Trim 2-17 St Ultans 2-5

Trim travelled to Pairc Tailteann yesterday evening to play St Ultans in this long awaited third round Intermediate football third round clash.

Fifteen weeks has passed by since Trim defeated Walterstown in the second round to get themselves back into the championship after a first round loss to Championship favourites Ballinabrackey. This was a must win game for Brendan Murphy's team as a win would keep the Town team very much in the hunt to qualify for the knock out stages of 2018 intermediate football championship. Murphy had to field without three members of the starting fifteen that beat Walterstown in the last round, Captain James Cullen and the experienced Ciaran O'Rourke due to holidays and Frankie Murphy did not start as he is returning from injury.  These players absent did not affect Murphy's team performance as his team put in a great hours work. Murphy has this particular Trim team working as a unit, working for each other, and battling for each other and it seems to be working. This was Trim's sixth win on the bounce, five of these in the league to sustain Div two status.

Aaron Lynch got his Trim team off to a great start with two pointed frees, Lynch was fouled on both accessions. St Ultans bounced back with two points to level up the scores by the fifth minute.  Young Lynch got his third and fourth points by the seventh minute. The Trim forward division were moving well with championship debutant Dimmy Higgins pulling the strings at right half forward with well placed kick passes into the lively Lynch and Brian Dowling.  Veteran Owen McGrath and Paul Munnelly were grafting away with great affect in the half forward line and the very impressive Ciaran Joyce again having a fine game and his strength in the tackle and ability to win the dirty ball is a real bonus for his team. St Ultans got their third point on the score board in the eight minute , this would  prove to be the Bohermeen club last point for twenty minutes. Lynch notched his fifth point in the eleventh minute an this was followed by a great Owen McGrath point to put the Reds up by three points with fifteen minutes to play in the first half. Brian Dowling got on the score board with a classy point in the twenty first minute. Then we were treated to monsoon like conditions in Navan as the weather gods decided to give us torrential rain and driving winds which made underfoot and handling conditions very slippery. Scores were hard to get and during these bad weather the wind assisted   St Untan's managed to score a point in the twenty eight minute. 

Half Time Score: Trim 0-7 St Ultans 0-4

The first two scores in the second half were goals with St Ultans getting the first from the penalty spot. From the kick out Trim moved the ball up the pitch swiftly and had the ball in the back of the net from the palms of Brian Dowling who received a brilliant pass from Aaron Lynch.  Trim were on top but were finding it hard to pull clear of a stubborn St Ultans side. Owen McGrath got his second point of the night ten minutes into the second half, this was followed by Ciaran Joyce's first point and one each from Lynch and Dowling. Trim were now eight ahead and playing well with the aid of a stiff breeze. Then The Ultans split opened the Trim defence with ease to hit the back of the net to give themselves some hope of salvaging something from the game. Bad Trim defending lead to this goal. Trim were now only five points ahead now after being in a match winning position only two minutes previously, Trim were now having to show some character to gain the upper hand again. This they did with great affect and no little skill and determination. Trim scored one goal and six unanswered points after the St Ultans goal, the points coming from Aaron Lynch (0-3),Joyce(0-1) Alan Douglas(0-1)Brian Dowling(0-1). The goal was a superb team goal and started with Rory McGrath at corner back winning a ball and finished very impressively by Wing back Declan Dowling. St Ultans got that last score of the game a point in the sixty third minute.

Brendan Murphy and his management team will be very pleased with a lot of their team's play on the night but will have to address the ease in which St Ultans walked through their defence to get the penalty and the second goal. The will also be mindful that there are harder and stiffer test ahead in the Nobber and St Michaels matches. On the bonus side he will have James Cullen and Ciaran O'Rourke back in contention for a starting spots and will have very tough decisions to make if they are included in the starting fifteen for the next match. Overall a great position to be in if you are a team manager. 

Lot Done more to do as they say.

Trim: Barry Callaghan, Rory McGrath, Luke Moran, Gearad Dwane, Declan Dowling (1-0), Alan Douglas (0-1), Daryl Phelan, Sean Fitzgearld, Joe Donohue, Dimmy Higgins, Owen McGrath (0-2), Paul Munnelly, Brian Dowling (1-3), Ciaran Joyce (0-2), Aaron Lynch (0-9). Sub: Nigle Duignan for Joyce 52 minutes and Francis Murphy for Munnelly 50 minutes.

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