Clonkill bow out of Leinster after exciting encounter
A profligate Clonkill side were edged out by Tullamore in the semi-final of this year's AIB Leinster Club senior hurling championship, thereby missing out on arguably the best-ever opportunity for a Westmeath team to reach a provincial decider at this level.
After waiting a whopping 45 years to regain their Offaly crown, reaching the Leinster final is truly a remarkable achievement for the team in white and blue.
With former All-Star, Kevin Martin operating as player/manager, the recently-appointed Westmeath senior manager got an opportunity to have a look at some of his new charges from a highly unusual stance. While he will have been impressed with many aspects of the Clonkill performance, he will be all-too-aware that his current club charges had a let-off on the day due to Clonkill's wastefulness, both in terms of shooting and taking wrong options from good scoring positions.
The quarter-final hero, Brendan Murtagh was off colour, by his own exalted standards, and only contributed 1-1 from frees, with the goal being a very fortuitous effort. Despite Martin's veteran status, it was an even more senior player (in his late 40s) who proved to be the winners' hero.
Goalkeeper Damian Fox produced a fabulous diving save from Eoin Price in the dying moments of normal time, as the home side came in search of a winning goal. In the end, the Faithful County champions just about deserved their win, but they will be massive underdogs when they face the might of Ballyhale Shamrocks in the decider.
A crowd of 2,400 turned up on a cold but pleasant November afternoon, many of them making the short journey from the County Offaly capital town.
Pat O'Toole's charges attacked immediately and after a mere 40 seconds they were awarded a '65', which Andrew Mitchell duly converted. However, a real let-off for Clonkill ensued, when Shane Dooley set up Francis Kerrigan who hit the butt of the post with his shot. The visitors equalised in the fourth minute, Dooley starting, as he was go on right to the last minute, with an accurate strike to dissect the posts from a 40-metre free. Midfielder Shane Kelly was already very much to the fore and he put the winners a point ahead in the eighth minute with a fine strike from 65 metres.
Paddy Dowdall levelled the contest with a great shot from over 60 metres but Tullamore replied with another successful free from a tight angle by Shane Dooley.
The Westmeath champions spurned a glorious opportunity to draw level in the 14th minute, Brendan Murtagh somehow opting to pass the ball from a scoreable free short to Paddy Dowdall and the left half forward screwed the ball wide from a great position. Just past the midpoint of the half, Shane Dooley made it double scores for the winners with a wonderful long-range free.
Clonkill's luck ran out in the 19th minute, Francis Kerrigan pouncing when Adam Price failed to take control of the sliotar and burying a low shot to the net from 15 metres. However, the men in green and gold responded superbly by rattling off three points in as many minutes. Another converted free from Shane Dooley put Tullamore a goal to the good.
Two successful placed balls from Clonkill's marquee freetakers, Brendan Murtagh (his goal attempt being deflected over the crossbar by Damian Fox) and Andrew Mitchell (from a '65') left the bare minimum between the sides as the minutes ticked away. At the end of a closely-contested first moiety, the scoreboard read: Tullamore 1-5 Clonkill 0-7.
Lead increased
Team captain Shane Dooley increased the Faithful County men's lead with a point from a '65' followed by a 50-metre free but Luke Folan replied with a neat score. Kevin Martin popped over a tidy point for the winners, before a bad mistake from Steven Cleary gifted Shane Kelly another point for Tullamore in the 16th minute.
Arguably the turning point of the match arrived when a dashing run from Alan Dowdall ended with his shot coming off the crossbar, but a pass to the unmarked Enda Loughlin may have been a better option.
Shane Dooley (free) and Francis Kerrigan, with a 60 metre point, extended Tullamore's lead to six points with eight minutes of normal time remaining. However, the Westmeath men came right back into contention when a seemingly-mishit free from Murtagh went all the way to the Tullamore net.
A trademark solo run from Alan Dowdall could have yielded a goal/ Wides from Andrew Mitchell (an 80-metre free) and Enda Loughlin (from long range) ensued. Veteran goalkeeper-cum-selector Damian Fox then came to his side's rescue with a thrilling full-length save from Eoin Price, the latter's brother Anthony whipping over the rebound, to leave his side two points down as the game entered added-time.
A brief but nasty melee then threatened to spoil an otherwise sporting encounter, with the referee singling out substitute Anthony Price for a straight red card when the dust settled.
A more composed Tullamore side took full advantage deep into stoppage-time when Shane Dooley fired over his eighth successful placed ball of the afternoon with the last puck of the game. With this ended a huge opportunity for Clonkill to make history by reaching a Leinster senior final. In truth, this was one that got away.
Tullamore: Damian Fox; Alan Martin, Cillian Bane, Stephen Egan; Nigel Mannion, Brendan Dagg, Hugh Treacy; James Keane, Shane Kelly (0-2); Edwin Finnerty, Jody Duffy, Ger Treacy; Francis Kerrigan (1-1), Kevin Martin (0-1), Shane Dooley (capt) (0-8, 0-7 from frees, 0-1 from a '65'). Sub: Shaun Martin (for Finnerty, 50 mins).
Clonkill: Brian Murray; Steven Cleary, Adam Price, Martin Scally; Eoin Price (0-1), Andrew Mitchell (0-2, both from '65's), Sean Loughlin (capt); Fergal Fagan, Shane Power; Alan Dowdall, Brendan Murtagh (1-1, both from frees), Paddy Dowdall (0-2); Michael Heffernan, Larry Donoghue, Luke Folan (0-2). Subs: Enda Loughlin (for Heffernan, 37 mins), Anthony Price (0-1) (for Fagan, 39 mins), Alan McGrath (for Power, 52 mins), Christopher Austin (for Donoghue, 60 mins).
Referee: James Owens (Wexford).
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