Clonkill lived up to their favourites' billing when getting the better of a determined Lough Lene Gaels side in an exciting Westmeath SHC final at Cusack Park yesterday. Clonkill1-16 Lough Lene Gaels..2-9 The 2008 All-Ireland intermediate club champions were made to work hard for their 11th county title, only making sure of victory in injury-time when county star Brendan Murtagh fired over the insurance point. In a keenly contested first half, a 12th minute Larry Donoghue goal for Clonkill was cancelled out by a fine Daniel Carty strike in the 20th minute. That gave the Collinstown men a 1-5 to 1-4 lead, but Clonkill scored the next three points to lead by 1-7 to 1-5 at half-time. With Murtagh and Andrew Mitchell on target, the favourites extended their advantage on the restart before Derek McNicholas made it a three-point game when he drove a free to the net in the 40th minute. But two superb Murtagh points helped to steady Clonkill's nerves and they can now look forward to a Leinster club championship date with the Laois champions on the first weekend in November. Tweet

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