Rally spares champions blushes

Rathkenny push Summerhill to the pin of their collar

Summerhill 1-4-11 (22)

Rathkenny 1-3-8 (17)

When you’re the reigning champions and 11 points in arrears at the interval it’s time to sit up and take stock! writes Davy Rispin.

Well that is exactly what Summerhill did in this Group A SFC tie at Walterstown on Sunday as they made certain of top spot following a rousing second half display.

Even allowing for the strong breeze that favoured Rathkenny, Summerhill were almost ‘kicked out the gate’ in the opening half as the north Meath side threatened to cause the shock of the year.

The ‘Hill had already qualified for the knock-out stages but there was still plenty at stake, like avoiding another of the heavyweights in a quarter final.

Rathkenny won most of the battles in the opening 30 minutes, moved the ball at pace and once they caught sight of the posts made good use of the elements. They had scant regard for the reputation of their opponents throughout the half.

Joey Farrelly’s charges led 0-5 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter and then cut loose for the remainder of the half to lead 1-12 to 0-4 at the break. James O’Hare kicked two points, Davy Curtis added a two-pointer and Donal Keogan was also on target while the ‘Hill's only score in the opening quarter came from wing back Padhraig Geraghty.

When Luke Kealy connected with a pass across goal from Padraig McKeever it left Rathkenny 1-6 to 0-1 to the good on 19 minutes. Keith Curtis then converted a two-point free and Joey Curtis added a point which could quite easily have been a goal.

The introduction of veteran David Larkin on 25 minutes was an indication of Summerhill’s concern and the wily campaigner soon made his presence felt with his side’s last score of the half.

Joey Curtis with a two-pointer and James O’Hare completed Rathkenny’s first half tally. Diarmuid McCabe and Conor Frayne accounted for the ‘Hill’s remaining points of the half.

Ciaran O’Hare added to the Rathkenny tally within a minute of the restart as the ‘Hill introduced Adam Flanagan for Jack Regan. Adam McDonnell kick-started the revival with a two-pointer from the left wing but they continued to stutter as both Sean Muddiman and Liam Shaw were off target with two-point efforts.However they began to gather momentum following Larkin’s second point and were in full flow after that as they turned the screw in emphatic fashion.

McCabe and Conor Frayne had quick-fire points before Shaw hit a rocket off the crossbar. They were back in the game in earnest after McDonnell hit another two-pointer and Eoghan Frayne a single point to reduce the deficit to four by the three quarter way stage.

Eoghan Frayne then converted a two-point free and brother Conor levelled proceedings with another orange flag on 48 minutes. Rathkenny were simply starved of possession at that stage but the ‘Hill hit a couple of wides before Eoghan Frayne eventually pointed them ahead from another free.

Rathkenny hopes nose-dived further when a defensive lapse allowed Conor Frayne to toe-poke the ball to the net on 61 minutes. Padhraig Geraghty and Shaw (free) added points before Keith Curtis converted a close range free for only Rathkenny’s second score of the half in the sixth and final minute of added time.

Summerhill: Seán Muddiman; Ben Moran, Iarla Hughes, Jack Bannon; Padhraig Geraghty (0-2), Ross Ryan, Jamie O’Shea; Jack Regan, Diarmuid McCabe (0-2); Barry Dardis, Adam McDonnell (0-4 two-two points), Kevin Ryan; Liam Shaw (0-1 free), Eoghan Frayne (0-4 one free, one two-point free), Conor Frayne (1-4 one two-point). Subs - David Larkin (0-2) for Bannon 25m, Adam Flanagan for Regan half-time, John Lavelle for K Ryan 52m, Declan Byrne for Dardis 56m.

Rathkenny: Finn Moore; Mark Byrne, Adam Byrne, Aaron Johnson; Ciaran O’Hare (0-1), Seán O’Hare, Padraig McKeever; Donal Keogan (0-1), James O’Hare (0-3); Christy Meade, Joey Curtis (0-3 one two-pointer), Robert Garry; Davy Curtis (0-3 one two-pointer), Keith Curtis (0-3 one free, one two-point free), Luke Kealy (1-0). Subs - James Macken for Kealy 51m, Brian Meade for C Meade 56m.

Referee: Cormac Reilly (St Mary’s).