FL Div 2: Much needed win for Trim.
July 21, 2014
Trim's Mark McCormack
Trim intermediate footballers travelled to Moynalvey to play the senior side in the ninth round of the Meath football A league on Saturday evening last. After a closely fought game they came away with a much needed win as pre game they tethered on the edge of the relegation zone.
After conceding two points early on the Reds recovered and ran into a three point lead by the middle of the first half and maintained that lead up to half time where they ran in on a score line of 0-9 to 0-7. They were penalised with a penalty in the twenty third minute but the shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Brendan Murphy who anticipated correctly and dived low to his left to save.
Trim maintained that two point gap up the twelfth minute of the second half with both sides swapping two points apiece early on but the home side fired over two points in as many minutes to level the game. Trim responded with two points around the twentieth minute but Moynalvey were in no mood to concede defeat and pulled the lead back the once again to zero with five minutes left. The visitors finished out the game when they pointed with two minutes of real time left to leave a nail biting lead up to the final whistle. But Trim held out to gain two valuable points.
Notable performances in defence for Trim were corner back Cian Downes who had a fine game for the second time of asking in his new found role while David Foley had an assured game at centre half back putting in some great tackles while commanding the centre half back spot. In the middle of the field Robert Bourke fetched well while Richie Murphy worked tirelessly. Right corner forward Shane O'Connor worked his "socs" off on the night and was mixed up in most of his sides moves on the first half but Trim's full forward line of Alan Douglas, Mark McCormack and Ciaran O'Rourke were the most potent line on the night.
Between them they hit twelve of Trim's points with McCormack hitting eight on the night including six frees, one '45 and one from play and thus achieving 100% accuracy from his free taking. O'Rourke had an outstanding game at number 15. He was a constant thorn in the Moynalvey defence popping up time and time again all over the Trim attack and contributing with some mazy runs down the number one channel towards the Moynalvey goals while the talking point of the night was the return of Oz exile Alan Douglas to the fray.
He has returned to Ireland in fit condition and slotted into the Trim attack with ease and certainly laid down an immediate marker to Davy Dalton and his management team. His speed to the ball and turn of pace constantly caused problems for the Moynalvey attack.
This ninth round win moves the Trim side up three places to tenth position from a pre match second last spot with three games to play against Cortown away and two final home games against Ratoath and St Michael's.
The Trim scorers were: Mark McCormack 0-8, Robert Bourke 0-3, Ciaran O'Rourke 0-2, Alan Douglas 0-1.
The Trim team was: Brendan Murphy, Colm Flaherty, Robert Brennan, Cian Downes, Cathal Birmingham, David Foley, Luke Moran, Richie Murphy, Robert Bourke, Shane O'Connor, Frankie Murphy, Sean Fitzgerald, Ciaran O'Rourke, Mark McCormack, Alan Douglas.
The Trim subs were: James Foley, Darryl Phelin, Eoin Kelly, Paul Munnelly, Conal McGrenra
MOYNALVEY REPORT
Moynalvey 0-13
Trim 0-14
A kick of the ball separated Moynalvey & Trim in round 11 of the Division 2 A League game played at Moynalvey on Saturday evening July 19th.
Prior to this game Trim needed to ensure the win to dig themselves from relegation trouble at the basement of the league table, while a win for Moynalvey would have maintained a push for promotion which has now faded.
It was the home side who took an early lead in the 1st minute with a converted free from Ciaran Ennis after former Trim player Shane Lenehan was fouled. Trim's opening point arrived in the 4th minute courtesy of a Mark McCormack free, before Moynalvey regained the lead with a Darren Brennan point. Trim drew level in the 8th minute with a Robert Burke free and took the lead sixty seconds later with a Ciaran O'Rourke effort from play. A couple of pointed frees from Trim's full forward Mark McCormack left the town side three points to the good after 11 minutes of play. A brace of Moynalvey points from a Ciaran Ennis free and Shane Lenehan put just one between the sides midway through the first half, 0-5 to 0-4. A Mark McCormack '45 and a Robert Burke free in the 16th and 17th minutes extended Trim's lead to three points again. County panellist Anthony Forde opened his account for the evening when slotting over in the 22nd minute, leaving it 0-7 to 0-5. Moynalvey were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute but the kick from John Donoghue was saved by Trim 'keeper Brendan Murphy. Two minutes later the ever accurate Mark McCormack put three between the sides once again when pointing from a placed ball. Another McCormack free was sandwiched in between Moynalvey points from Shane Lenehan and Ciaran Ennis rounding off the first half scoring, leaving the visitors two points ahead at half time on a 0-9 to 0-7 score line.
Thirty seconds after the restart Anthony Forde sent over his second point of the evening, leaving just a point separating the sides again. Trim's Ciaran O'Rourke pointed in the 34th minute, with Moynalvey's Ciaran Ennis converting his fourth free of the evening in the seventh minute of the second half. Trim's Alan Douglas split the uprights in the 39th minute, with Moynalvey responding with an Ennis free and a third point from Anthony Forde, drawing the sides' level for a second time. Two Trim frees from Mark McCormack & Robert Burke respectively left the men in red two points to the good after 47 minutes of play. A brace of Ciaran Ennis frees levelled matters once again, only for Trim's McCormack to send over his eight and the game's final point in the 55th minute, giving Trim the win they needed.
Moynalvey: Ray Ryan, Anthony Brien, Paul Weldon, Darragh Branigan, Darren Brennan (0-1), Brian Harnan, David Donoghue, Stephen Donoghue, Brian Conneely, Anthony Forde (0-3), John Donoghue, Paul Conneely, Shane Lenehan (0-2), Barry O'Keeffe, Ciaran Ennis (0-7).
Subs: David Reilly for Brien, William Harnan for O'Keeffe. Tweet
