Summerhill 1-9 Na Fianna 2-6
The Summerhill Junior team are through to the Junior C Championship quarter-final after having to settle for a draw against Na Fianna’s second team on Thursday evening.
The point for Summerhill sees them finish ahead of Na Fianna in the group and secures their status for next year’s championship.
Summerhill started the better of the two sides as Grace Nangle and Isabel Moran both raised white flags. Na Fianna’s first score of the game was a green flag, as Rachel Walsh was quickest to react when Keely Burke tipped an effort onto the crossbar, with Walsh on hand to fire home the rebound.
Summerhill responded well to the goal and got the three points back without reply. Moran pointed a free while Nangle added two more, the second after a superb run up the field by Daina Gray. Na Fianna then hit three on the trot to edge in front, but it was Summerhill who held the lead at the break. Nangle fired a goal past Aoife McCormack after playing a one-two with Moran, giving Summerhill a 1-5 to 1-3 advantage at half-time.
As in the first half, Summerhill opened the scoring after the restart, with points from Niamh Crowe and Gray pushing them four clear. But Na Fianna weren’t going away, and they came roaring back with 1-2 in four minutes to move ahead by one.
A big moment came in the 47th minute when a Na Fianna shot rattled the crossbar before Burke made a superb one-on-one save to keep her side in touch. Summerhill took advantage, hitting the next two points through Rebecca King and Nangle to edge back in front with five minutes to play. Na Fianna, however, managed to level it with a late point.
Credit to Summerhill, who defended superbly in the closing stages, throwing their bodies on the line to deny Na Fianna a winner that would have sent Summerhill into a relegation play-off. The referee’s whistle confirmed Summerhill’s progression in third place, and they now face an away trip to Duleek/Bellewstown in the quarter-finals.
SCORERS— Summerhill: Grace Nangle 1-4, Isabel Moran 0-2 (0-1 free), Rebecca King, Niamh Crowe and Daina Gray 0-1 each.
Summerhill: Keely Burke; Abbie Cannon, Annie Madden, Grace Fagan; Anna McVann, Marie Nangle, Zara Healy; Kallie Larkin, Grace Nangle; Rebecca King, Isabel Moran, Anna Carey; Daina Gray, Jane Hughes, Alex Dalton. Subs: Niamh Crowe for Dalton and Roisin McHale for Fagan (Both HT), Anna Garrigan for Healy and Holly Loughrey for McVann (both 41 mins)
Na Fianna: Aoife McCormack; Hazel O’Reilly, Aisling Byrne, Casey Kelly; Aoife Kane, Isabelle Killoran, Orlagh Ryan; Amy Cleary, Tara Geraghty; Clane Cassidy, Ella Jane Scanlon, Louise Kane; Lucy Kilcoyne, Rachel Walsh, Lucy MacMahon.
Thanks to Gavin Cooper for excellent match report.
The Summerhill Junior team are through to the Junior C Championship quarter-final after having to settle for a draw against Na Fianna’s second team on Thursday evening.
The point for Summerhill sees them finish ahead of Na Fianna in the group and secures their status for next year’s championship.
Summerhill started the better of the two sides as Grace Nangle and Isabel Moran both raised white flags. Na Fianna’s first score of the game was a green flag, as Rachel Walsh was quickest to react when Keely Burke tipped an effort onto the crossbar, with Walsh on hand to fire home the rebound.
Summerhill responded well to the goal and got the three points back without reply. Moran pointed a free while Nangle added two more, the second after a superb run up the field by Daina Gray. Na Fianna then hit three on the trot to edge in front, but it was Summerhill who held the lead at the break. Nangle fired a goal past Aoife McCormack after playing a one-two with Moran, giving Summerhill a 1-5 to 1-3 advantage at half-time.
As in the first half, Summerhill opened the scoring after the restart, with points from Niamh Crowe and Gray pushing them four clear. But Na Fianna weren’t going away, and they came roaring back with 1-2 in four minutes to move ahead by one.
A big moment came in the 47th minute when a Na Fianna shot rattled the crossbar before Burke made a superb one-on-one save to keep her side in touch. Summerhill took advantage, hitting the next two points through Rebecca King and Nangle to edge back in front with five minutes to play. Na Fianna, however, managed to level it with a late point.
Credit to Summerhill, who defended superbly in the closing stages, throwing their bodies on the line to deny Na Fianna a winner that would have sent Summerhill into a relegation play-off. The referee’s whistle confirmed Summerhill’s progression in third place, and they now face an away trip to Duleek/Bellewstown in the quarter-finals.
SCORERS— Summerhill: Grace Nangle 1-4, Isabel Moran 0-2 (0-1 free), Rebecca King, Niamh Crowe and Daina Gray 0-1 each.
Summerhill: Keely Burke; Abbie Cannon, Annie Madden, Grace Fagan; Anna McVann, Marie Nangle, Zara Healy; Kallie Larkin, Grace Nangle; Rebecca King, Isabel Moran, Anna Carey; Daina Gray, Jane Hughes, Alex Dalton. Subs: Niamh Crowe for Dalton and Roisin McHale for Fagan (Both HT), Anna Garrigan for Healy and Holly Loughrey for McVann (both 41 mins)
Na Fianna: Aoife McCormack; Hazel O’Reilly, Aisling Byrne, Casey Kelly; Aoife Kane, Isabelle Killoran, Orlagh Ryan; Amy Cleary, Tara Geraghty; Clane Cassidy, Ella Jane Scanlon, Louise Kane; Lucy Kilcoyne, Rachel Walsh, Lucy MacMahon.
Thanks to Gavin Cooper for excellent match report.
