Summerhill travelled to Piltown on Friday evening for their 2nd game in the A-League. Given all the recent rain it was touch and go whether the game would go ahead or not with several other games postponed that evening due to unplayable pitched. The pitch was soft in spots but in decent condition given the recent weather. There was a very strong wind blowing right down the pitch that was going to play a major factor in the outcome of the game. Following the toss by referee Andrew Smith Summerhill would have the advantage of the elements in the 1st half and knew they would more than likely need a lead to take into the 2nd half to have a chance of victory.

Summerhill got of to the perfect start when Barry Dardis found the back of the net within a minute of the throw in.  Playing playing into the ever strengthening wind the home side were finding difficult to get scores by the 23rd minutes Summerhill led by 6 on a score line of 1-5 to 0-2, Summerhill’s points coming from 4 Barry Dardis frees as well as a point from Kevin Ryan. However the game was turned on it head with a minute of crazy football in which 3 goals were scored. A Summerhill attacked was turned over and a quick Cilles attack resulted in the home side scoring a goal. From the resulting Summerhill kick out and great move involving Jamie O’Shea and Kevin Ryan found Barry Dardis at the top of the D, Dardis took a few steps and fired an unstoppable shot to the top corner of the net from over 25m out for one on the best goals your ever likely to see. Not be be outdone the home side won the subsequent kick out and broke forward at pace and scored another cracking goal with shot to the top corner of the net again from distance. The home side tagged on another point as half time approached to cut the deficit to just 2 points on a score line of 2-5 St Colmcilles 2-3. Given the strength of the wind Summerhill would have been worried going off at halftime with the concession of the two goals.

Summerhill now playing into the strong wind opened the 2nd half brightly scoring the first 3 point of the half in the first 5 minutes to stretch their lead with point from Padhraig Geraghty and 2 more  from Barry Dardis who was having a great game. However the home side slowly but surely started to take advantage of the elements on the hit the next 6 point the game take the lead for the first time by the 17th minute. Further point were exchanged and with 5 minute left the sided were level. The home side pushed on hitting four points in a row in the run up to the whistle to secure a hard fought win. The final action of the game saw Barry Dardis denied his “hat trick” when his goal bound shot was deflected over the bar following a good save by the Gilles keeper to leave the full time score Summerhill 2-11 St Colmcilles 2-14.

Team : Sean Mudiman, Willie Ryan, Iarla Hughes, Mark Donoghue, Conor McNally, Ronan Ryan, Adam Flanagan, Padhraig Geraghty (0-1) , Liam Shaw (0-1), Connor Lyons, Kevin Ryan (0-1), Eamonn McDonnell, Conor Frayne, Barry Dardis (2-8, 6f).

Subs: Jack Davies for McNally, Kevin Lyons for Willie Ryan, Darragh McVann for Donoghue.