Summerhill secured a hard earned draw against Ratoath in the A-League Div 1 game on Tuesday evening in Ratoath. Playing with the aid of a strong wind Summerhill got of to a dream start with goal from Eamonn McDonnell. A long ball in from Michael Byrne was gathered by Conor Lyons who laid it off the Eamonn McDonnell who flick the ball over the Ratoath keeper. The resulting kick out was intercepted by McDonnell who fired to the back of the net for his second goal with less than one minute on the clock. Ratoath steadied the ship and exchanges were pretty even for the rest of the half leaving the score at the break Summerhill 2-4 Ratoath 0-5, Summerhill points coming from Adam Flanagan, Conor Lyons and a brace from Eoghan Frayne.

Ratoath, with the wind at their backs upped their intensity considerably after the break and scored four of the first five points to cut the lead to the minimum. A pair of Summerhill points in quick succession from Adam Flanagan and Eamonn McDonnell pushed the lead back out to three. Ratoath rallied again scoring four points in a row to take the lead for the first time in the game on the stroke of fulltime. A Tony McDonnell kick out was well fielded by Davy Dalton who took of on a run into the Ratoath half. He was brought down for a free about 40 meters from the goal out on the right. Despite the distance and facing into a strong breeze the free was coolly converted by Eoghan Frayne the level up the match. Referee Bernard Heeney blew full time on the resulting kick out to leave honours even, final score Summerhill 2-8 Ratoath 0-14.

Summerhill will be well pleased with the point given the number of regulars missing for various reasons. The point keeps both side in the race for a place in the league final. Next up for Summerhill in two weeks is a home game against Simonstown.

Team: Tony McDonnell, Ben Moran, Caolan Young, Iarla Hughes, Adam McDonnell, Conor McNally, Ross Ryan, Michael Byrne, Adam Flanagan (0-2), Liam Shaw, Diarmuid McCabe, Jamie O’Shea, Eamonn McDonnell (2-1), Eoghan Frayne (0-3 1f 45), Conor Lyons (0-2, 1f).

Subs: Davy Dalton for Jamie O’Shea, Jack Bannon for Conor McNally, Eamonn Ryan for Eamonn McDonnell.