Raharney regained the Examiner Cup after a year's absence when they dethroned Clonkill with a surprise but fully merited senior hurling championship final victory. Here, we chart the Deelsiders' path to a 10th senior title success. Raharney captured their second senior hurling championship in three years following a 0-15 to 2-6 victory over holders Clonkill at Cusack Park on October 5 last. While the final was a largely disappointing spectacle, that will not bother the gritty Deelsiders who put behind them the disappointment of their shock 2007 semi-final elimination at the hands of Lough Lene Gaels to claim the blue riband prize of Westmeath hurling for a 10th time. The success was all the more noteworthy given that Clonkill hadn't lost a competitive match in over a year, during which time they won county senior as well as Leinster and All-Ireland intermediate honours. As in 2006, when they defeated Castletown-Geoghegan after a replay to end a 12-year wait, Raharney's success was masterminded by Dalystown man Eamonn Gallagher, who was assisted by selectors Billy Boyle and Kevin Carr. "Clonkill have been the benchmark of Westmeath hurling for a year and the fact that they went all the way to win the All-Ireland title against a good Galway club (Tommie Larkins) emphasises just how great this win is. It was a tremendous team performance all round after a hard year's preparation," said Gallagher, who has since been appointed Westmeath manager in succession to Johnny Dooley. A jubilant Raharney captain Niall Flanagan commented: "You dream about days like this and I would not be in the game if I felt we could not have achieved this. "It was a great team performance, despite conceding two soft first half goals, but thank God, it did not cost us and it all worked out well in the end." Having been undone by a late Clonkill rally in an earlier clash, Raharney had revenge on their minds going into the final and their superiority was underlined by the fact that they posted 15 scores to the favourites' eight. While their manager and captain both attributed the victory to a splendid team effort, two players in particular caught the eye - the hard-grafting Brian Smyth and centre back Conor Jordan, who held no less a player than Brendan Murtagh scoreless from play. The road to county glory began on June 2 when Raharney eased to a 1-17 to 0-7 victory over Crookedwood at Cusack Park. The blue and whites had eight different scorers in a game they never looked in any danger of losing. They opened up a 0-8 to 0-2 lead after 20 minutes and were still six points to the good at half-time, 0-10 to 0-4. Crookedwood had a glorious chance to close the deficit seven minutes after the restart when they were awarded a penalty, but Jimmy and Johnny Greville combined to turn away Johnny Orme's effort, and within a minute the experienced Padraig Connaughton netted at the opposite end to finish the game as a contest. A five-star display from John Shaw inspired the Deelsiders to a second comfortable victory at Lough Lene Gaels' expense. Just 40 seconds had elapsed when the county star had the umpire reaching for the white flag. Shaw tagged on two more points before Paul Fitzsimons opened the Gaels' account in the sixth minute. But Raharney continued to dictate proceedings and scored four more points to lead by 0-7 to 0-2 after 19 minutes. It got worse for the purple and golds three minutes later when a long range free from Shaw slipped through the fingers of goalkeeper Brian Conaty and into the net. That score helped the Deelsiders to a 1-7 to 0-4 interval lead and while the Gaels closed the gap to four points in the third quarter, further scores from Brian Connaughton, Brendan McKeogh and Shaw sealed a 1-13 to 0-9 victory for Eamonn Gallagher's charges. Raharney suffered their only setback of the campaign when losing to Clonkill by 1-10 to 2-14 in what was a dress rehearsal for the final. The sides were level at 1-10 each with eight minutes remaining, but four late points from Brendan Murtagh, Conrad Reilly, Luke Folan and Christopher Austin, and a goal from Paddy Dowdall, handed the champions a 2-14 to 1-10 win. There had been little to separate the teams up until then, with Brian Connaughton's goal from a long-range free in the 27th minute ensuring Raharney of parity at the interval. Clonkill resumed with three unanswered points to open up a 1-9 to 1-6 lead, only for Raharney to reply with four on the trot to edge 1-10 to 1-9 in front. But after Murtagh levelled from a free in the 48th minute, Clonkill found an extra gear in the closing stages to run flattering seven-point winners. The Deelsiders bounced back to beat Castletown-Geoghegan 1-19 to 3-11, and secure their semi-final spot in the process. John Shaw was once again Raharney's star man, hitting 0-8 in a game that was overshadowed by a neck injury to Castletown wing back David Langan, which resulted in the play being held up for over 20 minutes. Raharney opened brightly with an early Brian Smyth goal helping them to a 1-4 to 0-3 lead after 16 minutes. But goals from Keith Gorry and Eamonn Og Clarke saw the black and ambers take a 2-8 to 1-8 lead into the break. The blue and whites restarted in businesslike fashion, and quick points from Shane Leavy, John Shaw, Niall Flanagan, Christopher Flanagan and Francis Boyle made it 1-13 to 2-8 after 10 minutes. Flanagan, Boyle and Shaw added further points to put five between the sides with 14 minutes remaining. Castletown finally broke their second half scoring duck when Robbie Jackson pointed two frees, but scores from Boyle and Shaw had eased Raharney into a 1-19 to 2-11 lead before Jackson scored a late consolation goal for the black and ambers. Raharney needed two attempts to get the better of an improving St. Oliver Plunkett's in the semi-final. They looked to have done enough the first day, only to be denied by a late, late Sean O'Leary goal. But they made no mistake in the replay, running out emphatic 0-20 to 2-5 winners to set up a final date with Clonkill. Eamonn Gallagher's men played some excellent hurling in the first half of the drawn encounter and, aided by some fine scores from Brian Smyth, led 0-9 to 0-4 as the first half drew to a close. But a Cian O'Leary goal on the stroke of half-time left Plunkett's just two adrift. The Mullingar club had drawn level by the 37th minute of the second half, but with John Shaw proving inspirational in a defensive role and veteran Brendan McKeogh grabbing a goal, Raharney had surged into a 1-12 to 1-8 lead with a few minutes remaining. However, in an exciting finale, a Ciaran Curley point was followed by Sean O'Leary's last-gasp goal, which earned Plunkett's an unlikely 2-9 to 1-2 draw. The first half of the replay was a lively affair with Kieran Gavin's early goal ensuring that Plunkett's were well in contention at half-time, 1-5 to 0-10. When Cian O'Leary netted four minutes after the resumption to give the town side the lead, the gauntlet had been well and truly thrown down to Raharney, but they responded with a flurry of points from Shaw, Alan Giles, Francis Boyle, Brian Connaugton, Christopher Flanagan and Padraig Connaughton to ease to victory. The final brought together the two top teams in the county. Favourites Clonkill got a lucky break in the eighth minute when Christopher Austin's harmless looking ball across the edge of the small square fell to Larry Donoghue who guided it to the net. But with full forward Brian Smyth excelling in his roving role, Raharney were level within five minutes thanks to a point from Francis Boyle and two from Smyth himself. A Brian Connaughton '65' edged the underdogs in front before Clonkill scored another goal of the 'soft' variety courtesy of an Andrew Mitchell free from inside his own half. Once again, Raharney responded with points from John Shaw and Niall Flanagan, but Clonkill finished the first half with efforts from substitute Shane Power and wing back John Fagan to lead 2-3 to 0-7 at the break. Clonkill's two-point interval advantage lasted only three minutes after the restart thanks to points from Shaw and Alan Giles. Two frees from Andrew Mitchell and the strangely subdued Brendan Murtagh restored the champions' advantage, but with John Shaw finally beginning to find his feet after a quiet first half, Raharney eventually took the lead in the 17th minute through a point from Brendan Murtagh, and further scores from Shaw (two) and Francis Boyle in a tremendously exciting finish meant the Examiner Cup was bound for the Meath-border parish once again. The Raharney team which captured the Westmeath SHC title was: Jimmy Greville; Peter Mullen, Paul Greville, Johnny Greville; Alan Giles, Conor Jordan, Tony Doyle; Niall Flanagan, Brian Connaughton; Francis Boyle, John Shaw, Christopher Flanagan; Brendan McKeogh, Brian Smyth, David Flanagan. Subs used: Padraig Connaughton and Danny Riggs. Deelsiders power to under 21 glory Raharney proved much too strong for three-in-a-row chasing Castletown-Geoghegan in the much-delayed 2007 under 21 hurling final which was played just before Christmas. With senior stars Brian Smyth, Tony Doyle and Christopher Flanagan to the fore, the Deelsiders powered to a 3-11 to 1-3 victory at Shandonagh. The writing was on the wall for the holders at half-time when they trailed by 1-2 to 3-4, with the Raharney goals coming from Flanagan, Smyth and Jimmy Greville. Robbie Jackson clawed back a point for Castletown on the resumption, but this was to prove their only score of the half as a fitter and stronger Raharney pulled clear with scores from Flanagan, Smyth and Cormac Boyle. Raharney's reign as under 21 champions proved short-lived as the following weekend they were beaten by Lough Lene Gaels in the first round of the 2008 competition. Overall, it was a highly successful year for the Meath-border club who also captured the under 14 championship and Feile Shield. The Raharney team which triumphed in the delayed 2007 under 21 hurling final was: Andrew Doyle; Mark Conroy, Robbie McKeogh, Adam Shiels; Declan Mullen, Tony Doyle, Cormac Boyle; Brian Smyth, Alan Giles; Michael Boyle, Christopher Flanagan, Alan O'Sullivan; Niall Flynn, Jimmy Greville, Dan Riggs. Subs used: Eoin O'Sullivan, Brian Duignan, Cathal Brady and Gary Conroy. Tweet

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