Senior Hurling Championship, Group B, Round 2.
Final Score: Trim 3-22; Na Fianna 1-17
📝 Kevin Coleman 📷 Link to Album

Front Row L-R Luca Taheny, Kyle Ennis, Danny Coleman, Ian Bermingham, Cathal O'Reilly, Cormac Slattery, Colm McGrath, George Douglas, David Murtagh, not pictured Dimmy Higgins

Trim continued winning ways with a second Championship victory over Na Fianna on a humid and overcast evening at Dunganny. In many ways this was a game of two halves with only two points separating the sides at half time but a more structured display in the second half with Trim running out convincing winners with an eleven point margin.

While Trim clearly held the greatest advantage in terms of possession they still registered a total of seventeen wides which almost mirror-imaged a similar trend of their first round encounter against Dunderry with eighteen missed opportunities. On a more positive note Trim had nine names who registered scores which, again, was similar to their opening round where eight players put their names on the scoresheet.

Trim were quicker out of the blocks with George Douglas registering the first point in the first minute. Na Fianna had a double response before Kyle Ennis restored parity in the fourth minute. This trend continued for the first quarter and there were further Trim scores from James Andrews, Kyle Ennis, James Toher’s long range effort, and centre forward Ian Birmingham, who was causing the Fianna back line plenty of discomfort. It was perhaps fitting that, after further stern work by Ian Birmingham, he put Mikey Cole through to place an unstoppable effort past the stranded Adam Farrell in the Na Fianna goals. Kyle Ennis and Joey Cole added two further points to the town side and you would imagine that they would kick on from there. 

Na Fianna had other ideas, however, and had three unanswered points to bring the margin back to two in the twenty third minute. It was then Trim’s turn to create a similar feat with points from George Douglas, and David Murtagh (2, 1’65). However, Na Fianna finished out the half in style with three more unanswered efforts to, once again, reduce the margin to two. 

Trim exploded into the second half and George Douglas raised another green flag within fifteen seconds of the start following a fine through ball from Mikey Cole. Further points followed from Joey Cole, George Douglas, and Daragh Heffernan, after some fine team play which, clearly, had been lacking in the opening half. Daragh Heffernan followed with another successful effort and the tie was virtually put to bed with another Mikey Cole special in the eight minute. At this stage, Na Fianna were clinging on with two conversions but, amazingly, it was the thirteenth minute before David Murtagh had the first of his converted frees, which was a testament to referee Ciaran Flynn’s sparing use of the whistle.

Another David Murtagh conversion was followed by an Ian Birmingham point but Na Fianna’s Will Flynn kept his side in the hunt with a goal in the thirteenth minute. A Mikey Cole brace followed and David Murtagh saw out the Trim scoring with two more converted frees as the clock edged closer to the thirtieth minute.

This was a reasonable all round display Trim as they are beginning to grow into their Championship season. Special mention to Eoin O’Reilly, in the Trim nets, Luca Taheny, Cormac Slattery, Ian Birmingham, and the rejuvenated Dimmy Higgins, who made a significant contribution when substituting for Conor Quigley early in the second half.

Hopefully all the niggling injuries will have cleared up before Round 3 against Navan O’Mahonys on the 8th August.

Trim:  Eoin O’Reilly, Danny Coleman, Ben Holden, Daragh Heffernan (0-2), Cormac Slattery, James Toher (0-1), Luca Taheny, Conor Quigley, David Murtagh (0-6, 5f), Joey Cole (0-2), James Andrews (0-1), George Douglas (1-3), Kyle Ennis (0-3), Ian Birmingham (0-2), Mikey Cole (2-2)

Subs (used): Dimmy Higgins, Daniel Murray, Mark Murray