Trim Celtic sparkle in the sun
While they might have looked unfamiliar in their all-black outfit Trim Celtic showed familiar characteristic to rack up a comfortable 5-2 win over Duleek in the NEFL Premier Div in the blazing sun at Tully Park.
This was an impressive display by the Trim side who are managed by former Longford Town, Shelbourne and Drogheda player Alan Murphy .
He expressed himself delighted with the win afterwards and rightly so. His team produced some excellent, passing football and thoroughly deserved their win.
Dean Courtney grabbed the opener for the home side after a mazy run but Duleek's Luke Jenkins equalised before the break.
Trim Celtic's near relentless pressing yielded another goal just after the break when Jack O'Keeffe directed home from an Aaron Williams cross. Brian Faulkner scored a super individual goal before the skilful Courtney got his second.
Duleek pulled a goal back after Jack Wall was fouled and Jenkins converted the penalty but in the closing stages Faulkner scored again with a header.
Referee Billy Cruise had a fine game controlling matters firmly but diplomatically too, allowing the players to have a much needed water break in the heat.
* Before the game got underway today there was a minute's silence in memory of Jody Kelly a well known figure around Trim who was one of the groundsmen at Tully Park. He gave years of dedicated service to the club.
Trim Celtic - Aaron Ryan; Mark Leavy, Leon O'Neill, Ger Murray, Sean Fitzgerald, Oisin Smith, Jack O'Keeffe, Conor Walsh, Aaron Williams, Brian Faulkner, Dean Courtney. Subs - Ciaran O'Connell for O'Neill 57 mins, Luke Mahon for Williams 75m, Oisin Devlin for Smith 78m , Sean Foley for Fitzgerald 85m.
Duleek - Adam Byrne; Sean Kennedy, Ryan Jones, James Murphy, Robert Clarke, Robert Daly, Jamie McCormack, Gareth Toal, Luke Jenkins, Barry Kavanagh, Michael Conroy. Subs - Jack Wall for Conroy 53 mins, Aaron Haddock for Kavanagh 74m, Brian Murphy for Toal 81m.
Referee - Billy Cruise (Meath Branch).
See a look back on the match at Tully Park and photographs in next issue of Meath Chronicle