Summerhill traveled to Dunboyne on Saturday lunch time to take on the home side in round seven of the League Division One. The pitch was in excellent condition but there was a strong wind blowing right down the pitch which was sure to have an influence on the game. Summerhill were hoping to build on their recent good form whereas the home side were hoping to bounce back from a defeat in the last round to Ballinabrackey. Summerhill’s chances were boosted with the availability of Meath player Adam McDonnell who is working his way back to full fitness after injury.

In the opening half both sides were having difficulty adjusting to the elements and were finding scores hard to come by. Summerhill, who were playing against the wind at this stage were guilty of a number of misses, while the home side were relying very much on placed balls for their scores. In the run up to the break the home side were denied a goal after an excellent clearance of the line by Iarla Hughes. The visitors also lost Barry Dardis to injury just before the break, who was replaced by Conor Summerville. Summerhill led by the minimum at the break, 0-7 to 0-6. Summerhill’s points scorers were 2 each for Sean Dalton and Conor Frayne and one apiece from David Larkin, Diarmuid McCabe and first half substitute Eamonn Ryan who replaced the injured Padhraig Geraghty. 

The home side began the second half brightly with two points in the first two minutes  to take the lead, eight points to seven. In the third minute of the half, Summerhill struck for their first goal of the game. A ball from out of the sideline was played into the square by Kevin Ryan and Conor Frayne outjumped the Dunboyne keeper to tip the ball into the back of the net. Despite having a number of decent scoring chances Summerhill failed to build on this lead, hitting a number of wides. The home side were proving much more efficient with their chances, tagging on 2 frees and a mark to retake the lead by the midway point of the half. Summerhill finally rediscovered their shooting boots and replied with two quick points, one from David Larkin and an excellent point from Diarmuid McCabe.

In the 18th minute after half, Summerhill got in for their second goal. An excellent break forward by Adam McDonnell who laid the ball off to Conor Summerville who passed the ball across the goalmouth to the in running Manny Magno who palmed the ball to the back of the empty net to give Summerhill a three point lead. The home side replied instantly with a point but two further Summerhill points from Kevin Ryan and Diarmuid McCabe pushed the lead out to four with five minutes remaining. The home side pushed forward, looking for the scores to get them back into the match and added two points of their own to close the gap as full time approached. A Diarmuid McCabe point in the final minute proved to be the final score of the game and left the final score. Summerhill 2-12 Saint Peters Dunboyne 0-15. Next up, in round eight for Summerhill, is a home game against Ballinabrackey  in two weeks time.  

Team: Sean Muddiman. Iarla Hughes, Conor Ryan, Jack Bannon, Padhraig Geraghty, Adam McDonnell, Jamie O’Shea, Adam Flanagan, Diarmuid McCabe (0-3), David Larkin (0-2), Kevin Lyons, Kevin Ryan (0-1), Conor Frayne (1-3, 2f), Sean Dalton (0-2, 1m), Barry Dardis.  

Subs: Eamonn Ryan (0-1) for Padhraig Geraghty, Conor Summerville for Barry Dardis, Manny Mano (1-0) for Sean Dalton, Darragh Tormey for Kevin Lyons, Gavin McVann for Conor Frayne.