Clonkill 2-16 Raharney 2-11:CLONKILL RETAINED the Westmeath senior hurling title with a deserved five-point win over Raharney in poor conditions for hurling, in front of 1,800 spectators in Mullingar yesterday.

There was never much between the teams in a closely fought first half.

A great goal from a 20-metre free by Brian Connaughton in the 19th minute edged the challengers ahead by a point (1-3 to 0-5), but a touch to the net from close range by Cathal Scally put the champions ahead five minutes later and they were never headed thereafter. Clonkill led by 1-6 to 1-4 at the break.

Raharney only trailed by a point (1-11 to 1-10) when a kicked effort by Clonkill sub, Alan Dowdall skidded off Jimmy Greville’s stick for a soft goal with seven minutes of normal time remaining. The winners then fired over five fine points in as many minutes, leaving Robbie Greville’s injury-time goal as a mere consolation score.

CLONKILL: S Nulty; T Egan, J Fagan, K Reilly; Adam Price, A Mitchell (0-3, one free, one 65), M Keegan; P Dowdall, S Power (0-1); B Murtagh (0-4, one free), A McGrath (0-3, one free), L Loughlin; A Price (0-2), C Scally (1-0), E Price (0-1). Subs: A Dowdall (1-1) for Loughlin (24m), C Reilly (0-1) for Power (43m), N Dowdall for A Price (55m), C Austin for Keegan (60m), S Cleary for Egan (60+2m).

RAHARNEY: J Greville; T Doyle, P Greville, M Glennon; A Sheils, C Jordan, B Connaughton (1-0, free); R Greville (1-0), N Flanagan; C Flanagan (0-1), F Boyle (0-2), J Boyle (0-3); D Riggs, J Shaw (0-5, four frees), C Boyle. Subs: D Carey for Connaughton (34m), J Kennedy for Carey (50m).