Clonkill bow out of Leinster after exciting encounter

A profligate Clonkill side were edged out by Tullamore in the semi-final of this year's AIB Leinster Club senior hurling championship Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon last.Thereby missing out on arguably the best-ever opportunity for a Westmeath team to reach a provincial decider at this level.After waiting a whopping 45 years to regain their Offaly crown, reaching the Leinster final is truly a remarkable achievement for the team in white and blue. With former All-Star, Kevin Martin operating as player/manager, the recently-appointed Westmeath senior manager got an opportunity to have a look at some of his new charges from a highly unusual stance. While he will have been impressed with many aspects of the Clonkill performance, he will be all-too-aware that his current club charges had a let-off on the day due to Clonkill's wastefulness, both in terms of shooting and taking wrong options from good scoring positions.The quarter-final hero, Brendan Murtagh was off colour, by his own exalted standards, and only contributed 1-1 from frees, with the goal being a very fortuitous effort. Despite Martin's veteran status, it was an even more senior player (in his late 40s) who proved to be the winners' hero. Goalkeeper Damian Fox produced a fabulous diving save from Eoin Price in the dying moments of normal time, as the home side came in search of a winning goal. In the end, the Faithful County champions just about deserved their win, but they will be massive underdogs when they face the might of Ballyhale Shamrocks in the decider.A crowd of 2,400 turned up on a cold but pleasant November afternoon, many of them making the short journey from the County Offaly capital town. Yvonne Fitzsimons got the show underway with a lovely rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann before promising referee, James Owens from Wexford threw in the sliotar. Pat O'Toole's charges attacked immediately and after a mere 40 seconds they were awarded a '65', which Andrew Mitchell duly converted. However, a real let-off for Clonkill ensued, when Shane Dooley set up Francis Kerrigan in space but the former Galway underage star hit the butt of the post with his shot. The visitors equalised in the fourth minute, Dooley starting, as he was go on right to the last minute, with an accurate strike to dissect the posts from a 40-metre free. Midfielder Shane Kelly was already very much to the fore and he put the winners a point ahead in the eighth minute with a fine strike from 65 metres.An early indication of the frustration which Brendan Murtagh was to experience all afternoon came when he was bottled up in possession, but a Tullamore counterattack ended with a tame effort from Kevin Martin. Paddy Dowdall levelled the contest with a great shot from over 60 metres. Tullamore's homework was proving effective when Murtagh was again legally deprived of possession. Conversely, they were opening up the Clonkill attack far too easily by times and they were rewarded with another successful free from a tight angle by Shane Dooley. Two long-range efforts from Andrew Mitchell, from a free and open play, went barely wide and off the upright respectively, sandwiched between which Adam Price produced a great catch from Nigel Mannion's delivery.The Westmeath champions spurned a glorious opportunity to draw level in the 14th minute, Brendan Murtagh somehow opting to pass the ball from a scoreable free short to Paddy Dowdall and the left half forward screwed the ball wide from a great position. Just past the midpoint of the half, Shane Dooley made it double scores for the winners with a wonderful long-range free. Francis Kerrigan was then thwarted in a dangerous position near the Clonkill goal, before an error by Martin Scally went unpunished.Clonkill's luck ran out in the 19th minute, Francis Kerrigan pouncing when Adam Price failed to take control of the sliotar and burying a low shot to the net from 15 metres. However, the men in green and gold responded superbly by rattling off three points in as many minutes. Luke Folan (from some 40 metres after a flowing move), Paddy Dowdall (from an acute angle) and Eoin Price (a marvellous effort from halfway) were the men on target. Indeed, it could have been even better for the Lake County representatives if Dowdall had followed his point with a goal, his blistering shot just shaving the upright. Another converted free from Shane Dooley put Tullamore a goal to the good.Two successful placed balls from Clonkill's marquee freetakers, Brendan Murtagh (his goal attempt being deflected over the crossbar by Damian Fox) and Andrew Mitchell (from a '65') left the bare minimum between the sides as the minutes ticked away. Both sides missed chances in the closing moments, with Brendan Murtagh again untypically inaccurate from 50 metres. At the end of a closely-contested first moiety, the scoreboard read: Tullamore 1-5 Clonkill 0-7.Lead increasedThe losers attacked from the first whistle of the second half but the Tullamore defence, where corner back Stephen Egan regularly caught the eye, held firm and team captain Shane Dooley increased the Faithful County men's lead with a point from a '65'. Clonkill then failed to avail of a half-chance of a goal at the other end and that man Dooley added to the losers' frustration when he popped up again to rifle over a 50-metre free. Vastly-experienced Clonkill sub, Enda Loughlin almost made an immediate impact with an astute ball across the face of the Tullamore goal, but Luke Folan was unable to control the sliotar.The latter player made amends with a neat score from 35 metres, following good play from Andrew Mitchell. Wides from Brendan Murtagh (a free from some 65 metres) and Enda Loughlin (an ambitious shot from play) would later prove costly. Kevin Martin popped over a tidy point for the winners, before a monster free from Shane Dooley briefly caused consternation in the losers' rearguard. A bad mistake from Steven Cleary gifted Shane Kelly another point for Tullamore in the 16th minute. However, Clonkill soon got a lucky break themselves when Shane Dooley inexplicably mishit a 30-metre free.Arguably the turning point of the match arrived when a dashing run from Alan Dowdall ended with his shot coming off the crossbar, but a pass to the unmarked Enda Loughlin may have been a better option. A loose pass from Eoin Price could easily have led to a Tullamore goal for Shane Dooley, but the winners had to be content with a converted free from the same player after he was fouled. The latter player shot weakly from a goal chance and, in the next passage of play, Francis Kerrigan whipped over a delightful point from 60 metres. A six-points margin with eight minutes of normal time remaining looked a bridge too far for Clonkill, particularly when Brendan Murtagh was wide from a 45-metre free in their next attack. However, the Westmeath men came right back into contention when a seemingly-mishit free from Murtagh from a similar range went all the way to the Tullamore net.A trademark solo run from Alan Dowdall could have yielded a goal and Enda Loughlin's high follow-up challenge on Damian Fox resulted in a yellow card, which could easily have been a darker colour on another day. Wides from Andrew Mitchell (an 80-metre free) and Enda Loughlin (from long range) ensued. Veteran goalkeeper-cum-selector, Damian Fox then came to his side's rescue with a thrilling full-length save from Eoin Price, the latter's brother Anthony whipping over the rebound, to leave his side two points down as the game entered added-time.A brief but nasty melee then threatened to spoil an otherwise sporting encounter, with the referee singling out substitute Anthony Price for a straight red card when the dust settled.A more composed Tullamore side took full advantage deep into stoppage-time when Shane Dooley fired over his eighth successful placed ball of the afternoon with the last puck of the game. With this ended a huge opportunity for Clonkill to make history by reaching a Leinster senior final. In truth, this was one that got away.Tullamore: Damian Fox; Alan Martin, Cillian Bane, Stephen Egan; Nigel Mannion, Brendan Dagg, Hugh Treacy; James Keane, Shane Kelly (0-2); Edwin Finnerty, Jody Duffy, Ger Treacy; Francis Kerrigan (1-1), Kevin Martin (0-1), Shane Dooley (capt) (0-8, 0-7 from frees, 0-1 from a '65'). Sub: Shaun Martin (for Finnerty, 50 mins).Clonkill: Brian Murray; Steven Cleary, Adam Price, Martin Scally; Eoin Price (0-1), Andrew Mitchell (0-2, both from '65's), Sean Loughlin (capt); Fergal Fagan, Shane Power; Alan Dowdall, Brendan Murtagh (1-1, both from frees), Paddy Dowdall (0-2); Michael Heffernan, Larry Donoghue, Luke Folan (0-2). Subs: Enda Loughlin (for Heffernan, 37 mins), Anthony Price (0-1) (for Fagan, 39 mins), Alan McGrath (for Power, 52 mins), Christopher Austin (for Donoghue, 60 mins).Referee: James Owens (Wexford).