Strong finish sees Athy power past Summerhill

The Kildare outfit ultimately ran out 10-point winners.

DOUBLE TEAM: Conor Frayne of Summerhill tries to evade Sean Moore, left, and Padraic Spillane of Athy. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

AIB Leinster club SFC quarter-final: Athy (Kildare) 1-16 Summerhill (Meath) 0-9 

It took Athy a while to find top gear in this Leinster club SFC quarter-final tie but when they did, they left an outclassed Summerhill far in their rearview mirror.

Just a point separated the sides at half-time but when Athy hit the afterburners after the break, they sped away to a deserved 10-point win.

Brian Maher's first-half goal got Athy going after a slow start and they turned on the style after the break with Man of the Match Sean Moore among the scorers.

There was a strong cameo too from teenager Colm Moran, who struck 0-2, while county captain Kevin Feely piled on the misery for Summerhill with 0-3 overall.

Veteran Kildare forward Niall Kelly nailed a two-pointer during that one-sided second-half as the eight-time county champions outscored Meath's best by 0-10 to 0-1.

Athy's reward is a semi-final tie against the winners of tomorrow's tie between Naomh Mairtin (Louth) and Portarlington (Laois) which, it's understood, will take place back here in Newbridge in a fortnight.

Meath's Summerhill were already underdogs heading to the home of Kildare football against an Athy team that took down all conquering Naas on the local scene.

Athy comfortably took care of Baltinglass in their provincial opener then, so taking on the hosts without talisman Eoghan Frayne was a giant blow.

Meath captain Frayne hit 0-5 against Longford champions Killoe in Round 1 and was named to start again but pulled out with a calf injury.

Former Meath forward and goalkeeper Barry Dardis replaced Frayne but the east Meath side were still stripped of a marquee talent.

It didn't seem to bother them, initially at least, as they ran up a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after 15 minutes.

Liam Shaw sniped three of those points, two of which came from frees as he took over the placed ball duties.

Jamie O'Shea, who hit Killoe for 1-2, was on the mark again too as the side managed by David Clare overwhelmed Athy with their ultra intensity.

The midfield battle could have come straight from an inter-county fixture; Kildare duo Feely and David Hyland against Summerhill's in-form duo of Adam McDonnell and Adam Flnagan, both of whom have featured for Meath.

A 16th minute Feely point ignited Athy who reeled off 1-4 before half-time to lead 1-6 to 0-8 at the interval.

Tailteann Cup All-Star James McGrath nabbed a point during the blitz but it was Brian Maher's goal that turned things decisively in Athy's favour.

Summerhill were turned over deep in their own defence and county minor Moran fed Maher for the 17th minute goal.

Athy kicked two wides after the restart, and dropped two point attempts short, before Moran opened his own account with a terrific point under pressure.

Summerhill struggled badly to get out of their own half as Athy put a huge press on the opposition kick-out.

Moran stretched the lead to three with another fine score, this time from just inside the arc, leaving Athy 1-8 to 0-8 ahead.

Summerhill struggled for any sort of traction and didn't manage a point in the second-half until sub Conor Lyons intervened in the 49th minute.

Athy all but put a low-scoring game to bed with eight minutes to go when Niall Kelly lofted over a two-pointer to leave five between them.

It was all Athy from there on and sub Ben Purcell tagged on back-to-back points to help stretch the lead to 10 by full-time.

Athy scorers: Brian Maher 1-0, Kevin Feely 0-3, Sean Moore 0-3, Niall Kelly 0-3 (0-1f, 1 tp), Colm Moran 0-2, Ben Purcell 0-2, James McGrath 0-1, David Hyland 0-1, Cian Keaveney 0-1.

Summerhill scorers: Liam Shaw 0-4 (0-2f), Diarmuid McCabe 0-2 (tp), Barry Dardis 0-1, Jamie O'Shea 0-1, Conor Lyons 0-1.

Athy: Shane Jackman; Darren Lawler, Michael Spillane, Padraic Spillane; Brian Maher, Cathal McCarron, Sean Moore; Kevin Feely, Conor Doyle; Barry Kelly, David Hyland, James McGrath; Ronan Kelly, Colm Moran, Niall Kelly.

Subs: Mark Hyland for Maher 43, Ben Purcell for Barry Kelly 50, Conor Kelly for David Hyland 59, Ciaran Farrell for Moran 59, Cian Keaveney for Niall Kelly 61.

Summerhill: Sean Muddiman; Ronan Ryan, Iarla Hughes, Ben Moran; Jack Bannon, Ross Ryan, Jamie O'Shea; Adam McDonnell, Adam Flanagan; Diarmuid McCabe, Kevin Ryan, David Larkin; Conor Frayne, Barry Dardis, Liam Shaw.

Subs: John Lavelle for Moran 43, Cnor Lyons for Bannon 43, Padhraig Geraghty for O'Shea 49, Sean Dalton for Dardis 56, Kevin Lyons for McDonnell 61.

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).