Leinster club SHC: K/K survive Raharney scare

November 16, 2014

Kevin Grogan (Kilcormac Killoughey) gives chase to Raharney's Joey Boyle during the Leinster Club SHC semi final at Cusack Park. Photo courtesy Daniel Boyce Photography

Kilcormac/Killoughey (Offaly) 1-13
Raharney (Westmeath) 1-8

A Dan Currams goal with the last puck of the goal sealed a flattering five-point victory for Kilcormac/Killoughey over Raharney in a fiercely-contested provincial semi-final at Cusack Park.

Carlow referee David Hughes had to make a quick exit from the field after he awarded the Offaly champions two dubious frees in the dying moments, which Ciaran Slevin converted, to edge the winners ahead before captain Currams found the net in in stoppage-time after being set up by Conor Mahon.

It all means that Kilcormac/Killoughey are back in the Leinster final for the second time in three seasons where they will meet the winners of today's Kilkenny SHC final between Clara and Ballyhale or Kilmacud Crokes. But manager Danny Owens will know they have a lot of improving to do after getting out of jail for the second game in-a-row (they needed a last-minute goal to force extra-time with Shelmaliers in the quarter-final).

Raharney will feel hard done by after the referee awarded two hugely contentious frees to Cillian Kiely and sub Thomas Geraghty in the last three minutes with the game in the melting pot. However, the failure of veteran sub Brian Connaughton to find the net from two great goal chances in the final quarter is what will play most on their minds as they lick their wounds this evening.

After the throw-in was delayed by 10 minutes due to crowd congestion outside Cusack Park, Ciaran Slevin got the Offaly champions up and running with two points. John Shaw halved the deficit with Raharney's opening score in the seventh minute before the excellent Ciaran Doyle palmed home a goal moments later after the ball had pounced up to him on the edge of the square to give Johnny Greville's charges the lead for the first time.

Points from Cillian Kiely and Slevin (two) had the double Ks back in front before Joey Boyle equalised. A brilliant Peter Geraghty sideline and another Slevin effort pushed the 2013 All-Ireland finalists two clear, only for points from the Doyle twins, Ciaran and Killian (free), to send the sides in level at half-time, 1-4 to 0-7.

Ciaran Doyle and Brian Leonard traded points on the restart before a Killian Doyle brace gave Raharney a 1-7 to 0-8 lead with 13 minutes remaining. With K/K on the rack, Brian Connaughton then missed the first of his two goal opportunities. Slevin left the minimum in it from a free before hitting the post from another placed ball.

A sublime Ciaran Doyle point restored Raharney's two-point advantage with seven minutes to go, but they weren't to score again as Slevin - with his fourth from play - and Kiely restored parity.

With extra-time looming, Paul Greville was harshly adjudged to have fouled Kiely, and Slevin did the needful from the free. Connaughton should have put Raharney back in front before Slevin pushed the winners two clear from another dubious free.

And Raharney's misery was compounded when Currams - who had hardly been in the game - applied the coup de grace in injury-time.

Kilcormac/Killoughey - Conor Slevin; Con Mahon, G Healion, A McConville; K Grogan, P Healion, B Leonard (0-1); D Kilmartin, K Leonard; Ciaran Slevin (0-9, 5f), Conor Mahon, C Kiely (0-2); J Gorman, D Currams (1-0), P Geraghty (0-1sl). Subs: T Geraghty for J Gorman.

Raharney - A Doyle; T Doyle, C Jordan, D Giles; G Greville, P Greville, A Shiels; N Flanagan, C Boyle; J Boyle (0-1), K Doyle (0-3, 1f), R Greville; C Doyle (1-3, 0-1f), B Smyth, J Shaw (0-1). Subs: C Flanagan for T Doyle, F Boyle for B Smyth, B Connaughton for N Flanagan.

Referee - D Hughes.


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