2026 Husqvarna Centre - PR Coyne - Adult Football League - Division 1 - Round 8
Trim 2-12 Skryne 0-18
📝 Martin Bourke 📷 Full Album Link
Trim 2-12 Skryne 0-18
📝 Martin Bourke 📷 Full Album Link
This clash on Saturday evening saw the meeting of 2 teams who have only managed 1 win each in their first seven outings. The visitors Trim, after a pretty strong start to the league, were now on a downward trajectory with 4 losses in a row. The hosts Skryne were desperately trying to avoid their sixth loss. From the outset Darragh Campion for Skryne put down a real marker for what was to be an excellent performance by the full forward when he slotted over his first 2 pointer of the game. By the 17th minute the home side had opened up a 4-point lead and notched up 2 yellow cards. Despite the real intensity of play in the middle third of the field, it was the more efficient Skryne forwards in the shape of Finnerty, Smyth and Campion that ensured their 5-point lead at half time. But Trim were never looking like a team that were going to settle for second best as they slowly clawed their way back into the game. Led by a man-of-the-match performance from James Murray, Trim went ahead for the first time in the 40th minute when a cracking goal by Eoin Sweeney tipped the scales in favour of the Reds. But from then to the end, the game balanced on a knife edge with Skryne reclaiming the lead and surging into a 4-point lead. Just when all looked lost for Trim, veteran James Toher drove the ball into the back of the home net to snatch a draw on the final move of the game. In this intense game, not helped by the weather, Skryne will probably see this as a point lost while Trim, doubtless, will see this as a well won point.
Who would have thought 6 days into the start of official summer the spectators in Skryne on Saturday evening would have been talking about the cold and sheeting rain sweeping across the very well-presented pitch……..even the referee very wisely waited in his car until the very last minute to start proceedings. Within a minute of the start Darragh Campion got the scoreboard up and running with a well struck free from 42 metres out to claim his and Skryne’s first 2 pointer of the day. Following good work from young Cormac Slattery, Trim struck back with their own 2 pointer when Daire Lynch casually swung the ball over from outside the 40-metre arc. Both teams exchanged converted frees before the game then settled into a real battle in the middle third with the wet ball repeatedly bobbling between Skryne’s big midfielders Gallagher and Fitzpatrick and their opposite numbers Lernihan and Birmingham. Most dangerous in this period were Skryne’s Billy Smyth and Padraig Finnerty who constantly attacked the Trim back line demanding that Brian Bolger, Conor Mc Ginley and Padraig Walsh block and disrupt. On the 12th minute, an apparent high tackle earned Campion a second yellow for Skryne in what, to be fair, was not a dirty game but one that was being hampered by wet, windy conditions that made the timing of tackles difficult for both teams - Referee Corman Reilly was well up for the challenge. The work rate of Skryne’s wing forward Smyth was gradually beginning to make the difference when he easily converted from the left-hand side to put the home side back in front only to follow up moments later with a sweetly struck long range shot to secure his first 2 pointer of the day. Trim were now working very hard but not converting the chances that were opening up. James Murray on the edge of the 40-metre arc was marshalling the troops and constantly switching the direction of attack from Eoin O Connor to Sean Foley to Daire Lynch. On the 20th minute Lynch’s quick pass found David Lernihan who, for a man of his size, swivelled like a ballerina to slot over his first point of the game. Despite this, and another free from Toher, Trim were under pressure. Fast attacking by the two Finnertys and Smyth now saw Trim’s corner forward Sean Foley repeatedly tracking back to shore up the Trim defence. But Padraig Finnerty for Skryne was not to be deterred when, on the 29th minute, he secured the ball outside the 40-metre arc and, with the greatest of ease, launched the ball high into the air and over for yet another Skryne 2 pointer. At the half time whistle a further point gave a margin of 5 points to the home side and a lot for Trim to think about.
Half time Trim 0-05 Skyrne 0-10
On the restart, and with the rain temporarily halted, Billy Smyth got proceedings underway with another point for the home side. From the kickout Trim secured the ball and swept up the field to the waiting Sean Foley who flicked the ball to Tom Carmody who, in turn delivered a clever pass to Murray who easily slotted over to keep Trim in touch in a game that could easily slip away. And slip away it could have in the 7th minute of the half when Gallagher for Skryne bore down on the Trim goal and, from point blank range, blasted the ball goalward only to be deterred by a brilliant save from the Trim goalkeeper Eoin O Reilly. The Trim counterattack drove the ball down the field to the waiting Murray who lashed over for a wonderful 2 pointer. Suddenly, in the space of a minute, the momentum seemed to change in favour of Trim. The margin was now down to 3 points – a mere kick of a ball. Substitute Eoin Sweeney was brought on at wing back and immediately broke an attack and delivered the ball to Murray who slotted the ball over to reduce the margin further to 2 points. Trim could smell blood and the Skryne defence were now on full alert for the wave of Trim attacks. The ball, from the kick out, was won in midfield by Trim’s Lernihan who passed to Sweeney. ………..the Trim forwards broke left and right to give the diminutive sub options for the inevitable pass……. but Sweeney spotted the gap and surged forward to drive a shot that was well blocked by the Skryne defence only for it to rebound back again to the substitute……. acting on pure instinct the half Donegal man volleyed the ball ferociously towards the bottom left-hand corner of the net leaving Skryne keeper Michael Donnelly with no chance. Trim were now ahead by a point with the wind clearly in their sails. Foley, the tricky Trim corner forward was increasingly threatening and linking well with full forward Alan Douglas to test the Skryne defence. On the 11th minute Foley almost delivered Trim’s second goal only to see his effort cleared off the line. A minute later, Trim didn’t disappoint when Alan Douglas struck a lovely 2 pointer to open up a margin of 3 points for the Reds. Although plenty of time left on the clock, Trim had settled into a very comfortable rhythm. Ruairi McCaffrey, Slattery and Ian Birmingham were working hard and tracking every Skryne attack. One would have loved to see the GPS statistics on Trim’s Tom Carmody who was putting in a ferocious work rate sprinting the length of the pitch to help the defence and then back again to link with his forwards. But Skryne weren’t inclined to sit back and admire. Instead, they rallied their troops, regrouped and came out fighting. Campion converted 2 frees to bring the margin down to a mere 1 point. On the 19th minute, a Skryne free outside the 40-metre mark dropped low requiring O Reilly in the Trim goal to tip the ball over his own crossbar for another 2 pointer – Skryne now back in the lead and with the momentum in their favour. Next into the fray for Skryne was Stephen O Brien who secured the ball and released incoming Daniel Fitzpatrick who slotted over to put the home side 2 points up. Campion wasn’t finished either when, ominously for Trim he strode up to convert yet another 2 pointer that saw the gap now out to 4 points with only 6 minutes left on the clock. All hands to the pumps now for Trim who were under serious pressure. The visitors in red were still playing and there was a look of tense composure on their faces. Twice the ball went in to the home goal mouth and twice the ball was broken down. The clock ticked down. With one minute left, Daire Lynch, who had been excellent throughout, converted for a point that some on the sideline thought should have been a 2 pointer……. but no arguments from Trim…. there wasn’t time……Skryne 3 points ahead…..the clock ticked down. 25 seconds left and even the most positive on the Trim sideline were now surely devoid of any hope. But one man on the pitch who certainly wasn’t losing hope was the veteran James Toher……..folklore has it that Toher has been around so long that he remembers the old milk bottles – the Christian Brothers with the leathers – even Nelson’s Pillar!!! The ball breaks out to the legend…..no time for nostalgia now…..only time for brute force. With the skill of a marksman, Toher rifled the ball goalward – on the sideline both sets of supporters held their breath – the ball crashed to the back of the net. …….a drawn game with barely time for the kickout.
The final whistle brought an enthralling game to an end.
Given their late lead, one must think Skryne would see this as a point lost. On the other hand, Trim certainly won a well-deserved point on Saturday evening. This was a gutsy, fighting, never-say-die performance from Ken Robinson’s Trim side that can now surely kick on to even better things.
Well done to all.
Trim: E O Reilly; C McGinley; B Bolger; P Walsh; R McCaffrey; J Toher (1-02); D Lynch (0-03); D Lernihan (0-01); I Birmingham; C Slattery; J Murray (0-04); T Carmody; S Foley; A Douglas (0-02); E O Connor
Subs: E Sweeney (1-00) for R McCaffrey
