Gritty Gaels prevail as late McNicholas point proves vital

Lough Lene Gaels 1-15 Clonkill 0-16

Lough Lene Gaels were narrow – but worthy – winners over Clonkill in last Sunday’s Westmeath senior hurling championship semi-final played in ideal conditions at TEG Cusack Park, Joey Williams’ troops edging past their opponents by a two-point margin in a contest which failed to live up to its pre-match expectations.

Of course, the disappointing fare on show will not bother the Collinstown men one iota, as their ambition to get to another Westmeath Examiner Cup decider was achieved. Semi-finals are there to be won, and the Gaels won theirs. They will be underdogs, as they were when so nearly overcoming Raharney 12 months ago, when they face Castletown-Geoghegan later in the month, but they will not lack motivation as they try to regain the county title after a 22-year gap.

Eoin Daly nudged the winners in front with an opportunist point exactly a minute after Caymon Flynn’s opening whistle, despite having initially lost possession of the sliotar. Two Clonkill wides ensued at the other end, but the men in green and gold eventually found the target in the fourth minute when Peadar Scally converted a long-range free. Within a minute, Marcus Kennedy found the net in style when Warren Williams teed him up after effecting a great catch.

Jordy Smyth responded with a neat score for the Loughegar-based club before his colleague Oisín Loughlin was wide via the upright from a very difficult free near the stand sideline. What proved to be a rare moment of sheer class followed when Tommy ‘Jogger’ Doyle cleverly hooked Robbie Cleary and duly rifled over a quality point all in one move, to put the Gaels a goal to the good (1-2 to 0-2). They should have increased their lead in the minutes which followed during which they shot three disappointing wides, before David Williams increased the margin to four points by converting a tricky free.

However, Clonkill, under the management of Mickey Dan Murtagh who was on crutches on the sideline, levelled the contest by the 24th minute courtesy of unanswered points from the sticks of Scally (two frees – the first award seemed soft), Oisín Loughlin (a free), and sub Matthew Glynn (at the end of a good move). The respective number 11s, Williams (a free) and Luke Loughlin (a trademark quality point from near the terrace sideline), then traded points. Towards the end of normal time, Eoin Daly spoiled a very skilful piece of play with a wide for the Gaels and Williams untypically missed a ‘65’, allowing the losers to take the lead for the first time in the last action of a very disappointing first half when quick thinking from a free by goalkeeper Anthony Price picked out Luke Loughlin who found the range with aplomb, to leave Clonkill ahead by 0-8 to 1-4 at the interval.

Half-time sub Derek McNicholas neatly equalised within 50 seconds of the resumption of play. A point exchange followed between Scally (a free) and Eoin Daly (a quality score). The purple and gold-clad outfit then pounced for a hat-trick of points without reply via two routine frees by Williams, either side of a delightful score from Micheál Daly.

Clonkill were back on level terms again with 47 minutes on the clock courtesy of Andrew Shaw (an opportunist effort), Luke Loughlin (who briefly thought of going for a goal), and Scally (another free). The closeness of the scoring was keeping the crowd on their toes, but there was still very little free-flowing hurling on display. Tit-for-tat point scoring followed until the end of normal time via Williams (two fine scores from play and one free) and Scally (three frees).

As the game entered injury-time – a minimum of three minutes was called – a Shane Williams shot came back off the upright and Price, perhaps blinded by the sun, carried the sliotar over the line. Williams converted the resultant ‘65’ to nudge his side ahead, and the same player soon doubled their advantage from a 70-metre free. Scally halved the deficit from a free, but McNicholas showed his class and experience with over four added minutes elapsed when he fired over the insurance point in great style.

Scorers - Lough Lene Gaels: D Williams 0-9 (6f, 1‘65’), M Kennedy 1-0, D McNicholas, E Daly 0-2 each, M Daly, T Doyle each.

Clonkill: P Scally 0-9 (9f), L Loughlin 0-3, O Loughlin (f), A Shaw, J Smyth, M Glynn 0-1 each.

Lough Lene Gaels: Noel Conaty; Daire Daly, Dan Higgins, Philip Reilly; Shane Williams, Dara Qamar, Tommy Doyle; Brendan Doyle, Micheál Daly; Eoin Daly, David Williams, Dan Reilly; Marcus Kennedy, Warren Williams, Aaron Kennedy. Subs used: Derek McNicholas for W Williams (h-t), Jason Malone for M Daly (49).

Clonkill: Anthony Price; Paul Poynton, Luke Kenny, Rian Holding; Darragh Egerton, Alan McGrath, Josh Murtagh; Ciaran Nolan, Peadar Scally; Robbie Cleary, Luke Loughlin, Oisín Loughlin; Andrew Shaw, Oisín Murray, Jordy Smyth. Subs used: Matthew Glynn for Cleary (20), Niall Mitchell for Murray (38), Shane Power for Smyth (49), Oisín Murphy for O Loughlin (57).

Ref: Caymon Flynn (St Brigid’s).