Doyle’s injury-time goal gives Raharney a dramatic victory

Raharney 2-19, Lough Lene Gaels 2-17

By Gerry Buckley

Sport can be cruel! Killian Doyle broke Lough Lene Gaels’ hearts in ideal conditions for hurling at TEG Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon by rifling home a great goal for Raharney deep into injury-time to deprive the underdogs of a first Westmeath senior hurling title in 21 years.

Despite some disappointing shooting at both ends, overall this was a wonderful sporting contest, full of skill and endeavour, and it was extremely hard on the Collinstown men to have to leave Mullingar without the Westmeath Examiner Cup which they seemed to have within their grasp at the end of normal time.

However, the game is never over until the referee blows the final whistle, and Doyle displayed his undoubted class by bringing his personal tally to 1-11 (despite appearing to be hampered somewhat by injury) with a sensational late goal, albeit many in the losers’ camp felt afterwards that the free which led to the goal was a harsh call. Indeed, there was still time for Derek McNicholas, whose earlier goal was right out of the top drawer, to see his 25-metre free come back off the butt of the post to round off a pulsating match.

A large and enthusiastic crowd was present, the majority of them supporting the ‘Yellow Bellies’, when Grace Nic Domhnaill sang Amhrán na bhFiann prior to the throw-in, after a typically outstanding musical display by perennial visitors, the Mullingar Town Band.

David Williams opened the scoring for the underdogs with a great point in the second minute, but the men in blue took control at this juncture and they led by 0-5 to 0-1 by the eighth minute courtesy of points from the Doyle twins, Ciaran (one from play) and Killian (two frees), Eoin Keyes, and Eamon Cunneen. Tommy Doyle (a lovely lift and strike) and Killian Doyle (a free) traded points, before Williams (a free) and McNicholas (a trademark quality score) edged the Gaels closer with a point apiece. Killian Doyle (from play) put the Deelsiders ahead by 0-7 to 0-4 in the 15th minute, at which stage they had seven wides racked up to their opponents’ two.

Joey Williams’ side equalised when McNicholas launched the sliotar goalward in the 18th minute and Jason Malone was fouled. From the resultant penalty, Williams drilled the ball low to the net. The hard-working Joey Boyle and Tommy Doyle (a fabulous score from near the terrace sideline) soon swapped points. In the 25th minute Cunneen teed up Killian Doyle who seemed sure to find the net, but somehow Daniel Reilly scooped the ball off the goal line via the upright. A point exchange between David Williams and Boyle ensued before Shane Williams got on the scoresheet at the end of normal time. Killian Doyle converted two monster frees in added-time to leave Ger Flanagan’s troops ahead by 0-11 to 1-7 at the interval.

Three points from the impressive Eoin Daly (later named as official man of the match by the press corps) and a free from David Williams (who had a mixed day from placed balls) had Lough Lene Gaels a goal to the good (1-11 to 0-11) by the 35th minute. A Killian Doyle free and a great score from skipper Robbie Greville had the deficit down to the bare minimum, before Micheál Daly doubled the Gaels’ advantage with a terrific point.

In the 39th minute, a needless foul on sub Brian McGrath resulted in a Raharney penalty. Killian Doyle’s strike was unconvincing and was saved by his fellow-Westmeath player Noel Conaty, with Doyle having the small consolation of converting the resultant ‘65’. David Williams (a routine free) and Keyes (a fine solo effort) then exchanged points. The Gaels, appearing in their final county final in 14 years, looked well set for an overdue triumph when McNicholas fired home a magnificent goal under pressure in the 45th minute to put his side ahead by 2-13 to 0-15.

Killian Doyle and Eoin Daly traded points before McGrath scored a fine individual goal in the 51st minute to leave the margin at the bare minimum. Sub Aaron Kennedy (open play) and Killian Doyle (a free) swapped points, but a wonderful brace from ‘Jogger’ Doyle, playing very well in a somewhat unfamiliar attacking role, put the men in purple and gold ahead by a clear goal (2-17 to 1-17) by the 59th minute. However, a point each from Killian Doyle (a free) and Keyes (when the Gaels failed to clear their lines) left the gap at a single point at the end of normal time.

A surprisingly low amount of one minute (minimum) added-time was announced and shortly after this had elapsed, a questionable decision resulted in a long-range Ciaran Doyle free which found his brother Killian, who duly bore down on goals – when a simple point chance beckoned – and he fired an unstoppable shot past Conaty. Within a minute, a piledriver by McNicholas from a 25-metre free came back off the butt of the post. Shane Williams’ last-gasp ‘65’ was cleared, and the sound of the final whistle brought ecstasy to the winners and devastation to the losers.

After the game, Frank Mescall, the chairman of the Westmeath County Board, in conjunction with Martin Slevin of competition sponsors Slevin’s Coaches, presented the Westmeath Examiner Cup to the winning captain Robbie Greville, who became the third sibling from the famous Raharney family to lift the trophy following on from Johnny in 2006 and Paul in 2016.

Man of the match: Eoin Daly (Lough Lene Gaels). The young wing forward was very unlucky to be on the losing side, as was the likes of Tommy ‘Jogger’ Doyle, both of them scoring four points from open play in a massive effort from the Collinstown outfit.

Key moment: Given the outcome, the awarding of a late free out to Raharney which led to the winning goal was a pivotal moment.

Talking point: The quality of the match was on a par with deciders in any of the so-called traditional counties.

Stats watch: Wides - Raharney 14 (first half, 8); Lough Lene Gaels 10 (4). ‘65’s - Raharney 1 (0); Lough Lene Gaels 1 (0). Yellow cards - Raharney 1 – D Finn; Lough Lene Gaels 0

Next up: Raharney will face the Dublin champions at TEG Cusack Park in the Leinster club championship on November 11/12.

Scorers – Raharney: K Doyle 1-11 (0-9f, 0-1‘65’), E Keyes 0-3, B McGrath 1-0, J Boyle 0-2, R Greville, E Cunneen, C Doyle 0-1 each. Lough Lene Gaels: D Williams 1-5 (1-0pen, 0-3f), T Doyle, E Daly 0-4 each, D McNicholas 1-1, S Williams, M Daly, A Kennedy 0-1 each.

Raharney: Aaron McHugh; Conor McKeogh, Jamie Mulkearns, Darren Finn; Cormac Boyle, Robbie Greville, David Hickey; Eamon Cunneen, Gary Greville; Rory Keyes, Killian Doyle, Joey Boyle; Eoin Keyes, Ciaran Doyle, Eoghan Ahearn. Subs used: Devin Hill for Cunneen (h-t), Brian McGrath for R Keyes (h-t).

Lough Lene Gaels: Noel Conaty; Philip Reilly, Dan Higgins, Daniel Reilly; John Egan, Daragh Qamar, Shane Williams; Brendan Doyle, Micheál Daly; Tommy Doyle, David Williams, Eoin Daly; Derek McNicholas, Jason Malone, Marcus Kennedy. Subs used: Aaron Kennedy for Malone (41), Thomas Kennedy for Reilly (inj., 54).

Ref: Mickey Dan Murtagh (Clonkill).