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Final games of the league can be tense and fraught affairs as teams either challenge for glory or scramble to avoid relegation. On Saturday, Trim travelled to meet St Colmcilleās as one of those teams trying to avoid relegation playoffs. In what was anticipated to be a close affair between 2 teams languishing in the middle of the league table, the main surprise of the day was the sheer dominance of the men in red. It took St Colmcilleās a full 17 minutes to get on the score board by which time Trim were ahead by 6 points and down to 14 men courtesy of a black card. That pattern was to continue for the remainder of the first half with 7 points being the margin at half time. On the restart Trim resumed strongly with Conor Quigley, Ciaran Caulfield and David Lernihan all securing points before Quigley ran on to the end of a lovely Ian Byrne pass to slide the ball to the corner of the Cilleās goal to effectively bring the game to an end and still with 25 minutes of the half to play. Due to the vigilance of the Trim backs and the incessant running of the Reds midfield and forwards, St Colmcilles could scarcely draw breath and could only manage a solitary point in 22 minutes of the second half. Unfortunately for them, in the same period, Trim had added a further 3 points and a rocket of a goal from veteran campaigner Alan Douglas assisted by a wonderful intercept by corner back and man of the match Padraig Walsh who was having a super game. The story of the second half however was the arrival on the pitch of no less than 10 subs for Trim while still managing to outscore St Colmcilleās by an impressive 2-09 to five points. On the final whistle there was no need for any VAR or any world cup type analysis ā the scoreboard told the full story.
A stunning Saturday evening greeted Trim on their arrival under the shadow of the magnificent Newgrange mound at prehistoric Donore for a game against St Colmcilleās that they needed to win to avoid any unnecessary relegation playoffs. St Colmcilleās, on the other hand, were secure in their mid-table position but also needed to put down a marker for matches to come in the summer. Both teams knew their minds really needed to be on the fast-approaching championship. Somewhat ominously for the Cilleās men however was the return of Trimās 2 county men ā Ciaran Caulfield and Aaron Lynch ā whose reputation for destruction was known by all gathered. And it was that man Caulfield who got proceedings underway by winning the ball in midfield to release James Toher who clinically passed to Conor Quigley who slotted over for the first score of the day with hardly a minute gone. St Colmcilleās attempted to get their day off to a start minutes later when they bore down on the Trim goal only to awaken keeper Eoin O Reilly who saved very well under pressure. McGinley for Trim brought the ball out of trouble and started the advance up the field working the ball up to Daire Lynch. On the 5th minute, Trimās centre forward James Murray launched a magnificent strike from outside the 40-metre arc that was proclaimed by the Trim supporters as the first 2-pointer of the game. But not so said Robert Purfield, the St Patrickās, Stamullen referee who in fairness was keeping well up with play and ruled it had gone wide. Trim werenāt deterred. A minute later the industrious Eoin Sweeney launched another attack to set up Ian Byrne who forced the Cilleās keeper to execute a good save on the line. Already Aaron Lynch for Trim was tormenting St Colmcilleās with constant twists, turns and darts from the 45-metre line which resulted in his first point of the day on the 8th minute. A real feature of Trimās league campaign this year has been the tireless running of Eoin O Connor who has impressed greatly. On Saturday he continued his campaign with a great attack to release Toher who found the oncoming Quigley who forced the Cilleās keeper into a good save. The resultant 45 metre was converted by Aaron Lynch to put the Reds 3 up and 11 minutes gone. Each attack from St Colmcilleās was being well tracked by the Trim defence with O Reilly, Bolger and McGinley hyper alert not only to disrupt but then to launch swift counter attacks resulting in Caulfield securing his first of the day. Walsh on the Trim full back line was working tirelessly with the Cilleās forwards finding it difficult to make any progress down his side. Up front however, Lynch for Trim was having no such difficulty when, on the 15th minute, way out on the left-hand sideline he effortlessly struck a ball from easily 45 metres out that not only crossed the St Colmcilleās cross bar but also threatened the roof of the 5000-year-old Newgrange world heritage site!!!! Trim were now 6 points up with St Colmcilles yet to register a score. This was eventually rectified in the 17th minute when a loose ball from Trim allowed the Cilles pounce in front of the goal and convert for their first score of the game. Shortly after, Ian Byrne for Trim saw a black card that was soon forgotten about when Trimās David Lernihan surged through to get his first point followed by another from Toher. St Colmcilleās were finding it extremely difficult to make any progress and could not seem to find a way to penetrate the Trim defence. To make matters worse, another point from Lynch was followed shortly after by a black card for the St Colmcilleās centre back. As one player went off, Trimās Byrne came back on and immediately slotted over to announce his arrival. Lynch finished proceedings with another point to see the teams going into the shade with a comfortable margin of 7 points at half time.
Half time: St Colmcilleās 0-04 Trim 0-11
Business resumed immediately on the restart with Caulfield securing his second point of the game. In an attempt to rally their fortunes Cilleās immediately went on the counter attack that saw a surge forward and O Reilly in the Trim goal beaten only for them to be denied at the death by Quigley who cleared off the line. Back came Trim. A cheeky jink by Cathal O Reilly freed that man Quigley to again convert a point, followed shortly after by big James Murray with another point to open up the margin to a full 10 points. But things were only to get worse for Cilles when Byrne used all his pace to cut inside the St Colmcilleās defence and flick the ball to Quigley who slid the ball into the back of the home net. Most impressive for Trim was their movement in all areas of the field with players constantly supporting and finding team matesā¦ā¦.St Colmcilleās defence was fully stretched and constantly second best. From the 8th minute of the second half the Trim management made a succession of substitutions throughout the field. Instead of weakening the Reds, these changes seemed to further drive them further. Alan Douglas, only minutes on the pitch, was released by a great pass from Padraig Walsh, who was having a stunning game in defence, to see the ball slammed to the back of the Cilleās net. A 2-point free from Trimās Lynch and a Toher point from play saw only a single point in reply from the home team. But the unrelenting attacks from Trim continued with Carmody narrowly missing wide after a wonderful Trim build up with the ball moving through the hands of 5 different players. Only in the last 7 minutes did St Colmcilles get any form of momentum when they managed to get 4 points to put a margin of respectability on the scoreboard. Substitutes Douglas and Slattery finished out the scoring for Trim with well taken points that mercilessly brought the game to an end.
This game was a demonstration of top-class team play from Trim who really looked like a team who are now fully in championship mode. Their movement, support play and tireless work rate could only leave any neutral spectator impressed. St Colmcilles on the other hand will be disappointed with what could only be described as a lack lustre performance ā but then Cilleās league was effectively complete before the start of the game so nothing can really be interpreted from their performance on Saturday.
Trim will take great encouragement from this performance. Ken Robinson and his sideline crew have a very positive and supportive vibe going with this team. Robinson should be given full credit for this. The sun is shiningā¦ā¦ā¦..the evenings are longā¦ā¦.the summer stretches out in front of usā¦ā¦..the farmers are happy(ish)ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.roll on the championship!
Well done to all.
Trim: E O Reilly; C McGinley; B Bolger; P Walsh; C O Reilly; J Toher (0-02); C Quigley (1-04); D Lernihan (0-01); C Caulfield (0-02); E Sweeney; J Murray (0-01); D Lynch; E O Connor; A Lynch (0-06); I Byrne (0-01)
Trim: E O Reilly; C McGinley; B Bolger; P Walsh; C O Reilly; J Toher (0-02); C Quigley (1-04); D Lernihan (0-01); C Caulfield (0-02); E Sweeney; J Murray (0-01); D Lynch; E O Connor; A Lynch (0-06); I Byrne (0-01)
Subs: T Carmody (0-01) for E Sweeney; A Douglas (1-01) for J Murray; S Foley for I Byrne; G Fleming for E O Connor; I Birmingham for Lernihan; J McGowan for J Toher; B Holden for P Walsh; D Heffernan for D Lynch; C Slattery (0-01) for C O Reilly; S Fitzgerald for E O Reilly
