28 April 2019 – JCFC Group A – Summerhill 1-4 Walterstown 2-14
Missing more than a full team of players, for various reasons, a smaller than usual panel of 18 travelled to Summerhill for this second round Championship fixture. After a disappointing display and result in the opening round, at home to St Ultan’s, the lads needed a win to put the campaign back on track. A good mixture of experienced players, such as Ciaran Lydon, Peter and Kit Reynolds and Kevin Devine and last year’s Minors, Adam Cummins, Adam Barrett and Conor McGuire (making his Championship debut) did not disappoint the travelling support.
Walterstown’s captain, Christopher Farrelly, won the toss and opted to attack the clubhouse end in the first half, kicking into a slight wind. After an uneventful opening, the away team’s attack clicked into gear, with points from play from Paul Donnellan, Andrew Barry, Cormac Madden and Andrew Moran, between the fifth and ninth minutes. Both teams then missed a few scoring chances, before Paul Donnellan kicked his second point, in the seventeenth minute. Cormac Madden raised the game’s first green flag within a minute and then went on to add a further two points from play before the break.
Half Time – Summerhill 0-0 Walterstown 1-7 
The home team’s best spell of the match came immediately after the restart, recording 1-3 during the opening 8 minutes, with Walterstown’s only response being a point from play from a tight angle by Conor McGuire (shout out to Kiltane and Mayo’s Mikey Sweeney, for all the pep talks down the years). Kit Reynolds replaced the hard working Andrew Barry after 40 minutes, with Walterstown 5 points ahead. A pointed free from Cormac Madden, followed by points from play from Paul Donnellan and Kit Reynolds saw the Blacks leading by eight points after 46 minutes. Eoin O’Leary replaced the excellent Paul Foy, with 12 minutes to play. Summerhill’s final score of the match came with 10 minutes to go. Cormac Madden responded straight away, with another point from play, before earning a well-earned rest, being replaced by Jack Harte. A second fisted point from Kit Reynolds, after a knock down on the end line by Conor McGuire, was followed by another point from play from Paul Donnellan. Andrew Barry returned to the pitch as a blood sub, in place of Cormac Freeman. Christopher Farrelly then completed a great team move, with a decisive finish to the bottom corner of the net, to end the scoring for the day.
Full Time – Summerhill 1-4 Walterstown 2-14
The management team was delighted with the panel’s strength in depth, turning in a convincing win, despite the unavailability of key players. Keeping the home team scoreless for the first half was a good achievement for the back unit as a whole, with accurate kick outs from Ciaran Lydon ensuring that possession was retained when needed. The pace, movement and finishing of the midfield and forward units was also pleasing, with seven different scorers on the day and every score, bar one point, coming from play. Many of the scores came about as a result of good support work and movement and accurate passing and finishing. The lads are at home to Rathkenny in Division 3 of the B League on Friday 3 May 2019, throwing in at 7.30 PM. All support is greatly appreciated.
Walterstown: Ciaran Lydon, Cormac Freeman, Aaron Dunphy, Paul Foy, Adam Cummins, Peter Reynolds, Conor Lenehan, Kevin Devine, Christopher Farrelly (1-0), Adam Barrett, Andrew Moran (0-1), Andrew Barry (0-1), Paul Donnellan (0-4), Cormac Madden (1-5, 1f) and Conor McGuire (0-1). Substitutes: Kit Reynolds (0-2), Eoin O’Leary and Jack Harte.
Manager: Robbie Barrett. Selectors: Paul McCarthy and Mark McGuire. Physio: Edel McGrane.
Thanks to Mark McGuire for the Report
