Gaels hold off Raharney to reach Westmeath SHC final

Castletown's David O'Reilly celebrates scoring his side's third goal in the Westmeath SHC final replay against Lough Lene Gaels at TEG Cusack Park ©INPHO/James Crombie

Runners-up in each of the last three years, Lough Lene Gaels withstood a fierce second half fightback by Raharney at TEG Cusack Park yesterday to reach another Westmeath SHC final.

Boosted by David Williams’ early goal, the Collinstown men held a commanding 2-10 to 0-9 lead at the break, but Raharney produced a big third quarter to get themselves back to within a point, 1-17 to 2-15, after Cormac McKeogh found the net. The Gaels, however, weathered the storm to prevail by 2-22 to 1-23 and qualify directly for the decider as group toppers, leaving Raharney to battle it out with three-in-a-row seeking Castletown-Geoghegan in the semi-final.

Having lost to both Lough Lene Gaels and Raharney, Alan Mangan’s men got back on track by blitzing Delvin 7-32 to 2-13 in a one-sided Group 5 clash at Kinnegad.

Clonkill also hammered Fr Dalton’s by 6-22 to 3-9, but bow out of the Examiner Cup race.