Cortown 1-11
Summerhill 1-11

The phrase, "it was a game of two halves" gets thrown around quite a bit but it was never more relevant than today in a windswept Sean Newman Park Bohermeen.

Cortown wind assisted outscored Summerhill by 8 points in the first as did Summerhill in the second period.

Cortown who made the shortest of trips possible to Bohermeen made one late change to the original team with David (Skipper) Coyne coming in for the injury hit Glen Loughran. Summerhill had players with Keegan Cup success in the last few years present in their starting 15.

Cortown, playing with the aid of a strong breeze started like a house on fire as Ryan O'Rourke was alert to the breaking ball before cooly slotted into the corner to give Cortown the dream start. Summerhill deployed an extra back for the first half which was a tactical masterstroke as it broke up much of the Cortown play. Summerhill battled hard against the wind and tagged on a score but Gary Coyne responded in kind with a free.

It was clear to see Cortown were trying to build up a lead with the breeze as Coyne raised the white flag again with what was the score of the with the outside of his left boot from the sideline. Then there was a talking point when he seemed to have got the sufficient curl to clip the ball inside the upright from a free only to be denied from a pair of uncertain umpires.

Who would of thought how important this could of been as the men in yellow drove on with another point from an acute angle from the industrious wing forward David Rispin. O'Rourke then spun his man to sail over yet another beauty before the Summerhill keeper denied David Wright with a superb save with his feet. Tommy Smith then came to the fore with a brace of outstanding points with his left foot from distance as he let the wind take them. Summerhill got a rare score as the teams went in with 8 points in the difference, 1-7 to 0-2.

If Cortown didn't know the second half was going to be a battle initially, they certainly did in the opening two minutes of the half as Summerhill made a rip roaring start with two early points. Cortown did respond well in the shape of O'Rourke as he clipped over after some excellent work from the unorthodox full forward Colm Kerrigan. Coyne hit another terrific free to put Cortown 9 up and seemingly out of sight.

What happened next was a Summerhill onslaught on the Cortown goal as they tore into the big lead with a series of exhibition scores as the pressure really came on Cortown for the first time in the contest. With 10 minutes to play, there were 3 between the sides as Summerhill stole in and fired a dramatic equaliser past the helpless John McFadden who was left with no chance as the sides were level for the first time in the contest. Cortown had their backs to the well as the momentum was with the Hill and they seized the opportunity to take the lead for the first time with 5 minutes remaining.

It looked bleak for Cortown but Darragh O'Halloran was hauled down and Coyne pointed another monster free to level the sides for the second and final time. Both sides had late flurries forward but it ended in stalemate which both times will take with a pinch of salt but also be disappointed.

From a Cortown perspective, it will be disappointing they didn't manage to hold on for a precious two points and from a Summerhill point of view that they didn't nick it at the death. Cortown have two weeks to regroup and prepare for a Pairc Tailteann showdown with Dunshaughlin in two weeks time where they will hope to get their first win in the competition and boost qualification hopes.

Cortown: John McFadden, John McGearty, Paddy Kerrigan, Pearse Clarke, Declan Clarke, David Coyne, Stephen Clarke, Darragh O'Halloran, Brian Smith, David Rispin (0-1), Gary Coyne (0-5, 4fs), Tommy Smith (0-2), Ryan O'Rourke (1-3), Colm Kerrigan, David Wright.
Subs: Stephen Fitzmaurice for Wright, Declan Coyne for D Coyne.

*****

Summerhill report:

Summerhill 1-11
Cortown 1-11

Summerhill clawed back an eight point half-time losing margin to earn a draw against Cortown in Bohermeen on Saturday.

Cortown scored their goal from the first play and were the dominant team in the first half.

Gary Rispin scored two frees in the opening 30 minutes but no other Summerhill player registered as the south Meath club struggled against the strong wind.

Summerhill began to control the middle in the second half which helped them get at the Cortown defence.

Gary McDonnell got two points while there was points for midfielder Damien Byrne, centre forward Tommy Lynch and substitute Conor Lyons.

Rispin was proving a good target man at the edge of the square and fired over four points, all bar one from open play.

Kevin Lyons goal was crucial to Summerhill's fightback. The centre back made a strong burst forward and turned inside his marker and fired low to the bottom left corner.

Summerhill face Curraha in the round 2 of the Junior Championship on Sunday 20th April in Bective at 2pm.

Summerhill: Robbie McDonnell; Declan Lyons, Jack Regan, Patrick Troy; John Lavelle, Kevin Lyons (1-0), Eoghan Jennings; Paddy McGrath, Damien Byrne (0-1); Justin Ennis, Tommy Lynch (0-1), Harry Hatton; Gary McDonnell (0-2), Gary Rispin (0-6, three frees), Jeremy Ennis. Substitutes: Conor Lyons (0-1) for H Hatton, Eamon O'Shea for D Lyons, Mark Gannon for E Jennings, Gavin Brilly for Justin Ennis.​ Tweet

Most Read Stories