Clonkill (Westmeath) 4-15
Tommy Larkins 3-14

A spirited late rally from Tommy Larkins ended in disappointment amid emotional scenes in Croke Park on Saturday night as Clonkill captured Westmeath's first ever All-Ireland club hurling title.

Trailing by nine minutes with just minutes remaining, goals from substitute Barry Shiel and an Eamonn Hayes penalty ensured a nail-biting finale.

But after Clonkill's Alan Dowdall and Larkins' Damien Kelly exchanged points, Brendan Murtagh supplied the insurance score with a free four minutes into stoppage time.

In a thrilling first half, Declan Garvey had kept Larkins' glory bid on course with a goal in the 13th minute. But goals from Murtagh and Larry Donoghue ensured that Clonkill led by four points at the break.

Daragh Ayres extended the Clonkill lead seven minutes after half time and when Donoghue goaled for the second time as the game entered the final quarter, Clonkill looked to have history in their grasp.

But some fine point-scoring spread throughout the forward line allied to Eamon Hayes' free taking had kept Larkins in the game and the late goal flurry ensured no one would be leaving before the end. But Clonkill held on for a famous win to send the Westmeath supporters into raptures.

CLONKILL: E Price; S Cleary, A Price, F Fagan; M Healy, A Mitchell (0-2, frees) , J Fagan; C Reilly (0-1), P Dowdall (0-1); A Dowdall (0-2), B Murtagh (1-6, two frees), E Loughlin (0-1); D Ayres (1-1), L Donoghue (2-0), L Folan (0-1). Subs: C Austin for Ayres 57 mins, S Owens for Reilly 62 mins, S Power for Folan 62 mins.

TOMMY LARKINS: D Starr; P Flynn, R White, J Rohan; D Kelly (0-1), C Fahy, E Gorman; T Cavanagh, A Garvey (0-1); P Moroney (0-2), E Hayes (1-8, 1-0 pen, five frees), K Hooban (0-1); D Garvey (1-0), N Kelly (0-1) , M Fahy. Subs: B McCormack for Gorman 30 mins, O Rohan for Cavanagh 40 mins, R Dervan for C Fahy 46 mins, B Shiel (1-0) for M Fahy 53 mins.

Referee: C McAllister (Cork)

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