Danny Owens wasn't surprised by the ferocity of Raharney's challenge as his Kilcormac/Killoughey team escaped to victory in yesterday's Leinster club SHC semi-final.

"It was everything we expected it to be," the K/K manager told the Irish Independent after his side's rather flattering five-point win.

"I've trained clubs down here in Westmeath in the past and I know the quality of hurling in Westmeath is high, and it's probably not reflected at county level.

"They were always going to be a difficult team to beat. It was a ding-dong game that could have gone either way. We probably should have had more on the board early in the game when we had real dominance in the first 10 or 15 minutes, but after that, when they got the goal, it became a ding-dong battle."

The former Hogan Cup winner with Carmelite College, Moate added: "I suppose our ability to know how to win came through in the end, and we showed great heart and resilience, but we've a lot of improving to do before we take on the Dublin or Kilkenny champions in the final."

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