A couple of late points assured Dunshaughlin of their place in the last eight of the SFC and condemned Summerhill to their first defeat of the championship. Dunshaughlin 0-12 Summerhill 0-10 Group A couldn't have been more delicately balanced going into the final round of group games with four teams in the running for the 3 Quarter Final places. The permutations were clear, a win would not only see Dunshaughlin progress to the knock out stages, it would also see them top group A. A draw would not have been a bad result as it would have secured qualification too, but the unthinkable, a loss, would see them potentially crash out if Blackhall Gaels were to get an expected win over Ballinlough. Dunshaughlin got exactly the start they wanted. Despite conceding a point from a free kick after 2 minutes, they raced into a three point lead by the 11th minute. Trevor Dowd opened the Dunshaughlin scoring in the third minute before Cathal O'Dwyer pointed 4 minutes later. Dunshaughlin were competing well and some hard worked earned two frees, which were dispatched without error by Niall Kelly and O'Dwyer. But the next ten minutes belonged to Summerhill as they began to dominate and win possession. They turned possession into scores and by the 24th minute Summerhill had kicked 4 unanswered points to go into a one point lead again. But the industrious Dunshaughlin forward line forced Summerhill into errors and two turnovers resulted in points expertly taken by Trevor Dowd, set up for both by Cathal O'Dwyer. Right on the whistle of halftime, Summerhill got up the field to post an equalizer and the two teams went into break on 6 points apiece. Rumours of half-time scores in other venues abounded in the gallery at Dunderry during the halftime break, but Dunshaughlin showed their focus starting the second half well, winning a free which Cathal O'Dwyer sent over the bar. But Summerhill were giving it there all, and replied with two free from Brian Ennis to lead 0-08 to 0-07 after ten minutes of the second period. David Tonge soon levelled the score but Summerhill went in front again two minutes later. A Niall Kelly free in the 19th minute restored parity, but two minutes later Summerhill were ahead again and with minutes left to go looked like they were going to steal a win. It was do or die for Dunshaughlin and they raised the level of their game suitably. Caoimhin King overturned the ball in his own half and burst through the Summerhill defence to register an inspiring point, tying the score at 0-10 apiece. Moments later, David Devereaux, only introduced as a sub, collected the ball and despite the intense pressure the Summerhill rearguard, popped off a great shot which put Dunshaughlin in the lead. Buoyed by those two scores Dunshaughlin kept up the pressure and deep in injury time Conor Staunton pointed for Dunshaughlin to win by two. Best for Dunshaughlin in a memorable win were Anthony Johnson, Ray Maloney, Richie Kealy, Caoimhin King and Trevor Dowd. Dunshaughlin: M. Aherne, D. Kealy, A. Johnson, T. Johnson, R. Maloney, C. King (0-1), R. Kealy, N. Kelly (0-2), C. Finn, D. Tonge (0-1), M. Reilly, T. Dowd (0-3), C. O'Dwyer (0-3), D. Crimmins, C. Staunton (0-1). Subs: M. McHale for Reilly, D. Devereaux (0-1) for Tonge, M. Reilly for O'Dwyer, D. Tonge for Staunton Tweet

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