Summerhill 1-9
St Colmcilles 1-8

Cathal Ryan sealed the U16 Division 1 Championship for Summerhill with a 61st minute free which gave the south Meath team a one point victory over St Colmcilles in Bective on Thursday night.

Ryan's solitary score of the game proved the most important and the corner forward showed considerable mental strength to clinch the winner after a first half penalty miss. Iarla Hughes nearly added to Summerhill's late lead but his free off the ground fell short. St Colmcilles attacked in pursuit of an equaliser but George Poynton was dispossessed and Ollie Cassidy blew the whistle to give Summerhill their second U16 Division 1 Championship success in the clubs history.

Only one point could separate the two teams after three games this year. There was the high scoring group stage encounter in Summerhill on April 23 and the teams drew in the first final in Bective last Wednesday. Seven players scored for Summerhill while St Colmcilles scores came from pacey James Conlon and the three players in the full-forward line.

Summerhill raced out of the blocks with points from Mark Donoghue and Conor Frayne in the first two minutes. After two wides, St Colmcilles found the net in the seventh minute. Despite being tracked by a number of Summerhill defenders, George Poynton's low left footed effort went in which gave the seaside club a one point advantage.

Kyle Benson restored parity in the ninth minute. Ten minutes went by without a single score being registered in the game. Summerhill hit five wides in that barren period, a Jack Bruton effort dropped short into Jordan Brown's hands and Brown saved a Cathal Ryan shot also. In the 15th minute after catching a high ball, Cathal Brien was hauled down in the penalty area and Cassidy pointed to the spot. Cathal Ryan was unable to convert as his penalty went left and wide.

In the 19th minute Conlon pointed for St Colmcilles to bring his side level again. Conor Frayne netted in the 24th minute. The 14 year-old dropped the ball on a solo run but managed to execute the strike with the ball in mid-air. Stewart McDonnell and Conlon finished off the first half scoring which left the sides all square after 30 minutes, 1-3 to 1-3.

Benson opened the second half scoring with a point in the 32nd minute after a cross field pass from Cathal Ryan. Mark Donoghue put his side two ahead from a Sean Larkin hand pass. Cathal Brien put Summerhill three ahead, 1-6 to 1-3 in the 37th minute. Six minutes later, James McElearney got his first score of the night for St Colmcilles. Conlon left Colmcilles just one adrift a minute after.

A strong run forward run by Ronan Ryan ended with his deflected shot going over the crossbar. Less than a minute after McElearney pointed for the second time. After being put threw by left half forward Fergus Grimes, McElearney was unable to keep his shot down, a goal would have put Colmcilles a point ahead. McElearney did manage to draw his side level in the 48th with his third point of the half.

With ten minutes remaining, Jack Cummins darted forward from the right wing to send over a point which put Summerhill one to the good, 1-8 to 1-7. Poynton made it all square again with long range effort from play. The closing stages saw nerves kick in. Colmcilles centre back Daniel McMahon sent a shot wide, Jack Lynch missed a chance after replacing captain Jack Quinn and a Larkin attempt fell into Brown's hands.

In the first minute of additional time, substitute Conor McNally was fouled. Up stepped Cathal Ryan who sent over a close range free to give his side the Benny Caffrey Cup for the first time since 2001.

Summerhill: Dean Morris; Sean Larkin, Iarla Hughes, Ethan Balfe; Cian Devlin, Jack Quinn, Jack Cummins (0-1); Ronan Ryan (0-1), Ross Ryan; Mark Donoghue (0-2), Jack Bruton, Kyle Benson (0-2); Cathal Brien (0-1), Conor Frayne (1-1), Cathal Ryan (0-1f). Subs: Conor McNally for Jack Bruton, Jack Lynch for Jack Quinn, Jack Farrell for Kyle Benson.


St Colmcilles: Jordan Browne, Eoin Sweeney, Adam Lynch, Luke Mooney, David O'Byrne, Daniel McMahon, Conor O'Byrne, Nathan Noonan Gartland, Darragh Brodigan, Pearse Butler, James Conlon (0-3), Fergus Grimes, Stewart McDonnell (0-3), George Poynton (1-1), James McE;earney.
Subs: Robert Browne, Jack Phelan, Daniel Tyrell Tweet

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