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🔴🏐Late Hickey Point Denies Trim as Honours Even in Dunboyne 🔴🏐
Husqvarna Centre - PR Coyne - Adult Football League - Division 1
Trim 1-14 Dunboyne 0-17
Often games can be decided in the last kick of a game and Trim know this only too well when they settled their game last week with a well taken goal to level the game on the stroke of full time. Fast forward to Saturday in Dunboyne when a tight game was decided just as the referee was raising his whistle to announce full time, when a last-ditch attack by Dunboyne saw the ball moving out to the left wing where Dan Hickey cooly struck the ball over the bar to level the game for the home team.
On a near perfect spring day, Dunboyne played host to Trim in the 2nd round of the league with the home side hoping to get their campaign up and running after a fruitless outing the first day. But newly promoted Trim had ideas of their own when the ball was won from the throw in and they immediately surged forward. Within a minute, a high ball was met by the soaring David Lernihan who neatly tapped the ball down to the waiting Sean Fitzgerald who took 3 strides and rifled the ball into the back of the Dunboyne net…….a mere 1 minute 35 seconds gone and the Reds were seeing red. From the kick out Dunboyne gathered themselves and won the ball to stride down the pitch and open their account with an excellent response and a well taken point. A minute later, Dunboyne’s full forward Donal Lenihan struck a lovely point to signal his arrival and to start what was going to be a hard-working day for Trim’s full back Jack McGowan. On the 8th minute a well worked move by Trim found Tom Carmody in a lot of space in front of goal from where he took his point with ease only to see it cancelled out a minute later by Lenihan who was looking increasingly dangerous even in these early stages. From the kick out, Dunboyne again secured possession and fired the ball to the outcoming corner forward Dan Hickey who turned on the 40-metre arc and hit a well struck 2-pointer to put the home side in front for the first time with 9 minutes gone on the clock. Minutes later Hickey won himself a yellow card when taking down Trim’s Eoin Sweeney who was increasingly threatening from the half back position. Although nothing came from the resultant free, Trim were soon to level the game when the hard-working Eoin O Connor won the ball and released Fitzgerald who slotted the ball over the bar. Trim recovered the lead on the 15th minute when, in full flight, Cathal O Reilly was brought down on the edge of the large square to allow Lernihan step up and convert with ease. Directly from the kick out Fitzgerald gathered the ball and strode forward to once again take a point and open up a 2-point lead for the visiting Reds. Dunboyne were far from flustered when repeatedly attacking but narrowly missing the upright from chances that could and probably should have been converted. But it was Trim who were next to score when Sweeney attacked on his own from the half back position and, with Dunboyne defenders standing back, went straight through the middle to hit a fine point that is a hall mark of this quiet, but often lethal player. With both teams freely attacking now it was the respective defences who had to stand up to the onslaught. For Trim, big Brian Bolger who was back in the team in 2026 after an absence, was noticeable for his constant chasing and blocking. Daire Lynch, Conor Quigley and Lernihan had to dig deep to keep a semblance of control against a very good Dunboyne midfield of Luke Carolan and Fergal Watters. And it was Quigley, in the 21st minute who struck an excellent 2-pointer to put Trim a very comfortable 5 points ahead as the game moved towards half time. But once again there was no panic from Dunboyne who patiently went about their business and launched successive attacks which in the successive 22nd, 23rd and 24th minutes saw points sail over the Trim cross bar to bring the gap down to a more manageable 2 points. A heavy tackle on Trim’s Sweeney saw him replaced by Ian Bermingham who no sooner on the field, secured the ball and with his first kick of the game fired the ball over the Dunboyne cross bar to open the lead to 3 points to the visitors. In the following 3 minutes Dunboyne, who were diligently sticking to their task, closed the gap to a mere one point when lethal forwards Hickey and Lenihan (free) took their points well to send both teams in at half time in the full knowledgeable that a kick of a ball could decide the final outcome between these two well matched teams.
Half time: Trim 1-08 Dunboyne 0-10
From the restart, both teams had barely taken their positions when Trim’s Bermingham got the ball in hand and with his left boot drove the ball high over the bar – game on. But back came Dunboyne with a really well worked attack moving the ball neatly across the centre of the field but once again it was Bolger and Conor McGinley who were waiting to parry the threat and launch a counter attack to the waiting Lynch who found Ian Byrne who turned his marker but was brought to ground. The resultant free was confidently converted by Carmody to bring his tally to 2 points and the gap between the teams to 3 points. Dunboyne’s Lenihan confidently narrowed the margin in the 5th minute of the 2nd half when he was at the end of a very well worked attack that saw the full forward fire the ball over the Reds crossbar. Moments later, Trim’s Lynch saw yellow when he broke up a Dunboyne attack. Lenihan gratefully struck the resultant free to narrow the gap to a point. Trim attacked again but unfortunately for them the resulting 45 metre kick was narrowly missed by Lernihan who then saw the ball driven down the pitch where, despite shouts of ‘thrown ball’ from the Trim sideline, Dunboyne’s Jason Gleeson oblivious, kicked the ball over the bar to once again level the game. But not for long said Trim as Conor Quigley, who was having an excellent game in midfield, strode down the pitch to reclaim a one-point lead for Trim on the 14th minute. This game was now finely balanced with both teams looking like they could claim full points. Trim’s Bolger again hits hard but clean to break up a home attack and releases Lynch who shoots narrowly wide of the upright under extreme pressure from the Dunboyne defence. On the 23rd minute, Dunboyne level the game once again with a very well struck point from an acute angle. Back come Trim with the impressive Bolger finding O Connor, who had been making a complete nuisance of himself all day among the Dunboyne defence, who then found Lernihan to once again poke Trim’s nose ahead with a well taken point. But not for long. Dunboyne attacked again only to be thwarted by young Eoin Ryan who, for his efforts, was awarded a yellow card. Lenihan converted to level the game once more. Back came Trim with the look of a team who did not want to lose grip of this game. The ball was delivered to Quigley in midfield who, in full flight struck the ball from nearly 45 meters out to secure his second 2-pointer of the day and crown a magnificent performance. But Dunboyne weren’t waiting around for any coronation ceremonies as they surged forward only to be denied by a good save by Eoin O Reilly in the Trim goal. But back Dunboyne came again in the 28th minute to fire over a point to leave only 1 point between the teams. Trim defended with a determination that said they were not letting go of full points today - Dunboyne worked the ball across the half forward line looking for any glimmer of a chance to secure any points – the referee raised his whistle to his lips – job done Trim – not so said Dunboyne - the ball travels out to the left wing where Dunboyne’s Dan Hickey awaits – gathers – and strikes. The ball soars over the bar – the whistle finally blown – the game levelled.
Although Trim will be understandably disappointed, it would be difficult not to give full credit to Dunboyne who seemed to be constantly chasing the game but never looked like giving up. They relentlessly closed the gap every time it appeared and never panicked. For Trim they may well see this as a point lost rather than a point gained, but this was a very assured performance by the team in red who look every bit a division one team.
Well done to all.
Full time: Trim 1-14 Dunboyne 0-17
Trim: E O Reilly; C McGinley; J McGowan; E Ryan; C O Reilly; B Bolger; E Sweeney (0-01); C Quigley (0-05); D Lernihan (0-02); D Lynch (0-01); S Fitzgerald (1-02); J Murray; I Byrne; E O Connor; T Carmody (0-02)
Subs: I Bermingham (0-02) for E Sweeney; M Murray for I Byrne; G Fleming for T Carmody
Subs: I Bermingham (0-02) for E Sweeney; M Murray for I Byrne; G Fleming for T Carmody
