St Ultan’s 2-9

Summerhill 3-4 

For the first time in 11 years, Summerhill contested an Intermediate Championship semifinal. Having topped their group, they were awarded home advantage where they welcomed St Ultan’s after they defeat Walterstown in the quarterfinal. 

Rachel Casserly opened the scoring for the visitors while Aoife Carey pointed Summerhills first of the contest. Carey struck again as Ella Reilly played a 45’ into her and she fired to the back of the net. Katie O’Brien pointed two frees in a row. 

Aisling McCabe received the kickout and ran the ball upfield to find Reilly who turned and pointed. Orlaith O’Reilly found herself in an acre of space in front of Jenny Rispin and her shot rattled the back of the net. The home side fired back when Gracie Grehan pulled off a super dispossession of Nuala O’Brien and tapped the loose ball over the line. O’Brien pointed a third free pushing St Ultan’s one point ahead at the break, (2-2 to 1-4). 

In the midst of a thunder storm and lashings of rain, Grehan raised her second green flag of the contest. Reilly and Casserly traded frees while Emma Kate Ball narrowed the gap to three heading towards the final quarter. 

Shauna Monaghan and O’Reilly pointed for the away side leaving only a point between the sides now. Reilly pointed her second free of the game which remained Summerhills final score. Monaghan pointed once again but Summerhill still lead by one. 

A Casserly shot looked to be dropping to the hands of Rispin but the slippy conditions had other ideas as the ball fell & the umpire raised the green flag. Summerhill fought hard in the dying minutes but couldn’t manage a finishing result seeing them bow of the intermediate championship. 

SCORERS– Summerhill: Gracie Grehan 2-0, Aoife Carey 1-1, Ella Reilly 0-3 (0-2 frees). St Ultan’s: Rachel Casserly 1-2 (0-1 free), Orlaith O’Reilly 1-1, Katie O’Brien 0-3 frees, Shauna Monaghan 0-2, Emma Kate Ball.

SUMMERHILL: Jenny Rispin; Laura Jane Matthews, Megan Lyons, Ella Flynn; Sarah Brien, Mary Kate Lynch, Jane Flynn; Ciara Flaherty, Aisling McCabe; Robyn Larkin, Kate Flynn, Michelle Brien; Aoife Carey, Gracie Grehan, Ella Reilly. Subs: Rachel Moran for M Brien (48 mins), Grace Ennis for Flaherty (53 mins), Rebecca King for Carey (58 mins), Andrea Pearle, Keely Burke, Hannah Moran, Anna Carey, Kallie Larkin

ST ULTAN’S: Nuala O’Brien, Yvonne Barden, Lauren Rennicks, Aisling Kavanagh; Cara Martin, Mary Coyne, Linda Smyth; Trisha Marley, Ash Marley; Emma Kate Ball, Shauna Monaghan, Orlaith O’Reilly; Nikki Ennis, Katie O’Brien, Rachel Casserly.

Thanks to Gavin Cooper for the excellent match report.