Holders Clonkill stroll into another Examiner Cup semi-final

Despite being understrength, the Westmeath Examiner Cup champions Clonkill showed that they remain very much the team to beat when they comprehensively defeated Castletown-Geoghegan in the second game of last Sunday evening’s Westmeath senior hurling championship double-header in Cusack Park.The men in black and amber were short the services of injured dual star Ronan Whelan, but an 18-point winning margin speaks volumes of the strength-in-depth of the holders, who now await the winners of the St. Oliver Plunkett’s v. Ringtown quarter-final. The game was competitive in the first moiety, but two rapid-fire goals from the men in green and gold early in the second half opened a yawning gap which Castletown-Geoghegan never looked remotely like bridging and they now exit the championship after an inconsistent campaign.The early exchanges were error-ridden with both sides guilty of poor shooting. Andrew Mitchell opened the scoring from a ‘65’ in the seventh minute, moments after Brendan Murtagh had surprisingly elected to pass the sliotar from an eminently-scoreable close-range free. Aonghus Clarke equalised from a free after he had been fouled. Alan Dowdall, whose direct running at speed was one of the game’s undoubted highlights, put Clonkill ahead in the 11th minute with a terrific solo point. Three minutes later, Brendan Murtagh took Shane Power’s pass and the former Leinster player used his strength to power home a fine goal.At exactly the midpoint of the first half, Joe Clarke struck a wonderful point for the losers from near the terrace sideline and, within seconds, Gary Jackson rifled over another Castletown-Geoghegan point. Andrew Mitchell responded with a converted free from over 90 metres. Aonghus Clarke did very well to block an attempted clearance and bear down on the Clonkill goal before flicking the sliotar over the crossbar. Points from Brendan Murtagh (a 30-metre free), Paddy Dowdall (from play, after being set up by his brother Alan) and Mickey Heffernan (a splendid effort from near the sideline on the stand side) put the winners five points to the good. Castletown-Geoghegan finished the half well with two unanswered points, from Alan Mangan (rounding off a patient move) and Aonghus Clarke (a 50-metre free), leaving the scoreboard at the interval reading: Clonkill 1-6 Castletown-Geoghegan 0-6.Niall Dowdall (a fine solo point) and Neal Kirby (a great score from 60 metres) exchanged points in the opening three minutes of the second moiety. However, all hopes of a thrilling finale evaporated between the fifth and tenth minutes with the champions tacking on 2-3 without reply. Brendan Murtagh’s 35-metre free just squeezed inside the upright and, within a matter of seconds, Shane Power pointed from around the same distance from play. Murtagh added another point under pressure and followed up by rifling a 25-metre free to the roof of the Castletown net. After Aonghus Clarke failed with a similar effort at the other end, a Clonkill counterattack ended with Paddy Dowdall slotting home the winners’ third goal. Aonghus Clarke then had better luck with his next free, finding the net in style.Another outstanding solo point from Alan Dowdall ensued and Shane Power soon chipped in with his second point from play. A huge point from Derek Gallagher wrapped up the losers’ scoring before the champions got in some late shooting practice with an unanswered 1-5. Brendan Murtagh added three more points (including one free) and Alan Dowdall chipped in with a brace from play. In the first minute of added-time, substitute Sean Loughlin did well to cut in and find the net, to round off a chilling warning to the four remaining contenders that the green and gold-clad brigade will not relinquish their crown lightly.Clonkill: Brian Murray; Steven Cleary, Martin Scally, Christy Austin; Alan McGrath, Andrew Mitchell (0-2, 0-1 from a free, 0-1 from a ‘65’), Fergal Fagan; Niall Dowdall (0-1), John Fagan; Mark Keegan, Brendan Murtagh (2-6, 1-3 from frees), Alan Dowdall (0-4); Mickey Heffernan (0-1), Paddy Dowdall (1-1), Shane Power (0-2). Subs: Anthony Price (for Keegan, 46 mins), Sean Loughlin (1-0) (for Heffernan, 48 mins), Paul Farrelly (for J.Fagan, 49 mins), David Reilly (for McGrath, 53 mins), Stephen Nulty (for F.Fagan, 60 +1 mins).Castletown-Geoghegan: Paddy Maloney; John Gallagher, Ronan Corcoran, Dean McDermott; Derek Gallagher (0-1), Emmett Dalton, Eamonn Óg Clarke; Pat Clarke, Joe Clarke (0-1); Blaine Lahart, John Brennan, Gary Jackson (0-1); Alan Mangan (0-1), Aonghus Clarke (1-3, 1-2 from frees), Neal Kirby (0-1). Subs: Ian Corrigan (for J.Gallagher, 41 mins), Diarmuid Garvin (for Corcoran, 41 mins), David Langan (for Jackson, 42 mins), Mark McDermott (for Brennan, 49 mins), Colin O’Brien (for Dalton, 55 mins).Referee: James McGrath (Turin).