SFC: 'Hill too steep for Dunshaughlin

April 20, 2009

Summerhill's Michael Gorman breaks the tackle for Dunshaughlin's David Crimmins during the Meath SFC at Dunsany.
Four points in eleven second-half minutes proved decisive as Summerhill got their Commons Hardware SFC Group C campaign off to a winning start at Dunshaughlin's expense on Sunday afternoon. Summerhill 0-11 Dunshaughlin 0-6 Substitute Rory Donnelly, who was unable to start due to injury, managed two of the four scores that arrived between the 37th and 48th minutes and left Summerhill with an 0-11 to 0-4 advantage despite playing into the wind in the second-half. Maurice Kennedy and Sean Dalton also registered from play for last year's runners-up in that productive spell. Dunshaughlin were unable to make the elements work in their favour and though they closed the game out with points from Niall Kelly (free), Richie Kealy and Martin Reilly (free), they never looked like getting the goal required to close the gap. Summerhill - who also started without Mark O'Reilly and Willie Milner - played towards the dressing rooms end in the first-half and posted three points from play in the opening nine minutes of a mediocre encounter. Stephen Kennedy, Brian Ennis and Maurice Kennedy were on the mark for Summerhill before Conor Staunton opened Dunshaughlin's account. David Crimmins forced a smart save from Summerhill goalkeeper Tony McDonnell but a fine fetch by Micheal Byrne led to Ennis' second score. The deficit was down to three points before Martin Reilly (free) registered Dunshaughlin's only other score in the opening period. Micheal Byrne was central to Ennis' third score of the half - an fine effort from out on the left - while Stephen Kennedy landed his second '45' of the opening 30 minutes to leave it 0-7 to 0-2 at the break. Two points within four minutes of the restart raised Dunshaughlin hopes. First Trevor Dowd registered after good work by Niall Kelly and Richie Kealy. Another Martin Reilly free left it 0-4 to 0-7 after 34 minutes. Then came Summerhill's most productive spell and Dunshaughlin were left chasing a deficit that proved impossible to erase. Summerhill - T. McDonnell; C. Young, A. Kenny, P. Rispin; C. Malone, R. Hatton, M. Gorman; M. Kennedy (0-2), C. Gillespie; M. Byrne, B. Lyons, B. Ennis (0-3); S. Dalton (0-1), D. Byrne, S. Kennedy (0-3, 2 45s). Subs - S. Husband for Rispin (26 mins), R. Donnelly (0-2) for Lyons (half-time). Dunshaughlin - R. Gogan; T. Johnson, K. McTigue, D. Kealy; C. Farrelly, C. King, M. Ahern; D. Crimmins, N. Kelly (0-1, free); M. Reilly (0-3, frees), R. Kealy (0-1), C. O'Dwyer; C. Staunton (0-1), T. Dowd (0-1), M. Johnson. Subs - J. Crimmins for Ahern (half-time), A. Johnson for Farrelly (44 mins), M. McHale for Johnson (48 mins). Referee - C. Reilly (St Mary's).

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