Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Full Time: Trim 4-13 (25);  Rathmolyon 3-15 (24)

Trim overcame near neighbours Rathmolyon  in this rip roaring contest played on a fine Autumn afternoon, on a wonderful Pairc Tailteann surface.

This is one that came right down to the wire and it was befitting that it was Trim’s, ‘Mr Cool’, Arnie McGee who struck over the winning ’65 deep into injury time to the ecstasy of the men in red and the sheer devastation of the lads from the Village.

Rathmolyon were quickly off the mark and an early Simon Ennis long range free was followed by a fine individual effort from full forward Stephen Mulligan. Indeed, it was a unique day for the Mulligan family with Danny, Stephen, and twins Sean and Kevin, who recently celebrated their eighteenth birthdays, in the Rathmolyon starting fifteen. Unfortunately, Stephen picked up a serious leg injury and his early forced retirement was a major blow to the Rathmolyon striking division.

Trim also had the misfortune of losing Peter Farrell early in the game but not before the bustling centre forward had amassed a goal and a point, the goal coming from a long ball from James Cullen who found Arnie McGee. Arnie worked the ball into the centre for Peter to strike an unstoppable shot to the corner of the Rathmolyon net. Earlier, Arnie had opened the Trim scoring from a pointed free.

In between, Gary Doherty had a pointed free for Rathmolyonand Mark Lynch had a simple task of guiding the ball to the Trim net following a complete mis-judgment by net minder Calum Buckley.

Rathmolyon finished the first quarter in style when Trevor Healy pointed and Kevin Mulligan latched onto a loose ball to, once again, find the back of the Trim net. This left Rathmolyon in a comfortable position before the first water break leading by 2-4 to 1-2.

In contrast to that first quarter, the second quarter belonged to Trim with an immense performance from Darragh Kennedy at corner back and a mid-field dominance by David Murtagh and, arguably, a man of the match performance from Ciaran O’Rourke. These were ably assisted by both Jack  Cotterelland James Cullen, who were instrumental in setting up a wave of Trim attacks, and a solid performance, and two broken sticks, by centre back Gary Fleming who restricted Rathmolyon danger man Vincent Ward to a single point for the entire afternoon.

Joey Toole, who was to put in a brilliant second half fielding performance, found his range following a good lay off from Danny Coleman , while Simon Ennis had an immediate reply for Rathmolyon with a pointed free.

It was now Trim who were turning on the style and Kevin ‘Lefty’ Lennon found the back of the Rathmolyon net with an opportunist strike. This was followed by another Trim goal from the ever sharp David Murtagh, following brilliant play by Ciaran O’Rourke. Arnie McGee chipped in with another brace of pointed frees while Stephen ‘Barney’ Doyle, who was giving the Rathmolyon defence plenty of anxious moments following his introduction for the injured Peter Farrell, also split the Rathmolyon uprights with a delightful strike over his left shoulder.

Gary Doherty did find his range for the team in green & white with a pointed ’65 and, in the final passage of first half play, Simon Ennis was fortunate to see his long range free drop to the Trim net with the aide of the underside of the cross-bar. This left the sides perfectly balanced, 3-6 apiece, to the sound of Frank Scully’s half time whistle.

The half time break was a welcome respite to everyone in this pulsating contest.

Gary Doherty edged Rathmolyon in front with an early pointed free but Arnie McGee, who’s free taking was a feature of this game, responded in similar style. The next six minutes was barren of scoring opportunities with both sides cancelling out each others efforts but Joey Toole broke the deadlock when he latched onto a long range free from Arnie McGee to raise another green flag and put a little daylight between the sides. Another pointed free from Arnie McGee increased the margin but this only served to signal a purple patch for Rathmolyon with three unanswered points from Vincent Ward, who had momentarily shaken off the Gary Fleming shackles, Trevor Healy, and a Gary Doherty free. This now left the minimum margin between the sides with the welcome second water break signalling the end of the third quarter.

Arnie McGee had another pointed free shortly after the resumption but Rathmolyon were not going to be undone and Gary Doherty’s pointed effort reduced the margin once again before substitute Mike Cole tied up matters with seven minutes remaining on the clock. Moments earlier Mike Cole, who was making a big impact following his introduction, had a goal bound effort brilliantly saved by Calum Buckley.

It was now nip and tuck with a succession of scoring exchanges and Trim’s Stephen Doyle had a point blank effort Brilliantly saved by Danny Mulligan, following good possession from Conor Mc Keown. David Murtagh had a marvellous pointed score off his back foot, which was cancelled out by another Gary Doherty pointed free, and Arnie McGee responded with his first point from play. Simon Ennis levelled matters once again with the clock ticking into injury time and extra time looming.

David Murtagh’s next effort, following another piece of fielding magic by Joey Toole, looked like it would settle matters for Trim, and qualify them for their first Intermediate Hurling semi final in thirty years, but, unbelievably, John Farrell found another, late, late, equaliser for Rathmolyon.

A final supreme effort by Trim Forced the Rathmolyondefence over their own end line and when Arnie McGee’s ’65 sailed between the Rathmolyon uprights the referee’s long whistle was sounded and it was Trim’s day.

Credit to both sides for one of the most exciting contests seen recently at the Navan venue but it is Trim who go marching on to a semi final where they will need all their players back to full fitness and fighting for their place in the starting line up.

In the meantime, we wish Stephen Mulligan a speedy recovery to what turned out to be a serious leg injury.

Full Time:  Trim 4-13 (25);  Rathmolyon 3-15 (24)

Trim:  C Buckley, C Walsh, C McGrath, D Kennedy, J Cotterell, G Fleming, J Cullen, C O’Rourke, D Murtagh (1-2), D Coleman, P Farrell (1-1), K Lennon (1-0), C McKeown, J Toole (1-1), A McGee (0-8, 6f, 1 ’65), . Subs used: S Doyle (0-1), A Dinan

Rathmolyon:  D Mulligan, C Regan, D Morgan, E Downey, J Ennis, S Ennis (1-3), C Keogh, Sean Mulligan, J Payne, T Healy (0-2), V Ward (0-1), K Mulligan (1-0), M Lynch (1-0), Stephen Mulligan (0-1), G Doherty (0-6, 5f, 1 ’65),. Subs used:  J Farrell (0-1), M Cole (0-1)