Castletown-Geoghegan 1-13 Kilcormac-Killoughey 2-13
A goal in injury-time from their marquee player Adam Screeney edged Kilcormac-Killoughey into the Leinster club senior hurling final in front of a very big crowd in cold but pleasant conditions in Mullingar.
Their opponents Castletown-Geoghegan were attempting to become the first Westmeath club to reach a senior final just a week after their sensational 11-point defeat of Thomastown, and they looked for long stretches like making history, despite the loss through injury of their very promising forward David O'Reilly after just 17 minutes.
A brace of converted frees from close range by Adam Screeney in the opening five minutes put the visitors two points clear. Point exchanges ensued between Niall O’Brien and Screeney (from frees), and the lively Conor Murphy (a classy score on the run) and Colin Spain (a sideline cut).
An O’Brien '65’ in the 14th minute was followed by ten scoreless minutes before another wind-assisted O’Brien free and a second from play by Murphy nudged the Westmeath side ahead for the first time with 27 minutes on the clock. Screeney slotted over a needlessly-conceded ‘65’ to draw the sides level at 0-05 apiece.
Castletown-Geoghegan finished the first half strongly with three unanswered points from the sticks of Shane Clavin (after an indirect free taken by O’Brien), Morgan Gavigan and Peter Clarke (a superb lineball with the last puck of the half). Prior to Gavigan’s point, both sides had goal chances with Screeney denied by Ciaran O’Brien, and Niall O’Brien thwarted by Conor Slevin. Castletown-Geoghegan led by 0-08 to 0-05 at the interval.
With a useful wind behind them, the Offaly men were on level terms less than nine minutes after play resumed,
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