Athy Second Half Blitz Sees Off Summerhill
Athy are through to the AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Championship Semi-Finals. Photo: ©INPHO/Ben Brady
A blistering second half performance from Athy, completely obliterated Summerhill and sent the Kildare champions into a Leinster Sem-Final with ten points to spare after a cracking game in Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Saturday evening.
Athy returned for the second half full of aggression, but controlled aggression, and out fought and out played Summerhill, holding them to just a single point while putting ten points on the board themselves. Summerhill started like a train and had three points on the board in as many minutes with a point from play and a free from Liam Shaw and another from Barry Dardis, a late replacement for Eoghan Frayne.
Athy opened their account through Brian Maher in the sixth minute but that was cancelled by Shaw’s third point, another free three minutes later. Niall Kelly (free) and wing back, Jack Bannon exchanged points as the first quarter ended but as the second quarter started the Kildare champions enjoyed probably their best spell at that stage.
First Kevin Feely reduced the deficit with a point from out on the left in the 15th minute and two minutes later Colm Moran ran straight at the Summerhill defence and released Brian Maher who blasted the ball to the roof of the net and Athy led for the first time. Patient play from Athy led to Barry Kelly setting up wing back, James McGrath, to put the Kildare champions two to the good with ten minutes left in the half.
Back came Summerhill again and midfielder, Adam McDonnell, floated over an excellent two pointer and that man again, Liam Shaw put them a point up in the 25th minute. Athy finished the half the stronger with a point each from Kevin Feely to lead 1-6 to 0-8 at the break.
It was Athy’s turn to start like train in the second half and although they recorded five wides and dropped two short, they controlled the game and thanks to two points from Colm Moran and another from corner back, Sean Moore, they led 1-9 to 0-8 entering the final quarter.
Niall Kelly scored a brilliant two pointer in the 51st minute and substitute, Ben Purcell put the game beyond doubt with two fisted efforts soon after coming on in the 49th minute.
Summerhill’s only score in the second half came from substitute Conor Lyons in the 48th minute but it mattered little as Athy saw out the game with points from Feely, Sean Moore and late substitute, Cian Keaveney to claim a Leinster semi-final spot in style.
Shane Jackman; Sean Moore 0-2, Michael Spillane, Darren Lawler; Padraic Spillane, Cathal McCarron, James McGrath 0-1; Kevin Feely 0-2, David Hyland 0-2 (1 X 2pt); Brian Maher 1-1, Barry Kelly, Conor Doyle; Ronan Kelly, Colm Moran 0-2, Niall Kelly 0-3 (1 free, 1 X 2pt).
Mark Hyland for Brian Maher 42, Ben Purcell 0-2 for Barry Kelly 49, Conor Kelly for David Hyland 58, Ciaran Farrell for Colm Moran 58, Cian Keaveney 0-1 for Niall Kelly 61.
Sean Mudfdiman; Ben Moran, Ronan Ryan, Iarla Hughes; Jack Bannon 0-1, Ross Ryan, Jamie O’Shea; Adam McDonnell, Adam Flanagan; Diarmuid McCabe 0-2 (1 X 2pt), Kevin Ryan, David Larkin; Conor Frayne, Barry Dardis 0-1, Liam Shaw 0-4 (3 frees).
John Lavelle for Ben Moran 42, Conor Lyons 0-1 for Jack Bannon 42, Padhraig Geraghty for Jamie O’Shea 48, Sean Dalton for Barry Dardid 55, Kevin Lyons for Adam McDonnell 61.
