SHC Group A: Longwood test Trim
June 20, 2017
Trim's Alan Douglas with Bob Doherty and Damien Healy during the Meath SHC game at Kildalkey
Longwood went close to a shock win over Trim in this exciting Ted Murtagh SHC Group A round two clash at Kildalkey on Monday evening.
Trim............... 1-19
Longwood ...... 1-15
Trim won by 22 points when the sides met in the group stage last year. This time Longwood led after 55 minutes. Then Neil Heffernan made the most of one of the few goal chances that came his side's way.
The town side closed in on their second win of the campaign with a trio of points from as many players, including Heffernan. Aaron McGee (free) and sub David Murtagh also registered in this phase.
Longwood led by four points, 1-14 to 0-13, after 40 minutes. Trim's fitness - in particular that of their subs - told in the final third of the game during which they outscored the south county side by 1-6 to 0-1.
Trim lost Mikey Cullen to a second yellow card, in stoppage time at the end of the game. He was one of 10 different scorers for the team in red and white.
County footballers James Toher and Mickey Burke lined out for Trim and Longwood respectively with the former to the fore as his side rallied from four points down in the third quarter.
Longwood - who beat Clann na nGael in round one - can look to the rearguard action that limited Trim goal chances. They posted some fine points with Anthony Healy (frees) and Sean Coloe registering some fine scores.
On an ideal evening for hurling; cloudy, mild - down from the oppressive heat earlier in the day - allied to a fine pich, Trim shaded matters early on but Longwood grew in stature as the first-half wore on and led by two points on as many occasions.
Scores were tied seven times in the first-half, before a Karl Ennis point earned the 'Wood a 0-11 to 0-10 interval advantage.
Within 10 seconds of the restart Alan Douglas placed Peter Farrell for the leveller. It proved to be the final time the scores were tied.
Longwood got a big break seconds later when Chris Cusack netted at the dressing room goals and scoreboard read 1-11 to 0-11. The 'Wood went three points clear on two further occasions in the third quarter.
Aaron McGee's accuracy from free saw Trim gradually erode the deficit as Longwood went scoreless for 15 minutes. Sean Coloe's fine 54th minute effort proved to be their last.
Trim took control to finish with the flourish that deservedly earned them the spoils with Cullen providing the assist for Heffernan's goal.
Trim - Charlie Ennis; Ciaran O'Rourke, Ryan Andrews, Colm McGrath; Dimmy Higgins (0-1), James Toher (0-1f), Gerard Dwane; Sean McGee (0-1), Alan Douglas (0-2), Damien McGee (0-4 fs); Peter Farrell (0-2), Ciaran Joyce; Mikey Cullen (0-2), Neil Heffernan (1-1), Aaron McGee (0-4 fs). Subs - Brian Dowling for D McGee (42), David Murtagh (0-1) for Farrell (45).
Longwood - Michael Healy; Enda Dixon, Mickey Burke, Paul Gill; Joe Stenson, Damien Healy, Johnny Furey; Bob Maguire, Sean Coloe (0-2); Ryan Moore (0-2), Karl Ennis (0-3), Coran Byrne; Aaron Ennis (0-2), Anthony Healy (0-6 fs), Chris Cusack (1-0). Subs - Martin Bermingham for Cusack (51), Jim Dorran for Maguire (59), Colm Hackett for Byrne (60).
Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael)
