The big two draw opener at Athboy

If Trim were labouring under any illusions as to just how difficult it is to dig out a victory in the IFC they were surely dispelled after this lively encounter on Friday evening at Athboy. With time almost up and a point ahead it looked like Trim had done enough to mark their reluctant return to the intermediate ranks with a victory. Then three minutes into injury-time Gaeil Colmcille were awarded a free in front of the posts and up stepped Seamus Mattimoe to shoot over and earn an unlikely draw for last year's finalists. Both sides travelled to Athboy with strong credentials for the title itself and nothing happened in this lively, entertaining encounter to undermine such ambitions within either camp. Gaeil Colmcille showed evidence of a sturdy team spirit in the way they fought back from a two-point deficit as the game slipped into injury-time to earn their last-gasp draw. Trim will look back on an encounter when they played some very enterprising football stitching together a series of neat-passing moves that tested their opponents' defensive mettle and morale. They led 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval thanks chiefly to a super goal from the impressive Eoin McGrath who neatly finished off a move that involved James Toher and Ronan Fitzsimons. The score arrived just before half-time and capped a very fruitful opening 30 minutes for McGrath who had a lot of work to do to get himself in a position where he could finish to the net. McGrath also contributed two points while Toher, Michael Lowther and Mark Gilsenan were others to split the posts for the men in red over the hour. Gilsenan's point was a fine effort from out on the left with normal time almost up and it put his side two points to the good. With such a lead at that stage Trim looked home and hosed. Gaeil Colmcille had other ideas and for their persistence alone they deserved a draw with Brian Hanlon and Mattimoe pointed frees in injury-time saving the day. The north Meath side trailed for most of the game, including almost all of the second-half often squandering some good approach work as they hit a series of wides. It looked like that wastefulness would prove costly. Mattimoe and Hanlon were their chief score-getters with nine points between them while the fleet-footed Danny McGovern and Alan Hickey also contributed finely crafted points. Defeat was staring Gaeil Colmcille in the face until they launched a late attack and earned a free from which Mattimoe got the equaliser. The reactions of the two managers said it all. Gaeil Colmcille's Jody Devine was understandably delighted with the way his team extracted a draw from the jaws of defeat. "We were happy with a draw at the end with five minutes to go we were two or three points down, it was a poor goal to give away on our behalf but we're happy with a draw. Trim are a good side," he said. Trim boss John Andrews was less pleased. "We were nearly there, we put in a good performance, but I was very disappointed about the free for their equalising point. The referee had a great game up to the closing stages, but I don't know what happened to him after that and especially with that decision." Gaeil Colmcille - D Drew; M Foley, R Flanagan, D Smith; A Hickey (0-1), B Smith, S Reddy; P Ward, J Carry-Lynch; D McGovern (0-1), K Reilly, S Curran; S Mattimoe (0-5 three frees), M Barrett, B Hanlon (0-4 two frees). Subs - G Arkins for Reilly 35 mins, S McManus for Curran 58m. Trim - B Murphy; C Flaherty, R Brennan, M Power; P Flanagan, S Farrell, R Fitzsimons; S Kennedy, F Murphy; J Toher (0-2 two frees), M Lowther (0-3 two frees), M Gilsenan (0-1); N Heffernan, E McGrath (1-2), D McGee. Subs - C Joyce for McGee 53 mins, D Phelan for Flanagan 60m. Referee - John Farrelly (Syddan).