Summerhill have the ability to shade this one

When the pairings for the quarter-finals were finalised, very few would have predicted that Summerhill and Wolfe Tones would meet for a place in the SFC final, but next Sunday at Pairc Tailteann that pair will clash in what is sure to be an intriguing semi-final. Wolfe Tones were fancied to emerge from their quarter-final with Walterstown, but it was expected that Summerhill would find Navan O'Mahonys too hot to handle. Just as they have done on many occasions over the last few years, Summerhill have confounded the critics and produced a stunning performance to defeat the Keegan Cup favourites and book their place in the last four. Summerhill's form over the last few seasons has been erratic to say the least. Even in the space of 60 minutes they can go from world beaters to also rans and that type of form will give Wolfe Tones plenty of reason to believe that they are capable of returning to the final for the third time in six years. Summerhill emerged from the shadows to reach the SFC final in 2008 where they lost out to O'Mahonys. A year later they fell at the semi-final stage when eventual champions Seneschalstown proved too strong, but just when they appeared to be maturing into a championship-winning side they regressed. Last year they became embroiled in a relegation battle and were fortunate to escape from the perils of the drop with a narrow victory over Oldcastle. That form suggested that we shouldn't expect too much from them this year, but again they defied the critics. A 17-point win over Trim suggested that Summerhill could yet be a force and when they eased past Blackhall Gaels, who had hammered Simonstown in the opening round, it appeared certain that they were once again genuine contenders. However, the form of both Trim and Blackhall Gaels since then suggests that those victories weren't as impressive as they first appeared. The subsequent six-point win over Oldcastle indicated problems, but ultimately secured a knock-out place with two games to spare. Alarm bells were sounded when Simonstown had it easy in the penultimate group game and when next Sunday's opponents, Wolfe Tones, enjoyed an easy 1-9 to 0-5 win in the final game it suggested it was only a matter of time before Summerhill's race ended. With the five-time winners looking like a wounded animal they bounced back and were at their most dangerous. They sprung a surprise by including the Kennedy brothers, Maurice and Stephen, in their starting line-up and after a brilliant start they blew O'Mahonys away with a devastating display. Manager Declan McCabe will be hoping for a repeat of that type of performance. Summerhill were awesome on that occasion and with the safety net of a two-goal head start they led O'Mahonys a merry dance. Wolfe Tones will be hopeful that they don't get off to such a bright start again. The Kilberry/Oristown side have been prowling their way towards the final in the long grass. They have sneaked into the quarter-finals quietly and announced their intentions in impressive fashion with a massive win over Walterstown. Even the huge victory over Trim in round four didn't raise too many eyebrows. Cian Ward attracted the headlines for his tally of 1-10 and manager Paddy Martin was happy to let his ace marksman take the plaudits while his team continued to progress under the radar. Wolfe Tones were the only team to go through the group stages unbeaten. They were held to draws by Simonstown and Blackhall Gaels, but their opening round win over Oldcastle and subsequent hammerings of Trim and Summerhill secured their passage to a quarter-final where they cut loose against Walterstown. Wolfe Tones have a stubborn defence inspired by the superb Stephen Sheppard and Ciaran McLoughlin, they have conceded on average just 10 points per game and all that without the services of Eoghan Harrington. Goals have been a significant factor for the Tones and they have managed to find the net in every game with a total of 10 goals in six games. Cian Ward has been the fulcrum of their attacking threat, but they are by no means a one man show. The hard-working Alan Fox, Darren McGrath and Niall McLoughlin are also capable of tagging on crucial scores and they will cause Summerhill plenty of problems. Their earlier victory over Summerhill should be a boost to them, but the Summerhill manager believes that his side will learn plenty from that defeat and if they do then they can progress. The return of Stephen Kennedy from America has been a huge boost and with Paul Rispin, Brian Ennis and Adrian Kenny in top form the Summerhill attack looks very strong, that could be the key. If they can get off to a good start, match the hard work and constant pressure that will be applied by Wolfe Tones then it will come down to defences. Wolfe Tones haven't cracked yet while Summerhill also have a steady ship. It promises to be a mesmerising semi-final with Summerhill fancied to just about shade it.