Trim 1-12, Kilmainham 1-8.

The Trim lads should be used to the Athboy pitch this year as this was their fourth championship game that they were fixed for at this venue. So familiarity should not have been an issue.

Trim nailed the first point just twenty seconds from the throw in and remained in front for the rest of the game. By half time they were six points up and scored the first point after the restart to commence  the second half seven points ahead and seemingly coasting. But a sticky Kilmainham side, bolstered by the silky skills of Meath star Michael Newman gradually reined the Town side in and with four minutes left were just two points adrift and all to play for. The Trim side finished the stronger with two points on the cusp of the final whistle and could have been farther ahead but for some wayward shooting affording them three wides in the same period.

Owen McGrath hit the first point when Shane O'Connor gained possession in the right corner. He hand passed to Neilly Heffernan who popped the ball  from the ground to the hands of McGrath who fired over a neat left footed score. In the fifth minute right half back Shane Downes broke up the right wing at speed and was fouled forty meters from goal. James Toher opened his account with  the resulting free. Kilmainham pointed in the tenth minute to leave two points between the sides. Trim then gained the ascendency in the middle third of the half  and were rewarded with three unanswered points  to forge ahead by four points.

The points came from a Robert Bourke free, two from James Toher, a '45' and one from play. The North Meathers replied with two points in the twenty second minute  in a period which they dominated but their three wides in that period left them trailing by two. Trim finished the stronger with a goal and point in the final minutes of the half to go in at the break six points ahead on a score line of 1-6 to 0-3. The goal came from a Neil Heffernen side line that landed down on the edge of the square. The breaking ball dropped at the foot of Owen McGrath who made no mistake from close in and James Toher planted a free at the half time whistle.

The Trim lads went seven points ahead one minute after the throw in when left half back Ciaran O'Rourke fired over after Eoin Kelly passed out of defence to mid fielder Alan Douglas who in turn knifed through the opposition defence and dispatched onward. In the sixth minute Kilmainham hit the Trim net for a well worked goal. Robert Bourke pointed a free for Trim in the tenth to recover freyed nerves but Kilmainham replied in fine fashion when they nailed two quick points in the twelfth minute.

Toher put Trim four points in front once again in the sixteenth minute when he pointed a free but his opponents  nailed two points in a row to leave the sides two points apart with ten minutes left. Neilly Heffernan took the score of the game in the twenty first minute when he gained possession on the right side line forty meters out. He worked his way through the tight defence and pointed from twenty meters at full stride. Kilmainham reduced the deficit once again to two points with four minutes of real time left but the Trim lads ensured the victory with two points in the dying minutes  courtesy of Robbie Kenny and James Toher.      

Trim's victory sets up a semi final match against Nobber which will take place in the coming two weeks.
 
Final score Trim 1-12, Kilmainham 1-8.        

The Trim scorers were: James Toher 0-6 (Three frees, one '45'), Owen McGrath 1-1, Neil Heffernan 0-1, Robert Bourke 0-2 (free), Ciaran O'Rourke 0-1, Robbie Kenny 0-1.

The Trim team was: James Andrews, Colm O'Flaherty, Robert Brennan, Rory McGrath,  Shane Downes, Eoin Kelly, Ciaran O'Rourke,   Frankie Murphy, Robert Bourke, Owen McGrath, Alan Douglas, Darragh  Lynch, James Toher, Neil Heffernan, Shane O'Connor,

The Trim subs were: Ciaran Joyce, Eoin O'Connor, Cian Downes, James Cullen, Robbie Kenny, Ciaran Giblin, Peter Farrell, Michael Cullen, Richie Murphy, Conal McGrenra, Conor McMorrow, Rory Short, Brian McKeown, Darryl Phelin, Sean Fitzgerald.

 

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