J.M. Food Services Football League Division 2 Round 3

St Patrick’s 1-08 Trim 4-06

By Martin Bourke

In the eye of Storm Kathleen, St Patrick’s welcomed Trim to Stamullen in the hope that they could continue their 100% record in the league to date.

Playing against a ferocious wind in the first half, Trim opened their account in the 5th minute with a sweetly taken point from play by Daire Lynch, followed a minute later by another from David Lernihan. The hard working Tadhg Carty, who has been impressive in the middle of the field throughout the opening matches of the league for Trim, immediately gathered a ball and off loaded to an eager Sean Foley who confidently slotted the ball low into the Stamullen goal. St Patrick’s replied with their first point but, despite the headwind, it was Trim who seemed to settle to the conditions best.

Good work by Rob Bourke in mid field saw Trim launch successive attacks. In the 17th minute, big Sean Fitzgerald gathered a high ball to off load to Tadhg Carty who shook the back of the St Patrick’s net with a clinically taken goal. Moments later, Fitzgerald himself capitalised on a defensive error to again beat the goalkeeper. Trim appeared rampant. But Stamullen stuck to their task and caught Trim napping a minute later to score a goal and a point of their own. Things could have been worse for Trim except for a wonderful block by Declan Dowling to disrupt an ominous attack on the Trim goal. Despite their impressive start, Trim now appeared to hand the momentum to the home team. Trim struggled to get the ball up the field against the gale force wind, and 3 further points by St Patrick’s saw them going in to the dressing room at half time trailing by only 3 points.

Half time St Patrick’s 1-05 Trim 3-02.

At the restart, both teams again adjusted to the weather conditions and held each other scoreless until the 11th minute when Trim’s Foley pounced to secure a point followed shortly after by Bourke who struck a sweet left footed shot over the crossbar. Trim now appeared to settle into the conditions and launched several good team attacks underpinned by strong defensive work by Padraig Walshe, Eoin Sweeney and Daire Lynch. 2 points in the 17th and 21st minutes were a brave attempt by the host team to stay in touch against the difficult wind. But any hopes they may have had of a resurgence were soon dismissed when powerful work by Fitzgerald and Bourke allowed Foley in for his second goal of the game in the 23rd minute. 2 further points from Lynch and Lernihan saw Trim close out the game with only one further point in reply from St Patrick’s in the closing minute.

Both teams should be given full credit for defying Storm Cathleen and producing a decent game of football that was hard and fairly fought.

Trim will be pleased with the outcome that now sees them in second place on the league table…. but with a long way to go.

Well done to David Boyle, Evan Collins and Pádraig Walsh on their 1st team debuts.

Final score St Patrick’s 1-08 Trim 4-06

Trim: P Munnelly; C Downes; D Dowling; E Sweeney; P Walshe; D Lynch (0-2); K Ennis; I Byrne; R Bourke (0-1); T Carty (1-0); D Lernihan (0-2); N Sweeney: A Shortt; S Fitzgerald (1-0); S Foley (2-01)

Subs: P Quigley for T Carty; D Boyle for S Foley; E Collins for N Sweeney