J.M. Food Services Football League Division 2 Round 4

Trim 0-05 Duleek-Bellewstown 0-06 Full Report

By Martin Bourke

As Duleek-Bellewstown took to the field on Saturday evening, the beautiful sunshine in Trim could easily fool the unsuspecting into thinking the summer had come early. However, a wicked, cold wind blowing towards the town suggested otherwise. Playing with the wind, Duleek set an early pace in the game suggesting an intention to get a second win in the league. They duly opened the scoring in the 8th minute with a nicely taken point followed by another, 2 minutes later. Trim, though working hard, were clearly struggling to move the ball against the strong wind with their defence being called upon repeatedly. Cian Downes & Padraig Walsh blocked and harried throughout but could not stop the visitors from notching up a further 3 points that saw them 5 points up to no score on the 20th minute. Yet Trim remained composed - held their shape - and eventually got their reward in the 21st minute with a well gathered ball by Rob Bourke, beautifully off-loaded to the very hard-working Kylie Ennis, who made sure of the point. This was to be the home team’s only score of the first half. Duleek replied with a free in the 28th minute. Trim went in at half time surely believing that with a change of ends, a more favourable wind and fortune would blow in the second half.

Half time: Trim 0-01 Duleek-Bellewstown 0-06

The game restarted with a blistering pace from Trim that resulted in Tom Carmody converting from a free in the first minute. Ian Byrne in the middle of the field increased the tempo with good running and ball distribution. But Duleek were not prepared to stand back and admire when, in the 9th minute, they bore down on the Reds goal only to shoot wide from an ‘unmissable’ position, followed shortly afterwards by another missed point. Back came Trim with a nicely taken point by Daire Lynch in the 10th minute that kept the home team in touch. A further point by Carmody in the 19th minute saw the gap tantalising closer. But a minute later, perhaps the defining move of the game, saw a beautifully worked Trim move eventually struck wide of the post – a miss that would prove very costly.

Immediately on the kick out, Trim relaunched again, only to be brought down by the Duleek defence resulting in a red card for the visitors. Instead of capitalising with the extra man, a minute later, Trim also saw red when the referee adjudged Eoin Sweeney to have fouled and sent him to the sideline. But this was not a dirty game, with both teams working their best under difficult conditions. A 27th minute point by Carmody brought the home team within a point but, try as they might, they could not get back on level terms before the referee brought proceedings to a halt almost exactly on the 30th minute.

In truth this was a scrappy game, not helped by the wind, with both teams missing several good opportunities. Although Duleek-Bellewstown failed to score in the final 32 minutes of the match, they did enough to secure the points. No doubt Trim will reflect on some decisions they took and how they might bring more potency to their attack for the next game.

Finally, full credit to the ground keeper in Trim who produced a pitch that the club should be rightly proud of – particularly given the sodden conditions throughout the country.

Full time Trim 0-05 Duleek-Bellewstown 0-06

Trim: P Munnelly; C Downes; P Walshe; E Sweeney; D Dowling; C Quigley; K Ennis (0-01); I Byrne; R Bourke; D Lynch (0-01); S Fitzgerald; A Shortt; D Lernihan; T Carmody (0-03); S Foley

Subs: P Quigley for S Fitzgerald; D Boyle for S Foley