaughton, a rasper from Niall Flanagan (superbly deflected over his own crossbar by Peter Collins) and another marvellous point from Shaw. By now the competitive element of the game was at an end and St. Oliver Plunkett's three points toward the end of the first half were greeted with near-silence. Dermot Curley (who briefly looked to have a goal on), Cian O'Leary (a free) and Noel Gavin (with an injury-time '65') were the men on target. The latter score came after Andrew Doyle brilliantly deflected Ciaran Curley's drive over the endline. A surreal atmosphere prevailed at the break with Raharney effectively home and dry when leading by 2-8 to 0-3.Within 25 seconds of the resumption, the winners increased their lead courtesy of an opportunist point from Brendan McKeogh. Noel Gavin's 45-metre free was only a brief respite for the Mullingar men with Brian Connaughton's huge free going over the crossbar when significantly deflected by Aaron Craig. In the eight minute, Peter Collins pulled off a fine save from John Shaw but he was powerless to prevent Niall Flanagan whipping home the rebound for the blue and whites' third goal. The very industrious Ciaran Curley pulled back a point for the losers but very poor defending allowed Christopher Flanagan in for another Raharney point, soon followed by a well-taken point after a solo run from Daniel Riggs.Despite their enormous lead (now standing at 16 points), Raharney's defenders remained focused as epitomised by a wonderful hook by Paul Greville on ace goalpoacher Cian O'Leary as he looked set to score. At exactly the midpoint of the half, Noel Gavin pointed a free from the halfway line for Plunkett's, but Shane Leavy became the sixth Raharney forward to score with a wonderful long-range point. Noel Gavin pointed a St. Oliver Plunkett's '65', but John Shaw responded with a neat point for his side.Ciaran Curley continued to defy the odds with a terrific point and his brother Dermot followed up with a very well-taken goal from 20 metres, availing of a perceptive pass from a quickly-taken Noel Gavin free. A trademark solo and point from Brian Smyth wrapped up the winners' scoring with six minutes of normal time remaining. Two minutes later, substitute Govinda Geoghegan fired home Plunkett's second goal, again benefiting from more fine play by Ciaran Curley. The latter player then tried unsuccessfully to blast home a close-range free, while a good point from his brother Micheal in the first minute of added-time hardly raised a cheer from the Mullingar fans.Raharney: Andrew Doyle; Conor Jordan, Paul Greville, Tony Doyle; Johnny Greville, Brian Connaughton (0-2, both from frees), Alan Giles; Christopher Flanagan (0-1), Niall Flanagan (1-1); Daniel Riggs (1-1), John Shaw (0-6, 0-2 from frees), Shane Leavy (0-1); Brendan McKeogh (0-1), Brian Smyth (0-2), Francis Boyle (1-0). Subs: Cormac Boyle (for Boyle, inj, 13 mins).St. Oliver Plunkett's: Peter Collins; Oisín Clinton, Sean O'Leary, Aaron Craig; Damien Kiernan, Greg Gavin, Micheal Curley (0-1); Noel Gavin (0-4, 0-2 from '65's, 0-2 from frees), Stephen McManus; Dermot Curley (1-1), Connaire Flanagan, Ciaran Curley (0-2); Mick Cleary, David Gavin, Cian O'Leary (0-1, from a free). Sub: Govinda Geoghegan (1-0) (for Cleary, 23 mins), Shane Donaher (for Gavin, 38 mins), Sean Maguire (for Flanagan, 42 mins), Paddy Laide (for C. O'Leary, 55 mins), David Murray (for S. O'Leary, 60 mins).Referee: James McGrath.