Early exits for both senior combinations
November 30, 2008
Trim possess a fervent desire to bridge the gap back to their last Senior Hurling Championship title in 2001, but their thoughts during the majority of this year's campaign weren't of lifting the Jubilee Cup, but of holding onto their status in the premier grade.
Last year, Trim must have looked on as Kiltale walked out of Pairc Tailteann with the most coveted piece of silverware in Meath hurling and wondered what might have been. Paddy Kelly's side edged out Trim by a single point on score difference for third place in their qualification group and went on to win the championship.
Declan Murray, who was a member of the Meath panel which won the All-Ireland 'B' title back in 1993, was manager then and he also performed that role this year when he took on the added responsibility of standing between the posts as goalkeeper following the departure of regular No. 1 Mark McCormack to Australia. The selectors were CJ Murtagh, Martin Murray and Tom Canty.
Trim were drawn in group A of the championship along with their greatest rivals Kilmessan, Rathmolyon, Kildalkey, Killyon and last year's intermediate champions Clann na nGael. It was a demanding looking section, but they must still have entertained realistic hopes of filling one of the three positions that would ensure their survival in the competition into the knockout stages.
When the championship action got under way the real stand out fixture was the meeting of the two most decorated clubs in the county - Trim and Kilmessan - at Athboy. Unfortunately for the reds this match brought the first of three successive narrow defeats which derailed their aspirations of a place in the quarter-finals or semi-finals and left them in serious danger of falling into a dreaded battle for survival.
Two startling statistics stand out from this match - Trim failed to score from play and only the supremely talented Joey Toole managed to hit the target for them at all as he notched 1-6 from frees and a brilliant point from a line cut. Kilmessan were the better team overall, but the fact that they hit 16 wides to Trim's seven meant they were always vulnerable.
With Nicky Horan getting all their scores, Kilmessan pushed 0-5 to 0-0 ahead, but with Toole scoring a goal from a free and that line cut, Trim had the deficit down to 1-1 to 0-7 by the interval. Superb goalkeeping from Murray and defending by Benny Keogh prevented Trim from conceding a goal late in that opening period and they responded well after the change of ends to get back to level terms.
Kilmessan edged back in front at 0-9 to 1-4, but Trim had no intention of giving in and restored parity again with four minutes remaining thanks to Toole's accuracy. Championship newcomer Kevin Keena slotted over what proved to be the winner for Kilmessan, but there was further drama when Trim's Neil Heffernan blazed wide with a goal on his mind and then Toole was off target from a tricky chance. It finished 0-11 to 1-7.
Another defeat by the narrowest of margins followed in the second round when Rathmolyon won by 1-11 to 1-10 at Kildalkey on a day when Toole wasn't on song from frees. The key score was a sloppy Mike Cole goal from a long range free after six minutes which helped The Village to a 1-2 to 0-1 lead.
Rathmolyon were the dominant side in the first half, but led by only 1-6 to 0-6 at the break. They extended their advantage to 1-8 to 0-6, but then endured a scoreless spell of 20 minutes. Trim still had a chance when the deficit stood at three points with three minutes to play, but Cole tagged on another point for Rathmolyon.
Trim kept battling away and Heffernan set up a tense finish when he found the net, but Toole was off target with a late free which would have earned the town side a share of the spoils if it had sailed between the uprights.
Kildalkey had started the championship very well with back to back victories and they were Trim's third round opponents at Boardsmill. As the respective teams headed home, Kildalkey's 100 per cent winning record was still intact following a 1-12 to 0-12 victory and Trim had still failed to pick up a point.
Trim's Ciaran Joyce and David McGuinness were sent off in separate incidents near the end, but things looked good for the reds earlier when they opened up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. The advantage was down to 0-6 to 0-7 at the break and the crucial second half score was a Kildalkey goal from Nick Fitzgerald after 49 minutes. Goalkeeper Gary McNally was a key figure for Kildalkey, making crucial saves from Heffernan and Toole in the opening period.
That game took place on 31st May and it was 24th August before Trim played in the championship again when they met Clann na nGael at Dunderry. And that was when the alarm bells really started sounding as the Athboy/An Gaeltacht combination won by 2-12 to 1-9 against a seriously depleted Trim team to leave the reds in a perilous position at the foot of the section.
When all six teams in the group had played four of their five matches, Kilmessan and Kildalkey were at the head of affairs on eight points each and were already safely through to the knockout stages. Rathmolyon were third on four points, Clann na nGael and Killyon each had two and Trim were tailed off at the bottom. Significantly, they had a massively better score difference to Killyon, but they still needed to beat them in the final round at Boardsmill.
With the pressure on, Trim responded with a dominant first half performance, but then allowed Killyon right back into it in the second period. Neil Heffernan scored two first half goals and Ciaran Joyce also found the net on six minutes when his point attempt was misjudged by Stephen Quinn.
Those scores helped them to a 12 point (3-6 to 0-3) lead at the interval and they appeared to be home and hosed. However, the loss of in form centre-back Gay Kennedy through injury clearly didn't help them and Killyon gradually battled back to be only three points adrift. Mark Gannon went for a goal from a free as the Hill of Down side tried to rescue the situation, but the sliothar sailed over the crossbar.
With their lead down to just two points, Trim were sweating and praying for the final whistle, but Joey Toole provided some relief when he slotted over a free to make it 3-11 to 2-11. When referee Gerry Kelly brought the action to a close Trim had survived - but only just - with Killyon finishing bottom.
"We had a very limited panel to work with this year and in our first three championship games we played only 15 players," said selector CJ Murtagh as he reflected on a difficult campaign. "We are struggling with numbers at the moment and we had a weak junior team this year as well.
"Our Senior Championship group was the strongest of the two sections and we had very tough games to start with against Kilmessan, Rathmolyon and Kildalkey. We lost to Kilmessan by a point, Rathmolyon by a point and Kildalkey by three points.
"They were all close games and we missed chances which was crucial. The reality was that we could have had a maximum six points in the bag after three rounds instead of none. We were unlucky in those games. It could have been so different."
After a lengthy spell of championship inactivity, Trim resumed with the threat of a relegation dogfight to contend with.
"Then, after the break, we were short five for the game against Clann na nGael, including Joey Toole, and we were beaten again," Murtagh added. "We were stronger for the final group game against Killyon and it showed, even though it got a bit messy at the end.
"We got the win we needed and that was the important thing. It was a relief, but I would be hopeful for the future. We have good young lads coming through."
CJ Murtagh played a part in many big successes for Trim and, like everybody associated with the club, he wants to see more. The campaign gone by turned into a real struggle, but it could have been so much worse if they had failed to win that final pressure game against Killyon in their group.
They are rightly looking to the future, but with such a proud tradition in the top flight of Meath hurling they won't want to leave it too long before they scale the summit again and win a 27th senior title. A significant improvement on their showing in this year's championship can be expected in 2009.
UNDER-16 B side lose out
Trim's future senior players were in action in the Under-16 Championship final this year, but there was disappointment when they lost to Kiltale by 0-11 to 2-12. However, reaching the decider represented a fine achievement and should aid the development of this bunch of young players.
The Trim team in the final was - P Melia; D Foley, D Whelan, J Andrews; R Andrews, D Melia, D Fox; D McGee, T Flaherty; C Connolly, D Byrne, C Connor; C McGrath, J Togher, J Cunningham.
Clarke upbeat about future
It was hoped that Paddy Clarke's Midas touch would rub off on the senior footballers of Trim in 2008 but disappointment turned out to be their lot when they failed to qualify for the knock-out stages of the SFC for the second year running. The coach remains undaunted, however, and is optimistic regarding the future of football in Trim.
The former Louth manager's curriculum vitae includes county championship success with Kilmainhamwood, Mattock Rangers (Louth), St. Brigid's (Dublin), Castleblayney Faughs (Monaghan) and Kingscourt Stars (Cavan) and there was every reason to be optimistic that he could inspire a reversal in Trim's footballing fortunes.
Drawn in Group C of the SFC, Trim received a bye on the opening round of this year's championship before travelling to Kilberry to square up to Kilmainhamwood - the team that manager Clarke guided to Keegan Cup glory in 1996 - in the second round.
The town team justified their red hot favourites tag when scoring a 1-14 to 0-12 victory over the men from the 'Wood but the win came at a price when they finished with just eleven players.
Darren and Aaron Fay received 'straight' red cards for the involvement in a melee involving both sets of players midway through the second half. Two Kilmainhamwood players - substitute Philip Moran and Liam Shankey - also saw red while Trim captain Ronan Fitzsimons somewhat harshly received a second yellow card off referee John Farrelly from Syddan.
The team in red and white were reduced to eleven men shortly after when half-back Stephen Farrell was shown a second yellow card in a separate incident but with Paul Gilsenan in good scoring form - he finished with a personal tally of 0-8 - Trim salvaged the two points on offer.
Clarke's charges actually trailed by 0-5 to 0-9 at the break before Alan Douglas' 36th minute goal handed them the initiative which they failed to relinquish for the remainder of the contest despite the sour note on which the game ended.
The absence of the Fay brothers was sorely felt in round 3 when Trim succumbed to a hefty 0-15 to 0-5 defeat to Duleek/Bellewstown in Pairc Tailteann in June.
They were 0-2 to 0-8 in arrears at the break and any chances of a comeback weren't helped by their wide tally of fourteen in comparison to six for their opponents.
Trim's woes were compounded when Gilsenan sent off for a 'straight' red for an off-the-ball incident three minutes from the end while manager Clarke was sent to the stand by referee Brendan Darby for an alleged altercation with a linesman.
With two points from a possible four in the bag, Trim's round 4 encounter with senior newcomers Donaghmore/Ashbourne took on an important meaning.
The town club's players responded accordingly when producing a dogged performance in Walterstown but they fell just short of securing the win when losing by 0-9 to 1-8.
There was understandable discontent amongst the Trim contingent when referee Cormac Reilly played just thirty seconds of added on time despite four subsitutions having taken place during the course of the second half and a Donaghmore/Ashbourne player requiring treatment for a blood injury.
The concession of a slack 43rd minute goal - which should have been dealt with by the Trim rearguard - proved to be their downfall at the final whistle. The sides were level at the break on 0-3 apiece.
And so, at the time, it was the understanding that Trim's championship fate for 2008 hung on the final group game against previously unbeaten Dunshaughlin - although, as things turned out, a win still wouldn't have been sufficient for them to advance to the knock-out stages as Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Duleek/Bellewstown ended in a draw in their corresponding fixture.
Just like in their round 4 performance, the team in red and white couldn't be faulted for effort in Bective in late August but they succumbed to a late Dunshaughlin scoring burst that yielded seven points compared to Trim's one in the final quarter of the game.
The red mist again descended on Gilsenan - who missed the previous game due to suspension - when referee Jack Gordon dismissed him for an off-the-ball incident in the 37th minute on the advice of a linesman.
Trim had just cause to complain that the Dunshaughlin player involved didn't receive a similar sanction but the linesman's interpretation of events resulted in an early shower for one of the side's main attacking threats.
That proved costly in the closing stages of a game in which Trim were in pole position when Conor O'Keeffe goaled in the 42nd minute to give them a 1-5 to 0-6 advantage.
It proved to be to no avail, however, as Dunshaughlin's late rally resulted in a 0-13 to 1-6 victory for the men in black and amber and the curtain came down on Trim's championship involvement for another year.
On the league front, Donaghmore/Ashbourne denied Clarke and his players a place in the Division 2 FL final when stringing together a number of wins after entering the home straight.
Trim had to be content with a third place finish behind Keegan Cup champions O'Mahonys and eventual title winners Ashbourne.
"We got a very bad run of injuries early on in the year; we were short twelve players due to injury for our first competitive game of the year, in the league against Drumconrath. We presented Drumconrath with their only win of this year's league," explained Paddy Clarke.
"We started off the year with a challenge victory over Seneschalstown in Dunganny which, at the time, augured well for the year. We had a fair panel out that night but as the year went on we picked up a variety of injuries."
The sending-offs in the championship opener against Kilmainhamwood had serious repercussions for Trim's ambitions.
"That was the turning point of the year because the wheels came off basically in the next game against Duleek/Bellewstown. Most people predicted that Dunshaughlin would top the group, Donaghmore/Ashbourne would be second and we would be fighting it out with Duleek/Bellewstown for third place.
"The Duleek game was the crunch game and, unfortunately, we didn't perform anywhere near the level we can. We were short the two suspended players (Darren and Aaron Fay) plus other lads with injuries.
"It was one of the most disappointing championship performances I've ever been involved in. Our season didn't start until the Donaghmore/Ashbourne game. I'm not saying we would have won it but we were made pay the price for a bad bounce of the ball in our defence which ended up in the back of the net.
"Our last two games in the championship saw a 100% improvement on our display from the Duleek game."
The experienced coach has every confidence in the talent at the club.
"There an exceptionally talented bunch of players and that's why I went to them. They're psychologically bruised from so most expectation and having lost in a final and a couple of semi-finals. They're young enough to be able to do it they are possibly lacking a bit of belief in themselves and their own ability."
At the time of writing, Paddy was hopeful that he would get the opportunity to have another go at convincing the players to believe in themselves.
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