Gaelic Games

Raharney push Offaly champions all the way

Experience the telling factor as Dan Currams gives Kilcormac/Killoughey a flattering finish

Dan Currams sealed the deal for Kilcormac/Killoughey against Raharney in the Leinster hurling championship. Photograph: Inpho.
Dan Currams sealed the deal for Kilcormac/Killoughey against Raharney in the Leinster hurling championship. Photograph: Inpho.
Sun Nov 16 2014 - 19:00

Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship Semi-final
Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-13
Raharney 1-8

A goal with the second last puck of the match from Dan Currams helped Kilcormac/ Killoughey to a flattering five-point win over Raharney in a gripping Leinster club senior hurling semi-final, in front of over 4,000 spectators in pleasant conditions at Mullingar yesterday afternoon.

The Westmeath champions started nervously and Ciarán Slevin made them pay for a couple of unforced errors with two points from play in the opening three minutes.

Veteran corner forward, John Shaw got Raharney on the board with a clever point in the eighth minute. Two minutes later, Ciarán Doyle pounced for an opportunist goal against the run of play to give his side a two-point lead. The sides went in on level terms at the break, 0-7 to 1-4.

Both sides defended heroically, with Peter Healion very prominent for the Offaly champions at centre half back.

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Killian Doyle came more into the game in attack for the home side and, when his twin brother Ciarán slotted over a superb point from near the terrace sideline, Raharney led by 1-8 to 0-9 with just six minutes of normal time remaining.

A shock looked very much on the cards, but the experience of Kilcormac/Killoughey shone through in a hectic finale, during which Raharney sub Brian Connaughton spurned a chance to score what might have been a decisive goal.

However, it was the Offaly men who showed the greater craft scoring four unanswered points, via Slevin (three – including two frees) and Cillian Kiely.

With Raharney pressing forward in search of a goal in added-time, Slevin teed up Currams and the captain duly rifled the ball to the net.

KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: C Slevin; Con Mahon, G Healion, A McConville; K Grogan, P Healion, B Leonard (0-1); D Kilmartin, K Leonard; C Slevin (0-9, 0-5 frees), Conor Mahon, C Kiely (0-2); J Gorman, D Currams (1-0), P Geraghty (0-1, lineball). Sub: T Geraghty for Gorman (39 mins).
RAHARNEY: A Doyle; T Doyle, C Jordan, D Giles; G Greville, P Greville, A Sheils; N Flanagan, C Boyle; J Boyle (0-1), K Doyle (0-3, 0-1 free), R Greville; C Doyle (1-3, 0-1 free), B Smyth, J Shaw (0-1). Subs: C Flanagan for T Doyle (35 mins), F Boyle for Smyth (39 mins), B Connaughton for N Flanagan (48 mins).
Referee: D Hughes (Carlow).