Two stoppage time goals saw Trim snatch an unlikely win over champions Kildalkey in this SHC semi-final at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday evening.

Trim ............... 3-9
Kildalkey ....... 0-17

With an all round better performance Kildalkey looked set for a final date when leading by five points heading into added time. 

In the second minute of stoppage time, Dylan Farrell's delivery from distance wound up in the Kildalkey net.

Heading towards the end of the fifth minute of added time, Mark Molloy's free from midfield led to a scramble with Neil Heffernan claiming credit for the decisive score. 

I don't think anyone associated with Trim would mind who got the goals as they secured a first SHC final slot since losing by 10 points to Kiltale in 2018. 

Trim were second best for most of the hour, due in part to their tally of 15 wides. Two brilliant saves, one in each half, by Kildalkey 'keeper Mark McCormack denied goals for the team in red and white. 

McCormack got down low to his right to keep out Heffernan's 19th minute drive. His second standout save was from Alan Douglas in the 58th minute. 

A brief outbreak of hostilities between rival players resulted in yellow cards in the 52nd minute for Trim's Ryan Andrews and Kildalkey's Brin Kelly. It was a second yellow for Kelly leaving the holders to see out the game with 14-men

Kildalkey were backed by the wind in the opening 30 minutes and led in the early stages through two Paddy Conneely frees.

Both teams struggled to score in the early stage while Trim were boosted by Neil Heffernan's ninth minute goal having cut through the Kildalkey rearguard. 

That left 1-0 to 0-2 and Trim doubled their lead through an Alan Douglas free. The champions were on terms by the quarter hour when David Harmon pointed a free from about 10 metres outside his 45. 

The scores tied four times in the first half while both sides were guilty of some poor markmanship, clocking up 16 wides between them with Trim amassing 10.

McCormack's 19th minute save from Heffernan was one of the few highlights of the half. 

Having played with whatever advantage the breeze offered, Kildalkey led by 0-9 to 1-4 at half-time. 

The holders took a grip on proceedings in the third quarter when they outscored Trim by 0-6 to 0-3, getting scores with greater facility. 

The sequence was started by a standout score from wing-back Brin Kelly while Paddy Conneely led their scoring charge. When he completed his tally in the 43rd minute, the board read 0-15 to 1-6.

Scorers: Trim - Neil Heffernan 2-0; Dylan Farrell 1-1; Brian Dowling 0-2 (1f); Alan Douglas (f), James Andrews, Ciaran Joyce, Damien McGee (f), James Murray (f), Mark Molloy 0-1 each.

Kildalkey - Paddy Conneely 0-7 (2fs, 1 65); Nicky Potterton 0-3; Patrick Potterton 0-2 (1f); David Harmon (f), Brin Kelly, Conor Kearney, Luke Rickard 0-1 each. 

Trim - Charlie Ennis; Ben Holden, Ryan Andrews, Luke Moran; Ian Bermingham, Dimmy Higgins, Sean McGee; Dylan Farrell, Mark Molloy; Alan Douglas, James Murray, James Andrews; Brian Dowling, Mikey Cole, Neil Heffernan. Subs - Micky Cullen for Moran (38), Ciaran Joyce for Murray (47), Damien McGee for Cole (50), Ciaran O'Rourke for Dowling (52), David Murtagh for R Andrews (55)

Kildalkey - Mark McCormack; David Conneely, Gary Kelly (C), Mairtin Doran; Brendan McKeon, David Harmon, Brin Kelly; Kevin McKeon, Paddy Potterton; Padraig Geoghegan, Luke Rickard, Sean Heavey; Nicky Potterton, Paddy Connelly, Neil McNally. Subs - Conor Kearney for P Conneely (bs 43-44), Brian Conneely for McNally (47), Conor Kearney for Rickard (47), Martin Healy for Heavey (55), 

Referee - Mark Reilly (Kilmessan)

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