Dunshaughlin 0-10 Summerhill 0-10:FOR THE third time in five years, the Meath final goes to a replay, with Dunshaughlin and Summerhill serving up a cracking contest before a disappointing crowd of 3,500 at Páirc Tailteann.
Brian Ennis levelled from a free to give Summerhill another day out, justice was done because neither side deserved to lose.
Favourites Summerhill made the brighter start to put over the first three scores and lead by 0-4 to 0-1 after 12 minutes. Dunshaughlin, starting with five of the three-in-a-row winners at the beginning of the century, settled into the game and went on to lead by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.
Remarkably there were 11 different scorers in the first half. Early efforts from Paul Rispin, Adrian Kenny, Brian Ennis (free) and Conor Gillespie had Summerhill supporters in good heart and a terrific long-range shot from wing-back Denis Kealy lifted Dunshaughlin to their best spell.
Following the first of midfielder Gillespie’s two fine scores from distance, Dunshaughlin outscored their opponents by five points to one for the last 17 minutes of the opening period. Veteran Trevor Dowd was leading the black and ambers’ attack in fine style and lively corner forward Cathal O’Dwyer was proving a handful.
O’Dwyer doubled the lead with a punched score after the restart and then flighted over a peach of a point from the right corner.
However, the sides were level for the third time (0-8 each) when Gillespie landed a 50-metre effort on the three-quarter mark.
Ennis edged Summerhill back into the lead from a free but it was advantage Dunshaughlin again as the side inspired by Caoimhín King surged forward for scores from Conor Devereaux and Dowd.
Dunshaughlin brought on three more from the three-in-a-row days including All-Ireland winner Richie Kealy, who conceded the free from which Ennis levelled by touching the ball on the ground.
DUNSHAUGHLIN: R Gogan; A Doyle, K McTigue, M Ahern; A Johnson, C King, D Kealy (0-1); J Crimmins, R Maloney; F Toolan (0-1), T Dowd (0-2, two frees), C Devereaux (0-2); C O’Dwyer (0-3), N Murphy (0-1), T Johnson. Subs: R Kealy for Murphy (47 mins), N Kelly for T Johnson (51 mins), M Reilly for Toolan(56 mins), T O Dushlaine for Devereaux (59 mins).
SUMMERHILL: T McDonnell; D Dalton, C Young, W Ryan; S Husband, R Hatton, M Gorman; M Byrne, C Gillespie (0-2); D Larkin(0-1), B Ennis (0-5, five frees), M Kennedy; P Rispin (0-1), S Kennedy, A Kenny (0-1). Subs: B Lyons for M Kennedy (37 mins), P Larkin for Rispin (50 mins), C Malone for Husband (54 mins).
