Joy for Na Fianna in IHC as Trim take junior crown

Last winners of the IHC in 2006 Na Fianna claimed the title back with a 2-19 to 1-9 victory over Gaeil Colmcille at Pairc Tailteann today.  

With the help of goals from Mark Slevin and Peter Slevin Na Fianna led 2-8 to 1-6 at the interval and they continued to steadily add to their account in the second-half. 

This was a miserable afternoon for Gaeil Colmcille who never got going and their misery was made compounded by the red cards shown to Barry Tormay on 49 minutes and Liam Ferguson in injury time. 

Barry Slevin was a powerful force for Na Fianna in this contest. He ended up with 11 points, nine frees, while Ethan Devine was also very prominent in open pay. 

Sean Martin, Ronan Byrne, Cian Slattery and Shane Burke were others to contribute scores to the resounding victory with Daniel Gleeson outstanding in his centre-half-back position. 

In the JHC final at the same venue earlier today Trim claimed the coveted piece of silverware by defeatiing Ratoath 0-20 to 1-12. 

Unlike the IHC final the junior game was a close, tense affair that went to extra-time. 

It proved to a memorable occasion for Trim's Joey Toole who finished up with 14 points, 10 frees. One of those pointed frees was scored in the closing seconds of normal time to force injury time on a score of 0-13 to 1-10. 

In extra-time CJ Murtagh's Trim side were much the better outfit with James Andrews in particular emerging as a big player. He knocked over three points and also knocked the stuffing out of Ratoath who scored the only goal fo the game from Brian Kiernan after just four minutes. 

Yet Trim kept battling away, regained the advantage with Toole steadily firing over the points. Jamie Hackett and Kevin Lennon were the only two other Trim players to score but they more than did enough to save the day. 

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