Trim Celtic bidding for cup final glory

Trim Celtic will be bidding to win the Meath & District League Challenge Cup for only the second time when they tackle top Dundalk side Glenmuir at United Park, Drogheda on Saturday evening, 6.45. The Meath men will be bidding to bring the trophy back to the Royal County as another team from the Dundalk area, Rock Celtic, won last season"s decider when they edged out Duleek at the Drogheda venue. Glenmuir will go into Saturday"s game wearing the favourite"s tag and they have already beaten a team from Trim in the semi-final. That victory was expected when they proved too strong for MDL Div 4 champions Knightsbrook at Marian Park, Drogheda last month and emerged with a 5-1 verdict. However, next Saturday evening, Glenmuir can expect a more severe test of their credentials and will have to work a lot harder for the opening goal than they did in the semi-finals. Against Knightsbrook, the game was over as a contest by half-time as a brace of Mark McGeough goals and one each by Anto Reilly and Stephen Fisher left the Louth men in the driving seat. Trim Celtic will provide a different type of test and with players of the calibre of David Conway, Mark Gilsenan, Cyril Halton and Paul Campbell in the team they will pose plenty of problems. Both teams have had to produce some good form to make it to the final and to get to the last four, Trim Celtic had to dispose of holders Rock Celtic which they managed with a Derek Donoghue goal. Donoghue was on the injured list for 2-0 semi-final victory over Dromin where the goals came from Colm Harte. Selector Danny Quinn indicated after that game that he was hopeful that Donoghue would be fit for the tussle with Rock Celtic. 'We missed a few chances against Dromin and we will have to improve that aspect of our game if we are to beat Glenmuir,' he told the Meath Chronicle. Victories over OMP Utd (4-3), BMC Utd (4-1) and Albion Rovers (7-2) were recorded in earlier rounds and brought Trim Celtic"s tally of goals to 18 while Glenmuir enjoyed wins over Enfield Celtic (4-1), Bailieboro Celtic (7-3), Navan Cosmos (4-1) and Premier League champions Woodview Celtic (1-0) in the quarter-final for a tally of 21 goals. That suggests that there could be plenty of goalmouth action and judging by way Knightsbrook laid siege to the Glenmuir penalty area in the second-half of the semi-final, Trim should be able to exert a lot of pressure and create plenty of chances. Glenmuir"s David Hoey is a very accomplished defender and is also the holder of a FAI Senior Cup medal and in Alan Clarke the Louth side have a very astute manager. While both sides are likely to create plenty of chances, the destination of the trophy could be decided by whichever team produces the most disciplined performance. Glenmuir certainly have the capacity to win the game, but they may not relish a battle, especially the one that Trim Celtic are likely to provide. For that reason alone, the Meath men are nominated to bring the trophy back across the Boyne with a goal to spare. PANELS Glenmuir - Eamonn Roe, David Hoey, Cormac McArdle, David Fairclough, Alan Browne, Dermot Grier, Alan Larkin, Mark McGeown, Anto Reilly, Brian Kilboy, Stephen Fisher, Colm Smart, Mark Nolan, Chris Lawless, Alan McCartney, Paddy Reilly, Jamie Clarke, John Rogers, Brian Casey. Management team - Alan Clarke, Jimmy Hearty, Antony Begely. Trim Celtic - Barry O"Callaghan, Mark Gilsenan, Keith Jones, Cyril Halton, David Conway, Ciaran Rispin, Paul Campbell, Michael Corrigan, Derek Donohoe, Aaron Newman, Colm Harte, Gavin Meehan, Ross Campbell, Patrick Conway, Paul Gilsenan, Noel Payne, Alan Douglas, Dominic Martin. Management team - Dominic Martin, Danny Quinn. OFFICIALS Referee - Conor Byrne; assistant-referees - Camillus Perry, Peter Burns senior; fourth official - John Regan (all Meath Branch ISRS)