Trim 1-12 Kildalkey 0-11

Trim advanced to the Meath Senior Hurling Championship final with this very impressive win over neighbours Kildalkey in ideal conditions at Pairc Tailteann.

Scores were at a premium, the marking a tackling was close and tense but over the hour Neil Cole’s charges showed more hurger and fight while last years beaten finalists will be disappointed with their performance.

Man of the Match Alan Douglas set the tone from the beginning with the games opening two points. The full forward finished with an impressive 1-6.

Kildalkey had to wait until the 9th minute for their opening score through Evan Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald hit four massive points for the Village.

Trim were 0-7 to 0-3 in front on the 20th minute with some fine scores from Damien Magee, Sean Magee, Douglas and Thomas Farrell. The winners dominated possession but Kildalkey enjoyed their best spell in the game in the last five minutes of the half scoring points from James McNally, Fitzgerald and Paddy Conneely to go in at the break just two in arrears 0-8 to 0-6. 

Trim introduced Neil Heffernan to the game at the break and the county man had a big bearing on the second half. Damien Magee extended Trims lead with a fine point and Heffernan added to the winners tally soon after. Evan Fitzgerald (2) and Conneely pointed to leave it 0-11 to 0-9 with 12 minutes remaining but Conneely’s score proved to be his teams last. 

Trim sealed the game with ten minutes left when Douglas got in for the games only goal. The full forward finished the scoring two minutes later and for the remainder of the game The Trim defence, led by Luke Moran, Ciaran O’Rourke, Dimi Higgins and James Toher repelled any Village comeback to seal a very impressive win.

Trim: Charlie Ennis, Ryan Andrews, Luke Moran, Ciaran O’Rourke, Gerard Dwane, James Toher, Dimi Higgins, James Cullen, Sean Magee 0-1, Thomas Farrell 0-1, Damien Magee 0-3, Ciaran Joyce, Cian Lee, Alan Douglas 1-6, Brian Dowling. Subs: Neil Heffernan 0-1, Peter Farrell, Mikey Cullen.

Kildalkey: Paul Fagan, David Conneely, Pagraig Geoghegan, Mark Healy, Brin Kelly, Maurice Keogh, James McNally 0-1, Patrick Potterton, Martin Healy, Gary Kelly, Evan Fitzgerald 0-4, Enda Keogh, Nicky Potterton, Derek Doran, Paddy Conneely 0-4. Subs: Sean Heavey, Conor Kearney.

Referee Conor Ferguson

Trim Report

Kildalkey 0-9 Trim 1-12

It's a funny old game. Written off as complete no hopers before throw-in Trim produced a stunning performance to book their place in the SHC final with an impressive victory over Kildalkey at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday evening. Proving you can not beat tradition. 

After struggling in Group B for much of the year Trim were six-point underdogs with some bookmakers for this semi-final, but they bullied and harried Kildalkey throughout and produced passages of outstanding hurling which the Villagers couldn't handle. Funny enough because of the rule introduced last year Trim will play in the B Division again next year because Longwood topped the B division this year.  

Central to Trim's powerhouse performance was Alan Douglas. The talismatic full-forward finished with a personal tally of 1-6, but it was his work rate, hunger and drive that inspired those around him and with Damo Magee, Ciaran Joyce, Ciaran O'Rourke and James Toher all epitomising the very spirit of never-say-die Trim looked in charge and composed throughout.

The six backs Rourkie,Moran,Dwane,Andrews,Toher,and Higgins were outstanding in everything they did for tge 69 minutes played in Navan yesterday holding the Kildalkey forwards to just three points from play is no mean achievement. 

Kildalkey threw everything they had at the occasion, but they were never allowed throw off th shakles as Trim crowed them out all over the field and limited them to long range shots and snatched efforts that rarely troubled the posts.

While scores weren't exactly flowing in the early stages the intensity was high and the entertainment value was worth the admission fee.

Showing no lack of confidence because of their underdogs tag Trim impressed early on with Alan Douglas excelling as he fired them in front in the fourth minute and 30 seconds later he doubled his sides advantage.

Evan Fitzgerald, a late replacement for Sean Heavey, countered with a score for Kildalkey, but it was all Trim in the first quarter as Damo Magee lofted over to make it 0-3 to 0-1.

A late hit on Fitzgerald gifted Paddy Conneely a handy point from a free, but Trim responded impressively with Douglas showing the way before Magee added his second after Douglas had blocked down David Conneely's attempted clearance.

When Sean Magee made it 0-6 to 0-2 in the 29thminute a real shock looked on the cards, but after Paddy Conneely (free) and Tommy Farrell traded points it was Kildalkey who hit a purple patch as they got themselves back into the game with outstanding scores from James McNally and Fitzgerald to make it 0-5 to 0-7 in the 27th minute.

Martin Healy struck a goal chance for Kildalkey straight at Trim goalkeeper Charlie Ennis, but a minute later Paddy Conneely lofted over a massive free from inside his own 65-metre line to close the gap to the minimum.

However, Trim settled again and secured a 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead when Douglas converted a free after he had been fouled.

If scores were hard to come by in the opening period then they were next to impossible after the resumption as the teams managed just eight between them with Douglas' 50th minute goal finally putting the daylight between the sides that Trim's performance deserved.

After shipping four of the last six points of the opening half, Trim responded well after the resumption with Damo Magee extending their lead before brilliantly setting up Neil Heffernan for a score to makeit 0-10 to 0-6.

After a bit of a skirmishin front of the stand it took a while for the play to settle into any sort of pattern, but it was Fitzgerald, who was Kildalkey's biggest threat, who fired over a phenomenal score to close the gap to three again.

Another superb score from Douglas was followed by points for Fitzgerald and Paddy Conneely as Kildalkey closed to 0-9 to 0-11 with 12 minutes remaining, but they failed to score again as Trim closed out the game superbly.

After dispossessing a Kildalkey defender Damo Magee set up Douglas for a fine goal and two minutes later the Trim full-forward concluded the scoring with an excellent point.

The remaining 13 minutes was an exhibition of how to close out a game by Trim. They rushed Kildalkey and forced to try things they weren't comfortable doing, allthewhile defending superbly and booking their place in the final in fine style.

Kildalkey - Paul Fagan; David Conneely, Podger Geoghegan, Mark Healy; Brin Kelly, Maurice Keogh, James McNally (0-1); Paddy Potterton, Martin Healy; Gary Kelly, Evan Fitzgerald (0-4), Enda Keogh; Nicky Potterton, Derek Doran, Paddy Conneely (0-4 frees). Subs - Sean Heavey for N Potterton 48 mins, Conor Kearney for Kelly 57m.

Trim - Charlie Ennis; Ryan Andrews, Luke Moran, Cioaran O'Rourke; Ger Dwane, James Toher, Diarmuid Higgins; James Cullen, Sean Magee (0-1); Thomas Farrell (0-1), Damo Magee (0-3), Ciaran Joyce; Cian Lee, Alan Douglas (1-6 one frees), Brian Dowling. Subs - Neil Heffernan (0-1) for Dowling half-time, Peter Farrell for T Farrell 40 mins, Mikey Cullen for D Magee 62m.

Referee - Conor Ferguson (Gaeil Colmcille

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