Summerhill Juveniles follow the League success with second title
SUMMERHILL Juveniles went into the school’s history books recently as they followed their Connacht League title with the Connacht Championship.
The men in blue defeated St Jarlath’s of Tuam in the Connacht decider held in Bekan.
It was the Sligo side that took it to their opponents early on, scoring 2-4 in the opening 15 minutes in what was a lead they were not going to relinquish.
The second half was another strong showing from Summerhill and although the Tuam school scored 1-4 in the second period it wasn’t enough to catch the Summerhill lead.
Final score was Summerhill 2-18 to St Jarlath’s 1-9.
It was even special for the school as the Connacht Juvenile championship was last won some time ago in 2012, when they defeated the same opposition on a scoreline of 3-5 to 2-7.
This was a solid game from Summerhill and one joint manager Barry Convey, who has been overseeing the group since they were first years, said he was extremely proud of the whole team performance.
He said: “It was really great to win the double with the League and now the Championship.
“I suppose we got off to a great start and we set the tone from the word go.
“We got two goals and four points in the first 15 minutes against the wind.
“The first goal came when Ben Kelly made a run from our own 22 and our second goal was from Luke Casserly.
“We really couldn’t have asked for a better start.
“It was a fantastic intensity from the beginning and really set the tone.”
St Jarlath’s did respond with five un- answered points but Summerhill came back again with two more points of their own before halftime,
They were leading by seven at the break 2-6 to 0-5.
“We were definitely cruising after the good start and we had a strong breeze in the second half.
“When they scored five on the bounce in the first half it showed good character on the lads’ part to go and score 2 more before halftime.
“Jarlath’s battled well in the second half and when they were chipping away we got one or 2 back and kept our heads all through the game. When they scored a goal we answered with a point.
“It was a good, controlled performance from Summerhill and it was a testament to the training all year,
“Most of the team are 2nd and 3rd years, I’ve been over them since they were first years.
“The plan is to bring them all they way to Senior level,” Barry added.
There is 38 on the panel with Barry adding Gaelic is really growing in Summerhill.
“This group is even shaping up to be better than the Senior group that won the Connacht Championship in 2016.
“They are definitely showing the potential to be as good.
“They are a very disciplined group and to win the double at such a young age shows this.”
Dara Foy is captain of the side leading the team to victory. “There were outstanding performances from Fionn O’Hehir and James Clinton in the half back and half forward line and really drove at them.”
Barry said he is hugely proud of the team. “I’m very proud of them it is all down to the work they have done themselves.
“We are grateful as well to Daithí Feehily for supporting us as sponsor and Clifford Electrical and the Glasshouse Hotel.
“The support of local businesses helps us to achieve and we are really thankful to them.”
As this is Juvenile football, it finishes at Connacht level, he added.
“It is great to win both the League and the Championship it puts us in a good position and sets the tone.
“It is a massive boost to Summerhill and Gaelic around the town. Myself and Sean Gormley are joint managers and Liam Óg Gormlet is the coach.
“The whole team is great and deserve credit. I am surprised at how much they have come on in such a short space of time and hopefully the success will continue,” Barry added.