Mixed emotions for
SUMMERHILL COLLEGE 1-9 ST GERARLD’S 0-12
(AET and penalties, St Gerald’s win 3-1)
Connacht GAA Post Primary Schools Senior A League Final another as the Mayo side went ahead by 2 points.
Another foul on Davitt was again converted by Smith as it was back to a one-point game with 18 minutes played.
Two minutes later and Summerhill took the lead.
A Hughes free dropped out of the sky into the path of Walsh, who quickest to react, flicked past the St Gerald’s keeper and into the net.
Summerhill ahead by two with ten minutes of the first half remaining.
It was Jack Teape, the Summerhill keeper who was next called into action, saving a goal chance from St Gerald’s O’Flaherty and Hughes, whose attempt was expertly stopped.
St Gerald’s responded with a point from play from Padraig Beirne, all 5 of their scores coming from play in the first half.
It was a high standard of football and St Gerald’s were possibly ruing a number of missed chances, with their five wides to Summerhill’s none in the opening 30 minutes.
The half-time score saw Summerhill marginally ahead by 1-3 to 0-5 as those in attendance knew they were in for an entertaining second half of football.
Smith added his third free shortly after the resumption as St Gerald’s were dealt a blow on 39 minutes when corner forward Paul Walsh received a black card, Stephen Burke introduced to the fray.
Summerhill’s corner back Shane Muldowney produced an excellent block on a St Gerald’s advance, he then passed to Smith whose attempt went wide, their first of the game.
Jim Davis, hardworking for Summerhill, fed Maher who scored a magnificent point from play on the 40-minute mark, his second as Summerhill went in front by three.
Burke was influential for St Gerald’s since his introduction and two frees from the boot of Hughes, one for a foul on Burke, had it back to a one point game on 45 minutes.
St Gerald’s Redmond brought the game level on 49 minutes with a short free taken off the ground as it was anyone’s game heading into the remaining ten minutes.
Joint captain for St Gerald’s, Paddy Heneghan worked the ball from out the field to Burke who fisted over the bar, giving the Mayo side the lead for the first time since the 20th minute.
However there was still much to play for with 7 minutes to go, both sides dispatching their benches as the intensity levels were palpable.
It was Summerhill’s Davitt who sent the game into extra-time with a fantastic point from play on 56 minutes with superb football from both.
They were eager to get the point to seal the deal but nothing separated the sides and after the hour it was Summerhill 1-6 to St Gerald’s 0-9.
Substitute Mark Cunningham edged St Gerald’s in front with a point from play three minutes into extra-time and he was involved again in their next score, Heneghan sending the ball over the bar before corner back Canice Mulligan responded for Summerhill with a sublime score to leave it 0-11 to 1-7 at the extra-time interval.
Four minutes into the second half of extra-time and Summerhill were back level once more.
Ciaran O’Reilly passed to substitute James Heraghty who tapped over as both sides had to be credited for keeping up the pace throughout the game.
St Gerald’s Robbie Finnerty, who was also one of his side’s influential substitutes put St Gerald’s in front on 75 minutes but Summerhill came back again.
Heraghty overturned possession and won a free which the excellent Smith converted, the sides level when referee John Glavey signalled the end of extra-time, Summerhill 1-9, St Gerald’s 0-12 as penalties were imminent and after such an epic battle, it was a tough way for the game to be decided.
As the teammates huddled together as Summerhill’s Jack Teape and St Gerald’s Jack Livingstone prepared for the shoot-out, it was Hughes who was up to take the first penalty which he converted for St Gerald’s.
Davitt also duly converted for Summerhill before Redmond added St Gerald’s second, Summerhill’s Heraghty was just wide, before Teape pulled off a fine save to stop Heneghan’s attempt. Mulligan’s chance was also denied by the St Gerald’s keeper, Finnerty converted his and Livingstone pulled off another fine save on Summerhill’s Oran McDonagh as it was the Castlebar side who prevailed by 3-1, but Summerhill should be extremely proud after their stellar performance in such a highly entertaining game.
Reaching the final means a guaranteed semi-final spot in the Championship. Summerhill will be facing the winners of Roscommon CBS v St Colmans/St Muredachs in February.
SUMMERHILL COLLEGE: J Teape, S Muldowney, M Connolly McGowan, C Mulligan, B Callaghan, T Gavin, C O’Reilly, O McDonagh, C Kevany, P Maher, E Smith, F Connolly, J Davis, M Walsh (C), J Davitt. Subs used: L Casserly for McDonagh (43), J Clinton for Connolly (54), J Heraghty for Maher (63), J Cox for Davis (71). Subs: J Doyle, J Kerins, J O’Brien, J Murphy, C Connell, R Gallagher, C Niland, D Gillen, J Burns, C Oates, F O’Hehir, P
Moore, D Foy, P Mullarkey, D Cawley.
Scorers: M Walsh (1-0), E Smith (0-4, 4f), P Maher (0-2), J Davitt (0-1), C Mulligan (0-1), J Heraghty (0-1).
St Gerald’s: J Livingstone, J Cunningham, J Tuohy, D Tighe, D McHugh, O Tunney (C), E Murphy, C Redmond, M Fahy, C Donoghue, P Heneghan (C), P Beirne, P Walsh, B O’Flaherty, E Hughes. Subs used: R Finnerty for O’Flaherty (h/t), S Burke for Walsh (b/c 39), M Cunningham for Donoghue (53), C McHale for Beirne (56), D Swierkowski for Tunney (63), J Vahey for Redmond (80).
Scorers: E Hughes (0-3, 2f), B O’Flaherty (0-2, 2f), M Fahy (0-1), P Beirne (0-1), C Redmond (0-1, 1f), M Cunningham (0-1), P Heneghan (0-1), R Finnerty (0-1).
REFEREE: J Glavey (Aughamore).