Summerhill men prove too strong

The clubs may have been the same as those that contested the SFC final in October, but that was where the similarities ended as hosts Summerhill avenged that disappointing championship loss by thumping Navan O"Mahonys in the A FL Div 1 on Sunday. Summerhill have a great record in the league over the last few years while O"Mahonys have only regained their top flight status after they lost out in the A FL Div 2 final to Donaghmore / Ashbourne. Just as they did in that league final, O"Mahonys opted to field a much-weakened side with Kevin Reilly, Mark Ward, Barry Regan, Stephen and David Bray all absent while Niall McKeigue started and Cormac McGuinness made an appearance despite playing for Meath the previous evening. Summerhill were also without several key players, Rory Donnelly, Gary Rispin, Stephen Kennedy and David Dalton. They were boosted by the inclusion of a number of this year"s Meath u-21 panellists and that sharpness told. Indeed were it not for a couple of fortuitous goals O"Mahonys would have suffered a right hiding. Their first goal came after six minutes when Henry Finnegan drifted a point attempt across the goal face, but the flight of the ball deceived Tony McDonnell, struck the crossbar, rebounded off the goalkeeper"s back and settled in the net. It was a disappointing goal for McDonnell to concede, but he made amends four minutes before half-time when he made two miraculous saves to deny Finnegan and Sean Keating. The second O"Mahonys goal was an error from substitute goalkeeper Paul Comey as he called for, but failed to claim, Finnegan"s tame shot. Summerhill showed great character to stay in command and they picked off some brilliant scores with veteran Mark O"Reilly leading the way with a virtuoso performance. The former All Star corner-back scored 1-4, kicking points with both feet and punching Summerhill"s second goal within seconds of Comey"s blunder. He was a constant threat throughout for the O"Mahonys rearguard. Niall McKeigue did well for the senior champions, but Summerhill had too much cohesiveness and sharpness at this time of the year for them. For a league match so early in the season it was a decent test for both sides and ensured an interesting contest until O"Reilly"s third-quarter goal put the issue beyond doubt. The lead Micheal Byrne gave Summerhill inside three minutes lasted for just two minutes as Finnegan"s shot rebounded off the woodwork and hit McDonnell in the back to give O"Mahonys an advantage. Two points from O"Reilly, one off either foot, restored parity before frees from Paul Larkin and Byrne boosted Summerhill to a 0-5 to 1-0 lead. With just one fortunate score in 25 minutes, O"Mahonys finally awoke from their early season slumber with Finnegan (two, one free) and Stephen O"Toole pointing O"Mahonys 1-3 to 0-5 ahead, while McDonnell produced two world-class stops. The visitors" lead was short-lived and with the last action of the half Paul Rispin punched Byrne"s short free beyond Mark Brennan to secure a 1-5 to 1-3 interval lead for Paraic Lyons" and Mattie Kerrigan"s side. That lead was stretched to 1-9 to 1-4 in the third-quarter as points from O"Reilly (two), Larkin and Byrne boosted Summerhill. However Comey"s error gave O"Mahonys hope when he allowed Finnegan"s centre drop to the net. Again Summerhill"s response was swift when O"Reilly fisted Sean Dalton"s excellent work to the net to restore the five-point cushion. The sting went out of O"Mahonys as substitutions and an injury to Byrne disrupted the final quarter, but it was Summerhill who opened their account with a tick in the win column. Summerhill - T McDonnell; C Young, W Milner, M Gorman; A Kenny, R Hatton, C Malone; M Kennedy, C Gillespie; B Lyons, B Ennis, M Byrne (0-3, three frees); P Rispin (1-1, one free), M O"Reilly (1-4), P Larkin (0-2, one free). Subs - P Comey for McDonnell half-time, S Dalton for Ennis 41mins, S Husband for Lyons 47m, J Loughrey (0-1) for Byrne 50m, W Ryan for Young 60+3m. Navan O"Mahonys - M Brennan; D Moran, R Hogan, N McKeigue; C Reilly, S Crosby, S Reilly; G O"Dowd, S O"Toole (0-1); G O"Brien, R Geraghty, H Finnegan (2-3, two frees); D Hosie, S McKeigue, S Keating. Subs - J Regan for Hosie 40mins, C McGuinness for Hogan 48m, A Rogers for O"Dowd 58m. Referee - Richard Morris (Blackhall Gaels).