Summerhill welcomed Ballinabrackey for round 8 of League Division 1 on a cool Thursday evening. Both teams have been going well in the league ant the game had added significance given that the two teams will meet in the first round of the Senior Football Championship in Trim in early august. However, given that both teams were missing a number of regulars the outcome may have little bearing on how the championship clash may go. 

Summerhill made a great start to the game racing into a 4 points to no score lead after six minutes with points from David Larkin, Sean Dalton and 2 from Diarmuid McCabe. Despite having the better of the exchanges over the next 15 or so minutes the home side did not build on this good start and squandered a number of scoring opportunities. This allowed the visitors cut the lead to just a single point by the 20th minute.  A Diarmuid  McCabe free was cancelled out by another Bracks pointed free on the stroke of half time to leave the score at the break Summerhill 0-5 Ballinabrackey 0-4 with all to play for in the 2nd half. 

Ballinabrackey scored the first point of the second half to draw the game level, but Summerhill hit a purple patch over the next 10 minutes, scoring 2-2 without reply to build up an 8 point lead. In the fourth minute of the half a Manny Magno tackle dispossessed the Ballinabrackey goalkeeper and Kevin Ryan had the simple task of scored into the empty net. From the resulting kick out Kevin Lyons added the home sides second goal when he fired low to the net having been setup by Adam McDonnell. 

With 10 minutes remaining the home side led by eight points with the game looking over as a contest but to their credit, the Ballinabrackey side did not throw the towel in. The added two more points before a 25th minute goal reduced the deficit to just three points. Another Summerhill free pushed the lead out to four once more as full time approached. On the stroke of full time the visitors cut the deficit back to three points. The visitors launched a number of long balls in around the Summerhill square in search of an equalising goal but the Summerhill defense held out to secure the win on a scoreline of Summerhill 2-9 Ballinabrackey 1-9. 

The win, coupled with other results, meant that Summerhill moved to the top of the table and in a good position to make the semi finals of the league with 3 rounds remaining. Next up is an away game to Gaeil Colmcilles in Grangegodden  next Saturday. 

 Team: Sean Muddiman Jack Davies, Iarla Hughes, Darragh McVann, Adam McDonnell, Conor Ryan, Darragh Tormey, Adam Flanagan, Diarmuid McCabe (0-5, 3f), David Larkin (0-2), Kevin Lyons (1-0), Kevin Ryan (1-0), Conor Summerville, Sean Dalton (0-2, Manny Magno.   

 Subs: Darragh Loughrey for Jack Davies, Ross Tallon for Conor Summerville, Darren Chapman for David Larkin, Eoghan Grehan for Adam Flanagan.