Raharney and Clonkill showed just why they will be expected to be the main contenders for this year’s senior hurling championship, along with Castletown, when they played out an entertaining, uncompromising battle, in this opening round game of the senior hurling championship in Cusack Park, last Saturday evening.
By Paul O’Donovan
In the end it was a Brian Smyth point for Raharney that divided the teams and decided this game in favour of the Deelsiders, but there is a long way to go and plenty of hurling to be played yet before these sides are expected to meet in the knockout stages of this championship.
These sides were level on five occasions before two points from Raharney’s Brian Smyth gave them a 0-13 to 0-11 advantage heading into the final minutes. A point from a free in injury time was all Clonkill could muster in response and so Raharney grab the early bragging rights, but Clonkill, and their new manager David O’Reilly, won’t be too disappointed to have lost on this occasion.
A bright opening by Clonkill saw them lead by five points after 25 minutes, 0-7 to 0-2, but gradually Raharney got to grips with their opponents and inspired by a fine second half by Killian Doyle, the Deelsiders were level by the 38th minute at 0-8 each.
From there to the finish it was tit for tat as the sides were level on three more occasions before Raharney ground out a hard-earned victory.
TIGHT OPENING EXCHANGES
After a tentative start, Clonkill, playing into the Dunnes Stores end of the ground, with the wind behind them, opened the scoring thanks to a point by Paddy Dowdall.
Ciaran Doyle responded for Raharney a minute later with a hard earned point.
Points from Niall Dowdall from play, and Andrew Mitchell from a ’65, placed Clonkill two in front, before the Loughegar men lost the services of Niall Dowdall through injury.
Killian Doyle converted a free for Raharney after Clonkill’s Andrew Mitchell was adjudged to have taken too many steps to leave Raharney trailing 0-2 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.
Then Clonkill took control scoring four points in nine minutes to open up a five-point gap. Firstly Brendan Murtagh converted a 50-metre free and then Paddy Dowdall pointed, after great work by sub Darragh Egerton. Two points by Andrew Mitchell, the first a lovely strike from a free, and the second a neat point from play, saw Clonkill lead 0-7 to 0-2 after 25 minutes.
By this stage tensions had mounted and there was a nice bite to the meaty challenges.
Clonkill’s new goalkeeper Gary Healy showed a safe pair of hands under the dropping ball inside the square on several occasions and overall Healy had a fine game between the posts. Clonkill’s defence were also strong throughout the first half with Shane Power, Alan McGrath and John Fagan solid in the full back line.
Raharney did mange to grab the last two scores of the half though with Killian Doyle converting a right wing free and his twin Ciaran scoring a great point while on the run in the final action of the half, to leave Raharney trailing by 0-4 to 0-7 at the break.
KILLIAN DRIVES
RAHARNEY FORWARD
As the fine evening sun shone across Cusack Park for the second half, Eoin Price opened the scoring for Clonkill to stretch their lead to four points, but then Raharney, and in particular Killian Doyle, came to prominence.
John Shaw set up Robbie Greville for a point, and a minute later Killian Doyle scored a great point from the left wing.
Killian then converted another free and then scored another fine point from the left wing to bring the sides level at 0-8 each.
Killian was proving inspirational at this stage for Raharney but Clonkill came back into the game and the sides traded the next six points. Once again Killian Doyle scored a great point from the left wing, but this time Anthony Price cancelled it out with a converted free.
This time Ciaran Doyle placed Raharney back in front, but once again Anthony Price responded with a successful free for Clonkill. Next it was the turn of Frank Boyle as he produced a great score from out on the right wing but yet again Clonkill responded with Anthony Price setting up Paddy Dowdall for a point. This left the sides level at 0-11 each with just five minutes of normal time remaining.
Now it was a question of who wanted this win the most and the answer was Brian Smyth of Raharney.
Smyth came to light and scored a good point from a central position before scoring an even better point from a snap shot after a sharp turn 40 metres out.
Now Raharney led by 0-13 to 0-11 and in a tense finish Clonkill’s only reply came from an Andrew Mitchell free.
It left Raharney the winners by a single point, but surely this was only a sparring match for the real action that will come later in the business end of the championship for these two sides.
Scorers-Raharney: Killian Doyle 0-6 (0-3 frees), Ciaran Doyle 0-3, Brian Smyth 0-2, Robbie Greville 0-1, Frank Boyle 0-1.
Clonkill: Paddy Dowdall 0-3, Andrew Mitchell 0-3 (0-2 from frees), Brendan Murtagh 0-2 (0-1 free, 0-1 from a ’65), Anthony Price 0-2 from frees, Eoin Price 0-1, Niall Dowdall 0-1.
Raharney: Andrew Doyle; Tony Doyle, Conor Jordan, Christopher Flanagan; Gary Greville, Paul Greville, Mark Glennon; Niall Flanagan, Cormac Boyle; John Shaw, Robbie Greville, Killian Doyle; Ciaran Doyle, Brian Smyth, Joey Boyle. Sub used: Frank Boyle for John Shaw (44 minutes).
Clonkill: Gary Healy; Shane Power, Alan McGrath, John Fagan; Luke Folan, Brendan Murtagh, Andrew Mitchell; Thomas Egan, Eoin Price; Peadar Scally, Paddy Dowdall, Philip Dowdall; Niall Dowdall, Cathal Scally, Anthony Price. Subs used: Darragh Egerton for Niall Dowdall (injured, 11 minutes), Patrick Walsh for Philip Dowdall (49 minutes), Paul Poynton for Thomas Egan (57 minutes).
Referee: Feichin Brennan (Crookedwood).
