SFC semi-final: Tones silenced by the Hill

October 02, 2022

Diarmuid McCabe drives forward for Summerhill as Brughach O Fionnagain Summerhill moves in to block during the Meath SFC semi final at Pairc Tailteann

Summerhill dethroned Wolfe Tones in the first SFC semi-final at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

Summerhill ............. 1-10
Wolfe Tones ............0-6


Conor Gillespie's side bossed matters for most of the hour and finished with a flourish, posting seven unanswered points from the 38th minute to the 60th. .

Conor Frayne led the way in the scoring stakes with 1-3. His 25th minute goal restored Summerhill's lead, which they took to the end.

Wolfe Tones managed the first score of the second half, but Caolan Ward's 32nd minute free was their penultimate score.

Two points in quick succession around the 39th minute, from Conor Lyons and Conor Frayne, put Summerhill a goal clear.

It may not have been the classic most were hoping for but it was an engrossing contest until Summerhill pulled clear in the final quarter when they outscored the 'Tones by 0-4 to 0-1.

The outcome wasn't a major surprise but the final margin wasn't on the script. The fixture had long since flatlined before Wolfe Tones wing back Niall O'Reilly managed the last score of the game, in the fifth minute of added time. It was his side's first score since the 32nd minute.

Wolfe Tones had to field without suspended midfielder Alan Callaghan. Though Padraic Diamond was his industrious self, the champions were struggling to boss the central sector.

Wolfe Tones had the backing of the breeze blowing into the town goal in the first half. It appeared they didn't make the best of it. Oisin Martin pointed them in front in the third minute.

The 'Tones led again through a Tom Gavigan free in the 17th minute. Seconds later Conor Lyons levelled matters, leaving the scores tied for the third time.

A magnificent catch by Micheal Byrne on his own goal line from a Caolan Ward free intigated the move that led Conor Frayne's 25th minute goal.

Once ahead, Summerhill maintained a grip on proceedings that saw them increasingly distance themselves from the outgoing champions.

An increasingly fractured first half concluded with a wonderful Cian Ward point from 40 metres in the last act of the opening 30 metres to leave just two points between the sides at the break, with Summerhill leading by 1-3 to 0-4.

Having garnered just four points with the breeze, it didn't seem sufficient to take Wolfe Tones to the finish with a final place in hand.

Scorers: Summerhill - Conor Frayne 1-3 (0-1f); Conor Lyons 0-3 (1f); Eoghan Frayne 0-2 (1f); Barry Dardis 0-2 (1f).
Wolfe Tones - Caolan Ward 0-2 (2fs); Cian Ward 0-1; Oisin Martin 0-1; Tom Gavigan 0-1 (f); Niall O'Reilly 0-1.

Summerhill - Tony McDonnell; Padraig Jennings, Ronan Ryan, John Lavelle; Padhraig Geraghty (c), Ross Ryan, Adam McDonnell; Micheal Byrne, Adam Flanagan; David Larkin, Diarmuid McCabe, Kevin Ryan; Conor Frayne, Conor Lyons, Eoghan Frayne. Subs - Davy Dalton for K Ryan (41), Barry Dardis for C Lyons (47), Caolan Young for Lavelle (47), Willie Ryan for Geraghty (63), Liam Shaw for Larkin (63).

Wolfe Tones - Ciaran Gallagher; Brughach O Fionnagain, Shane Glynn, Adam O'Neill; Niall O'Reilly, Daniel O'Neill, Conor Sheppard; Cian Ward, Padraic Diamond; Caolan Ward, Thomas O'Reilly, Stephen Sheppard; Oisin Martin, Saran O Fionnagain, Tom Gavigan. Subs - Cian O'Neill for Cian Ward (57), Eanna Harrington for Caolan Ward (59)

Referee - David Coldrick (Blackhall Gaels)


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