Raharney have the Keyes but door is closed for 2024
Raharney 1-19, Castlepollard 1-10
Eoin Keyes fired 1-4 for Raharney as they overcame Castlepollard in the final round of the senior championship group stage in a game which saw both sides exit without the potential for any knockout game.
With the drama of the round four defeat at the death to Lough Lene Gaels essentially taking fate out of their own hands, Raharney needed a favour from elsewhere which did not come. They had much to spare on the scoreboard in St Mary’s Rochfortbridge last Sunday evening as only a late goal for Castlepollard put a slight gloss on their tally.
Raharney had three points on the board in just over as many minutes with the first coming in under ten seconds through the stick of Rory Keyes off Joey Boyle winning the throw-in. Killian Doyle’s free was followed by a 65, although it was not the best day overall for the Westmeath All-Star nominee of recent times as his aim was askew on several occasions.
Keyes traded points with his opposite number, John McCarthy, who scored all five of Pollard’s first-half points from placed-balls. The game never really took on the tempo of a senior fixture as both sides were almost resigned to their fate of it being the season ending sixty-minutes.
Raharney had five wides and three short efforts before the quarter-hour but eventually got going when Keyes found the net in the seventeenth minute following good work by Robbie Coyne. With only McCarthy’s free-taking getting any scores on the board for Darren McCormack’s side, Raharney tagged on more white flags through Keyes (free and from open play), Devin Hill, and a lovely effort from Boyle, who was the hardest worker on the field throughout. At the break, as the darkness already began to creep in, Raharney were fully in command at 1-10 to 0-5.
Little to nothing changed in the second period with further early points from Doyle (two frees) and Éamonn Cunneen. Darragh McCormack found his own range from the deck with a neat free and things looked to be improving further when Seán Carroll awarded a penalty for a foul on the free-taker soon after. Aaron McHugh was not for beating, however, as the goalkeeper made a sensational diving save to deny McCarthy.
Raharney continued to show their pace and power with Coyne and Ciarán Doyle adding further points. Two McCormack frees heading into the final ten minutes reduced the gap to ten, 1-15 to 0-8.
Ciarán Doyle somehow managed to misfire with the goal at his mercy before Seán Dermody was busy also keeping out three more Raharney attacks in the following minutes. With the clock beyond 55-minutes, Castlepollard found their first score from play via McCarthy’s point – he was, in fact, going for goal but blazed over. Substitute Ciarán English added another from open contest before Killian Doyle and Gary Greville ensured no comeback was going to happen.
Eoin Keyes pointed under pressure in stoppage time as the game ended with McCarthy rifling to the net with the final effort. A comfortable win on an uncomfortable day for Raharney as their title ambitions end.
Scorers – Raharney: E Keyes 1-4, K Doyle 0-6 (4f, 1 65’), J Boyle 0-2, G Greville 0-1, E Cunneen 0-1, M Doherty 0-1, R Coyne 0-1, C Doyle 0-1, D Hill 0-1, R Keyes 0-1
Castlepollard: J McCarthy 1-6 (5f), D McCormack 0-3f, C English 0-1
Raharney: Aaron McHugh; Conor McKeogh, Darren Finn, David Hickey; Robbie Greville, Joey Boyle, Gary Greville; Eamonn Cunneen, Michael Doherty; Robbie Coyne, Killian Doyle, Rory Keyes; Ciarán Doyle, Eoin Keyes, Devin Hill. Subs used: Eoghan Aherne for Hill (44), Brian McHugh for R Greville (inj., 46)
Castlepollard: Seán Dermody; Ben Murphy, Darragh O’Reilly, Oisín Gaffney; Colm Dermody, Paul Dermody, Seán Lancaster; Alex McCormack, Conor Gaffney; Luke Roddy, Darragh McCormack, Joe Rabbitt; Darragh Tierney, John McCarthy, Brian Gilchrist. Subs used: Ciarán English for A McCormack (h-t), Aaron O’Leary for Roddy (35), Conor Sheridan for Rabbitt (40), Matthew O’Reilly for Tierney (46)
Referee: Seán Carroll (Cullion)