Trim 0-12 Clann Na nGael 0-10

The final of the Under 17 Div 1 Hurling League was played on Sunday last in Dunganny between Trim and Clann Na nGael.

Trim have been in the ascendancy at these under age levels for many years and this under 17 side have, in the main, been together as a unit during that time.

Clann Na nGael could almost be described as the 'new kids on the block' and have certainly hinted, in recent years, that they would be a force to be reckoned with.

The showery, blustery conditions were not particularly suitable to open, fast flowing, hurling and it was 7 minutes before a Mikey Cole free registered the first point for the Trim side. There was a lot of play in the centre of the pitch in a tight and tense game with very little opportunities in front of goal. Mikey Cole added further points, both from frees, as Trim led by 0-3 to 0-0 after 15 minutes. Trim full back Gary Fleming was having the best of the encounter against Clann Na nGael sharpshooter Conor McGovern but he was penalised, perhaps a bit harshly, for over carrying and McGovern took his opportunity to open the scoring for his side. This was doubled a few minutes later, also from a free, and we had a real game on our hands.

While there were very few chances from play, Joey Cole, had other ideas and, took a lovely point after good work from Oisin Hackett. Another free from Mikey Cole, this time from outside the '45, stretched Trim's lead further but Conor McGovern again converted a free to keep the Athboy side in touch and late points from Trim's James Murray and another free from Mc Govern closed the first half on a score of Trim 0-6; Clann Na nGael 0-4.

There had been ominous signs in that first half that the referee was not not going to show much tolerance to niggly play and brandished a number of warnings in the form of yellow cards. This was to prove most fateful for Clann Na nGael as they finished the game with 13 players after a number of further indiscretions that the referee saw fit to penalise.

The second half opened brightly for Trim with sharpshooter Mikey Cole firing over two frees in the 2nd and 3rd minutes, and when James Murray fired over after quick thinking from Mikey Cole, Trim had stretched their advantage to 0-9 to 0-4. A feature of the first half had been Gary Fleming's tight marking of Conor McGovern thereby consigning the Clann Na nGael's star man to long range efforts that fell wide of the mark even though his free taking was outstanding in the execution. However, you could never be complacent about his abilities and he fired over two quick points, both from play, to close the gap once again.

Another Point from a Mikey Cole free kept Trim ticking over and then a couple of moments of madness saw the Clanns reduced to 13 men with fifteen minutes still on the clock.

At that stage, you would have expected Trim to kick on but it was Clann NaGael who registered the next four scores, all from Conor McGovern frees, and the sides were level with less than 5 minutes remaining. It seemed that Trim were not able to exploit the luxery of the extra manpower and there was some fine stout defending needed by Conor Quigley, Gary Fleming, and Brian Bolger. James Murray and Ian Bermingham were also excelling in the middle of the field and it was Ian Bermingham who almost sealed victory only for his point blank effort to be beaten away by Clann's custodian Eoin O Griofa. However, moments later Bermingham had another chance and he made no mistake to put Trim ahead with a well taken point. After all the delays, the referee played 7 minutes of injury time and Mikey Cole sealed victory for Trim with another deadly accurate point from a free.

Trim: (Callum Buckley, Brian Bolger, Gary Fleming, Harry Harlin, Liam O'Raghallaigh, Oisin Hackett, Conor Quigley, Ian Bermingham (0-1), Sean O' Mahony, Mikey Cole (0-8), Ben Holden, Aongus Shortt, James Murray (0-2), Conal Rogers, Joey Cole (0-1). Subs: Josh Harris (for Liam O'Raghallaigh) Daniel Coleman (for Sean O'Mahony), Sean Foley, Evan Ganley, Conor McGinley, Andrew Gibney, Evan de Courcey Tobin, Conor McKeown, Eoin Lenihan, Eoin Gaffney, Adam Boyle.

Bainisteoir: Neil Cole.  Selectors:  Declan Murray, Darren O'Connor

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