Half time score – Trim 0-2,  St Ultans 0-4.

Full time score – Trim 0-9, St Ultans 0-8.

Trim junior footballers commenced their 2012 season with a challenge game against St Ultans in Trim on Tuesday night last. The home side had to play against a stiff breeze in the first half and would have been happy enough at half time with a small deficit of two points. On the turn around they used the elements to their advantage and slowly reigned the visitors in and finally got their noses in front with one minute to go. The main talking point of the game was the stellar performance by Gary Clarke. The burly forward was the best player on show with a non-stop work rate and he capped his performance with six fine points. His team mates should take note. Gary has completed all of the pre season training with the senior team and signs show.  

Trim were first to attack but had only two wides to show for their efforts. The visitors then hit a point in the fifth minute but Clarke got Trim ticking with a pointed free in the eleventh. The wind assisted Ultans then hit three points on the trot in as many minutes to go three points ahead. With two minutes remaining in the half Clarke kept the home team in contention with his second point from a free to send the teams to the break differening by two points. 

With two minute from the restart Ultans pointed but was quickly followed by two swift points from Niall Murray and Gary Clarke with his third to leave the score at at one point. The Bohermeen side were proving difficult to break down and pushed ahead again with two points but the ubiquitous Clarke stepped up to the plate once again and fired over two more points to reduce the deficit to one point. The visitors followed up with a point in the twenty second minute but Trim’s superior fitness told as the game drew to a close when they hit three points on the spin from Ryan Kenny, Sean McGee and not to be undone Gary Clarke had the final say with a long range free that split the posts.  

 Defenders Michael Lydon, Jamie Lee and Andrew O’Brien had staunch games at the back with Sean McDonagh oustanding at midfield.

The Trim team was:

Tosh Barry, Michael Lydon, Davy Lynch, Jamie Lee, Andrew O’Brien, Darragh Kennedy, Shane O Connor, Sean McDonagh, Killian Kelly, Gary Clarke, Niall Murray, Sean McGee, Ryan Kenny, Andy Reilly, Sean Spratt, Richie Walsh. 

Trim scorers were: Gary Clarke 0-6, Niall Murray 0-1, Ryan Kenny 0-1, Sean McGee 0-1.  

Tuesday 6th March 2012

From 7pm to 9pm in the Clubhouse.

Membership Rates for 2012 are the same as 2011! All parents are urged to attend.

Press the “league tables” tab (to the left of here) and go into “Football A2 League”

Meath All County A League game – Trim versus Ballinlough.

Half time score – Trim 0-3, Ballinlough 0-7.

Full time score – Trim 0-7, Ballinlough 1-11.

Twenty four hours before the game Ballinlough announced that there pitch was unplayable. The Trim club ‘stepped up to the breach’ and offered their pitch as the venue. This unexpected change offered the Trim lads an unexpected bonus of a home game for this first round A league football game. But that was as good as it got for the Trim lads as it was downhill from the throw in with the dominant visitors bossing proceedings for most of the game.

The home side were out played for the first eighteen minutes and could only muster four wides while the visitors hit three points on the spin. Trim finally got off the mark with a pointed free in the twentieth from the boot of Paul Gilsenan. That lonely score was followed by a sharp ripost from the North Meath’ers when they swung over two more points before Frankie Murphy hit a fine point on the run in the twenty seventh minute. Two points were shared in the final minutes of the half which sent Ballinlough in at the break three points to the better. 

The possibility of a revival from Trim was evident early on in the second half when Michael Lowther scored a well worked point when corner back Colm Flaherty swept up the ball in the corner, found Shane Kennedy on the right of mid field who in turn hit a long accurate pass to the out-running Neil Heffernan. The wily corner forward flicked the ball to the in-running Lowther who made no mistake with the point. With two points between the sides the visitors then hit a purple patch which resulted in a salvo of scores in a seven minute period to go eight points ahead. The first of these scores came from a long range free that floated into the Trim square which caught the defence by surprise with the ball ending up in the back of the net. Trim responded with two points from Michael Lowther and James Toher but try as they might they could hold another Ballinlough onslaught which resulted in two more points to leave the gap at eight points. In the final minutes Paul Gilsenan reduced the deficit to seven with a point from a free.            

The Trim team was:

Brendan Murphy,  Colm Flaherty, Robert Brennan, Maurice Power, Stephan O’Toole, Stephen Farrell, Daryl Phelan, Francis Murphy, Shane Kennedy, Paul Flanagan, Damien McGee, Michael Lowther, Paul Gilsenan, Eoin McGrath,  James Toher,

Subs: Neil Heffernan, James Andrews, Alan Douglas, Keith Hamilton, Michael Lydon, Gary Clarke, Andrew O’Brien, Jamie Lee, Sean McDonagh, Shane O’Connor, Shane Downes, David Foley, Niall Murray.  

Round 2 (18/02/2012)

Trim 0-09 Dunshaughlin 1-02

[[Show as slideshow]]

 Trim bounced back to winning ways on Saturday evening after a hard earned four point win over Dunshaughlin. Trim were still missing four of the team which started in last season’s U17 Football Final but, as this division contains six evenly matched teams, it was crucial to pick up a win.

 A bitter wind blew in across the field for the entire sixty minutes making it tough for both teams in front of goal but Trim proved more adept at the challenge and led by 4 points to no score at half time.

 Trim got the opening score after six minutes. Bourke played the ball in for Lenehan. Lenehan was fouled and pointed the free himself. Dunshaughlin created most of the opportunities in the opening fifteen minutes but had nothing to show for it due to a combination of strong Trim defending and wayward shooting.

 O’Rourke pointed Trim’s second free in the fifteenth minute after McGrath was dragged down. Three minutes later, Shane Downes created an opportunity for Lenehan to score Trim’s third point. Dunshaughlin again attempted to assert themselves on the scoreboard dominating the next few minutes of the game.

 Dunshaughlin were awarded a penalty in the twenty fourth minute following a collision between White and Dunshaughlin’s full forward. Unfortunately White’s participation in the game was ended by an injury and, with the first choice goalkeeper already missing, Cillian Madden replaced him. Robert Bourke stood in goal for the penalty which he saved and cleared. Trim added the final score of the half when Bourke played a great ball into the forward line for Lenehan who pointed. Half time Trim0-04 Dunshaughlin 0-00.

 Scores were no easier to come by in the second half. Dunshaughlin were first in with a pointed free in the second minute but it was Trim who dominated the early minutes of the half. Trim forced a turnover in their own half and broke up the field in a move which included Foley, Stowe, Lenehan, O’Connor and finished with a point for O’Rourke. Robert Bourke kicked Trim’s sixth point a minute later.

 Trim continued to attack with McGrath next on the scoresheet after O’Rourke picked him out with a quick free. However Trim had their own issues in front of goal with a series of wides. Dunshaughlin pointed in the thirteenth minute but Trim were still creating most of the chances. Trim and Dunshaughlin had racked up their eight wides each by the twentieth game of the second half.

 Trim hit two quick scores in the twenty third and fourth minutes to open up the match winning difference. Bourke and O’Rourke combined to give Lenehan the opportunity for Trim’s eight point. And then O’Rourke claimed Trim’s final score after a move which involved Lennon and McGrath.

 Dunshaughlin still battled on and were given hope with a fisted goal in the twenty fifth minute. They continued to press for scores in the final five minutes with no success.

 This was a strong performance from a Trim team who are still settling into their rhythm.  Best for Trim on the day were Patrick Lennon and John Cunningham who made a number of important blocks and interceptions in defence, Robert Bourke who played a key role in midfield, and Shane Lenehan and Ciarán O’Rourke who scored a combined seven points after missing last weeks game.

Trim Team: Gareth White, Cian Downes, John Cunningham, Conor Fay, Kevin Nally, Shane Downes, James Foley, Robert Bourke (0-1), David Buckley, Luke Moran, Colin Stowe, Colm McGrath (0-1), Ciarán O’Rourke (0-3), Shane Lenehan (0-4), Patrick Lennon, Cillian Madden, Rory McGrath, Dominic Phelan, Conal McGrenra.