Semi Final (18/05/12)

Trim 1-09 Skryne 3-07

 After the feast of 2011 comes the famine of 2012 as Trim, for the fourth time this year, have fallen at the Semi Final stage of a competition. The U16s breezed through the round robin stage of the Championship but came unstuck against Skryne on a windy evening in St. Loman’s Park.

 Trim played with the strong wind in the first half and naturally dominated the opening exchanges. Purcell kicked the first point of the game. Cullen won a kick out and released the ball quickly to Purcell who shot over. Cullen had a point of his own a minute later when he cut out a clearance and popped the ball over the bar. In the seventh minute James McKeown had the keeper at full stretch as his shot was tipped over for Trim’s third point.

 In spite of the strong wind, Trim then went off the boil as Skryne dominated the next ten minutes of the game. Trim lost corner back Shane Callaghan to injury in the tenth minute just as Skryne kicked their first point from a free. The away side hit the post in the fifteenth before bagging a second point moments later. They easily could have taken the lead but for some wayward shooting.

 Trim roared back into life on the twentieth minute with a goal following a breakout. The move began when Egan grabbed a loose ball from a kickout. McGowan and Rennick were also involved before Purcell accelerated out of the crowd and bore down on the Skryne goal. Purcell picked out McKeown who drove it low into the net. Within a minute Purcell added another point and things looked promising for Trim again.

 However this momentum was flattened when Skryne grabbed a goal back; after walking through several tackles their wing forward sent a cracker into the roof of the Trim goal. 1-04 to 1-02, Trim were in trouble considering the strength of the wind. The home team nearly had a second goal when a bouncing ball very nearly deceived the opposition’s goalkeeper and amazingly, following a goal mouth scramble, the ball was cleared. McKeown was on target again in the final minute of ordinary time. In hindsight, Trim were guilty of not making full use of the wind as they kicked nine wides and had a number of shots blocked but it was far from panic stations as Trim’s total football approach to the game didn’t require the wind to be effective. Half time Trim 1-05 Skryne 1-02.

 The third quarter of the game was tit for tat as the teams exchanged points. Skryne were in first with a point from the restart. James McKeown was alert to take advantage of a quick free and kick his third point of the game. A Skryne free in the seventh minute was recouped by a Lynch free in the tenth. Again Skryne were next in with a point but this was soon regained when Luke Moran kicked a great left footed point in with thirteen minutes to play following build up work by McKeown and Egan. This left Trim three points to the good.

  However the next two minutes proved to be crucial in the outcome of the game. A high dropping sideline kick was met by a Skryne fist and nestled in the back of the Trim net to tie the game in the eighteenth minute. Trim went down the field and created a goal chance of their own when Cullen and O’Connor combined to give James McKeown the chance but his shot rose over the crossbar. This lead was short lived as Skryne had their third goal on the next attack; Trim were caught sleeping and the corner forward picked out the bottom corner of the Trim net.

 Things could have been worse had a fourth Skryne goal not been chalked off for square ball. Skryne did manage two more points to open a five point lead and, in the face of their best efforts, Trim simply had no response. The disappointment of losing a Semi Final will be short lived as there is a Summer League to look forward to in a few weeks time. Also many of these players will be involved in the U16 Hurling Semi Final on Sunday.

Trim team: Darren McGarry, Shane Callaghan, Cathal Birmingham, Jack McGowan, Dean Egan, Luke Moran (0-1), Rory McGrath, Harry Purcell (0-2), James Cullen (0-1), Declan Dowling, Eoin O’Connor, David Rennick, Brian McKeown, James McKeown (1-4), Dáire Lynch (0-1), Jack Dowling, Dylan Curry, Anthony McEver, Eric Dunne, Nathan Phelan.

Semi Final (17/05/12)

Trim 2-06 St. Colmcille’s 2-12

 There was yet more Semi Final heartache for the U14 Boys Football team as they were once again denied a place in a final by St. Colmcille’s. Trim travelled to Bective minus three of their regulars and, in spite of being outplayed for a large part of the game, when referee Eamonn Barry announced there would be three minutes of injury time there was ‘helter skelter’ as Trim pushed for the goal that would have levelled the game.

 Trim were lucky not to concede a goal twenty seconds in when an unmarked Colmcille’s player just missed the bottom corner of the Trim goal. It was Trim who went on to open the scoring from a free in the second minute. Peppard was fouled and Brian Dowling tucked the free over the bar. Trim were then unlucky not to have a goal as the St. Colmcille’s keeper made a brilliant double save first from Cullen and then from Dowling on the rebound.

 St. Colmcille’s owned the remaining twenty five minutes of the half as they opened a six point lead. Their scoring prowess was admirable as support runners took pass after pass and sliced through the centre of the Trim defence. Two points in the seventh minute overturned the Trim advantage and they tagged on another two before Trim responded in the eighteenth minute.

 Dowling pinched a ball from his marker and worked it in. Farrell, Cullen and Shortt were all involved before Peppard hit a sweet left footed point to leave Trim 0-02 to 0-04 in arrears. While St. Colmcille’s were working good opportunities in front of the Trim posts, Trim were guilty of taking on ill-fated shots from impossible angles. In the final ten minutes of the half Trim could only muster three wides and a save in response to four points from their opponents. Half time Trim 0-02 St. Colmcille’s 0-08.

 Two more goal opportunities slipped by in the opening minutes of the second half. Alan Carey had to be alert to make a brilliant save in the opening minute and only moments later David Murtagh’s effort beat the keeper but went wide off the post.

 The goal eventually came and went to Trim. Mickey Cullen won a ball out on the left wing and played a well weighted pass into the centre. Brian Dowling came onto the ball like a charging bull and buried it to give his team a much needed lift.

 St. Colmcille’s once again got a hold of the game but only managed two points from the five chances they created following the goal. Murtagh was on the scoresheet in the thirteenth minute when he grabbed hold of a loose ball, after Shortt’s shot was half blocked, and fired it over the bar. St. Colmcille’s went straight down the field and got the point back before a sloppy Trim pass in defence gift-wrapped their opponents a goal. By the twenty fifth minute St. Colmcille’s had a commanding nine point lead; 1-12 to 1-03.

 The game should have been done and dusted but it’s never that simple. Dowling made a strong run withstanding a number of tackles before passing to Lynch, Lynch played a spectacular ball into the corner where Murtagh won possession over his opponents head, stepped out and rifled the ball to the corner of the net. Peppard kicked a free with two minutes of normal time to play. It was soon followed by a Lynch point which had supporters holding their breath as it looked destined for the top corner. McGowan forced another good save which was pushed out for a forty five.

 It was at this point that the referee announced three minutes of injury time would be played.  Trim worked the ball in for a free which Dowling pointed. 1-12 to 2-06 and the game was back in the melting pot. Both sides had chances but it was St. Colmcille’s who took one and killed the game with a goal from a very tight angle in the second minute of injury time. Full time Trim 2-06 St. Colmcille’s 2-12.

 Overall, Trim can be pleased with their performance tonight as they once again put St. Colmcille’s to the pin of their collar. A never say die attitude and some handy (to say the least) footballing skills have brought this team on a long way in the past two years. There was a great effort from one to fifteen and it is bound to pay off soon. Best for Trim on the night for Trim were Gerad Dwane, who has become a colossus at full back, Zak McGowan who defended strongly against a very lively opponent, the athletic Ruairí Shortt in midfield, and Brian Dowling who carried the ball very strongly at centre forward.

Trim team: Alan Carey, Pierce Darby, Gerard Dwane, Dylan Finnerty, Cian Lee, Zak McGowan, Dominic Peppard (0-2), Nathan Costello, Ruairí Shortt, David Murtagh (1-1), Brian Dowling (1-2), Mickey Cullen, Peter Farrell, Aaron Lynch (0-1), Conor Smith, Tom Doyle, Tadhg Mulvey.

Trim GAA, in conjunction with Breast Cancer Ireland and Textile Recycling Limited, are holding a clothes collection on Saturday the 26th May.

 The following items will be accepted: all men’s, ladies and children’s clothing, Bedding, Curtains, Towels, Paired shoes, Belts, Handbags.

 All bags will be collected from the Clubhouse on Saturday the 26th May. Anyone wishing to contribute bags may drop them at the Clubhouse between 1pm and 4pm on the day. If further details are required, contact Janet on 086-0559152 or Ann Farell 086-1963241.

Juveniles (U16): Free to the terrace.

GENERAL: Stand – €20 (unreserved seating), Terrace – €10

FAMILY TICKETS:- Terrace:- Adults €10

Students (Terrace Only):- Purchase full price tickets and on the day of the match they can claim a rebate of €5 when they produce appropriate I.D. at the designated stile PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE STADIUM.

Senior Citizens (Stand & Terrace):- Purchase full price tickets and on the day of the match they can claim a rebate (Stand €10 & Terrace €5) when they produce appropriate I.D. at the designated stile PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE STADIUM.

Wheelchair Tickets:- The Wheelchair Ticket is free of charge and the Assistant’s ticket is €20

Ticket orders must be in by Tuesday 22nd May. If there is enough interest, we can organise a bus. Please leave a comment below if you would like to order tickets.

U14 Football: The Semi Final has been moved to Bective. Throw in still 7:15pm on Thursday.

U16 Hurling: Has been pushed back to Sunday morning at 11:00 in Kiltale.

Junior Hurling: Has been brought forward to 2pm on Saturday.