Murtagh leads by example as Clonkill claim 15th title with narrow victory
FORMER Westmeath and Leinster player Brendan Murtagh played a captain’s part as Clonkill won their 15th Westmeath senior hurling title in Cusack Park, Mullingar, on Saturday, edging out old rivals Raharney by the narrowest of margins.
It was a game which seldom reached any great heights, but ended in a thrilling finale.
There was very little between the teams in the first-half. Murtagh and his opposite number Ciaran Doyle were reliable from frees in the early stages, but a volleyed goal from Conor Raleigh put Raharney 1-3 to 0-3 ahead after 11 minutes.
Six minutes later the sides were on level terms when a fine sideline cut by Luke Loughlin teed up Mark Keegan for a well-taken goal.
Murtagh and Cormac Boyle then traded points from play and Clonkill outscored their opponents by two points to one – a glorious effort from Killian Doyle in the 28th minute – in the time remaining in the first-half, to lead by 1-6 to 1-5 at the break.
Clonkill always looked the more likely winnersafter the break without ever opening up a really substantial lead.
Murtagh’s eighth point seemed to be the insurance score in the 59th minute to put his side four points to the good.
However, when Niall Flanagan got a crucial touch to a long delivery from Sean Quinn in the last minute of normal time, the crowd of 1,800 was set for a grandstand finish.
Eoin Price spurned a glorious opportunity to seal the deal for Clonkill, leaving Ciaran Doyle with an opportunity to force a replay deep into stoppage time.
However, his difficult 60-metre free from a tight angle tailed narrowly wide and the 2008 AllIreland intermediate champions held on to win by a single point.