Longwood  0-20  Trim  2-12

Longwood's senior hurlers got their 2018 championship campaign off to a winning start with a deserved, if ultimately narrow victory over Trim on Saturday evening in Athboy.

Longwood were quick to settle with Eoin Lynch, giving a taste of what was to follow, opening the scoring with a point from play inside the opening 2 minutes. This seemed to spark Trim into life and they would register 1-2 without reply over the next 5 minutes, albeit the goal was extremely fortuitous.

Such a turn of events may have rocked some teams but Longwood have displayed composure and resilience throughout the 2018 season to date and they refused to buckle. Points from Niall Mulvey, Ryan Moore, Anthony Healy and Karl Ennis saw them draw level. The remainder of the first half saw Eoin Lynch, operating at centre half forward, produce a virtuoso performance bagging a further 5 points from play. Longwood took a deserved 5 point lead to the dressing rooms on a scoreline of 0-11 to 1-3.

The expected backlash from Trim looked like it was about to materialise when they picked off a point within 16 seconds of the restart. Yet again Longwood stood firm, recording the next three scores with a brace of points from Eoin Lynch backed up by another from Ryan Moore.

Trim, to their credit, responded with a hat trick of points to keep their hopes of an unlikely victory alive. But Longwood refused to ease off and matched them point for point as the game entered its closing stages. Eoin Lynch's ninth point gave Longwood a six point cushion with the Longwood supporters urging the referee to bring proceedings to an end. The match official had other ideas however and played upwards of 7 minutes injury time, during which Trim tagged on a goal and a point, the latter just clearing the crossbar as the men in red pressed for an equalising goal.  

The final whistle was greeted with cheers and no little relief from the Longwood faithful. In truth, anything other than a Longwood victory would have been a travesty given their superiority for much of the game. While Eoin Lynch was undoubtedly the star of the show, there were excellent performances from Paul Gill, Mickey Burke and Chris Lynch amongst others. In truth it was a strong all round team performance which is sure to have pleased the management team.

So while one swallow does not a summer make, Longwood can look forward to the next round of the championship with plenty of optimism.

Longwood: Mick Healy, Paul Gill, Chris Lynch, Johnny Furey, Joey Stenson, Mickey Burke, Ryan Moore (0-4), Niall Mulvey (0-1), Karl Ennis (0-1), Bob Maguire, Eoin Lynch (0-9), Damien Healy (0-1), Aaron Ennis, Anthony Healy (0-4), Ross Kerrigan. Subs: Sean Sheridan for Maguire, Mark Kennedy for Kerrigan, Keith Masterson for Aaron Ennis

Trim Report

Trim 2-12 Longwood 0-20 

First round fever was in Trim and every hurling club in County Meath this week as players and mentors eagerly awaited the weekend to get their championship off to a winning start as they strive for outright honours come early October. 

Due to a fifth round loss to newcomers to Ratoath last August Trim are operating in Group B of the revamped senior hurling championship. Two teams from Group  B will qualify for a quarter final spot in late August with the top team been promoted to the top six Group next year. Optimism was high during the week that Trim could top the group after the five rounds of hurling.

Neil Cole and his management team suffered a hammer blow when they received confirmation that four county men would not be able to play due to injuries. Neil Heffernan, Luke Moran, James Toher and Mikie Cullen were all ruled out of this first round match against Longwood.

Longwood got off to a flying start and had a point on the board after just thirty seconds. From the puck out Alan Douglas gained possession and fed a lovely hand pass to Damo Magee who beat his marker and fire the ball to the back of the Longwood net to leave his team two points up with two minutes played. Alan Douglas added a point to the Town teams score after five minutes, Trim were playing well. Longwood were finding Trim hard in the tackle and intense in everything they did but the broke them down in the ninth minute to fire over their second point of the game. 

Keeper Charlie Ennis then scored an outstanding point from a free in the tenth minute. This free was taken from inside the Trim fifty yard line a tremendous strike from the young goalkeeper. Trim were now three points in front. Longwood reduced their lead to the minimum by the 12th minute with two great points from play. Brian Dowling who was playing in the full forward line drifted out to take and score, a free in the 13th minute to put the reds two up. This Dowling free would prove to be the their last score of the first half. Longwood then took this match by the scruff of the neck and fired over seven unanswered points in the final fifteen minutes. The early intensity that the Trim team displayed had disappeared as Longwood scored at will and unchallenged during this period of supremacy . 

Half Time Score: Trim 1-3 Longwood 0-11 

Cieran Joyce got the first point of the second half after just one minute. Joyce was having a fine game started at full forward but was drifting all over the field winning possession all over the place in a typical committed Joycie performance. 

Longwood responded to Joycie's point with three points from play. These points were again down to the slack marking of the Trim team. Sean McGee got his name on the score board in the 42nd minute from close range. Trim were starting to regain their appetite for this match.

Dimmy Higgins was playing well in the half back line and moved forward to put the ball over the bar with fifteen minutes left. Damo McGee scored another and the come back was on the cards as the reds were winning a lot more ball around the middle of the park. Alan Douglas was the man that was dragging Trim back into the match and he chipped in on the score board with a point. Just three points separated the team now. Longwood were on the back foot, Trim needed to win the next puck out to continue the fight back, they didn't. 

Longwood County Hurling man Damo Healy caught a high ball and fired over a brilliant point to get his side moving again. Longwood scored  the next three points to leave seven between the sides. Up steps youngster Brian Dowling with the next three points one from play and two frees. Four points between the sides now. Then the excellent Damo McGee got his second major of the day a great reaction goal from McGee. The game was now in the additional time. Longwood responded to this hammer blow with two great points to put three between the sides. Trim were now looking for an equalizing goal. From a seventy yard free Dowling dropped the ball into the square and after a scramble David Murtagh flicked the ball towards the net, the ball clipped the cross bar and went over and Longwood held on for the win. 

The second half of the first half proved to be the Trim teams down fall in this match. Seven points without reply during this time cost Trim this match. Only Cieran Joyce, Damo McGee, Ryan Andrews, Alan Douglas, Dimmy Higgins and James Cullen can look back on this match and be satisfied with their contributions on the night. 

Trim: Charlie Enni, Colm McGrath, Ryan Andrews, Ger Dwane, Cieran O'Rourke, Shane Downes, Dimmy Higgins (0-1), Alan Douglas (0-1), James Cullen, David Murtagh,(0-1), Damo McGee (2-1), Sean McGee (0-1), Brian Dowling (0-4), Cieran Joyce (0-2), Andrew Dinan 

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