Clonkill 2-16

Castletown-Geoghegan 1-16

Clonkill retained the Examiner Cup after withstanding a second half comeback from Castletown-Geoghegan at TEG Cusack Park.

The Loughegar-based side looked to be on course for a comfortable victory when goals from Jordy Smyth and Peadar Scally helped them to a 2-9 to 1-4 interval lead, but with the Clarke brothers, Joe and Aonghus, in fine scoring form, Castletown came storming back after the restart to reduce the deficit to the two points in injury-time. However, Clonkill held on to overtake Brownstown at the top of the Westmeath SHC roll of honour with a record 16th title.

Clonkill had established a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before Ciaran O'Brien raised the game's first green flag for Castletown in the 10th minute. Smyth's 16th minute strike brought Clonkill back onto level terms, 1-3 each, and they surged ahead through scores from veteran Brendan Murtagh before Scally's goal on the stroke of half-time left them with one hand on the cup.

Castletown rallied in the second half, but couldn't get any closer than two points, despite the holders finishing the game with 14 men after Kelvin Reilly was dismissed on a second yellow card four minutes from the end of normal time.

Clonkill - A Mitchell; D Egerton, Adam Price, J Kenny; K Reilly, P Dowdall (0-1), L Folan (0-1); S Power, C Austin (0-1); N Mitchell (0-1), P Scally (1-0), L Loughlin (0-2); N Dowdall (0-1), B Murtagh (0-6, 2f, 1'65), J Smyth (1-2). Subs: Anthony Price (0-1) for N Dowdall, E Price for C Austin, M Keegan for P Dowdall, C Nolan for P Scally, A Loughlin for J Smyth.

Castletown-Geoghegan - S Maher; C Kane, D McDermott, A Glennon; L Varley (0-1), S Clavin, D Lynch (0-1); J Bermingham, P Maxwell (0-1); N Kirby, A Clarke (0-9, 7f), P Doody; J Clarke (0-3), N O'Brien, C O'Brien (1-0). Subs: E Quinn for N Kirby, A Corbett (0-1) for P Doody, C Deegan for C O'Brien, N McKenna for J Clarke.

Referee - A Devine.

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