Horgan’s Hoops march on to another Challenge Cup final

It's difficult to contain a team who know how to dig out victories. A team who won't accept defeat. A team who knows how to get back on the right track after losing their way. A team that resembles, at times, a whirlwind.

Trim Celtic certainly looked like a side well capable of whipping up a storm when they accounted for Parkvilla in the Challenge Cup semi-final at Tully Park on Sunday.

At least that was the case in the second-half with they created a host of opportunities with three strikers from Jack O'Keeffe, Adam Fox and Wes Gibbons ensured Parkvilla were out and the home team were in the final - again.

Last year, of course, the Hoops won the NEFL Premier and the Challenge Cup - and they are well on their way to doing the same this time around. The Premier title was wrapped up and stowed away a couple of weeks ago and now they are back in the Challenge Cup final on Saturday 11th November.

During the second act on Sunday Robbie Horgan's well-coached, well-tuned side looked every bit the kind of team capable of bagging another double. It was very different in the opening 45 minutes when they struggled to impose themselves against Kenny Ratty's young Parkvilla side.

At times Ratty's young guns looked like they might really hurt their more fancied opponents. They played loads of enterprising football and deservedly went ahead after 35 minutes when the skilful Sean Kane whipped over a cross from the right. Trim Celtic goalkeeper Conor Gilsenan got a touch as he sought to clear. However, the ball fell to another young, skilful Parkvilla player, Eoghan Heavey. He fired home, 1-0 to the visitors.

The skilful little tricks and treats the Parkvilla players served up helped to keep them on the front foot and they could have fashioned another goal or two. Early in this engrossing contest Kane, Heavey and Danny Doggett were involved in a move that ended with Ryan Murphy troubling Gilsenan with a stinging drive.

The Celts also conjured up a few opportunities but they were half chances at the most. It all meant the cup holders went in at the break looking a little lost. It's at times like that a team mentor can earn his corn. Horgan, a highly qualified coach, is one of the most perceptive managers around (his run of success with the Hoops have proved that) and he worked the oracle again on Sunday.

The Hoops adopted a new formation and brought on Dean Courtney. That did the trick. The second-half was only nine minutes old when Courtney showed neat skills out on the right. He fired over a cross and O'Keeffe slotted home at the far post.

Like a team reborn Trim Celtic dominated. They created a host of chances and got a second on 77 minutes. Deservedly.

Conor Walsh lofted the ball in from a free, Oisin Smith headed down into the path of Fox who made no mistake from close range. Gibbons added a decorative third strike in injury time, firing home from the edge of the box.

"We had to change things at half-time, we just needed a different shape, try and create a few opportunities, we weren't creating much and we brought Deano (Courtney) on a half-time and he made a massive difference," explained Horgan afterwards. "We started off with a 3-4-1-2, we changed that to try and match Parkvilla which was a 4-2-3-1. When we play that system it's more effective with Deano in it than out of it."

Trim Celtic could have had a few more goals in that second-half with Anto Burke, Gary Gibney, Courtney, O'Keeffe going close. The home side were repeatedly denied by some super saves by Parkvilla's Euan Niven, and some gritty defending by the likes of Chris O'Neill and Danny Doggett.

The victory was yet another stop-off in Trim Celtic's seemingly endless round of games. Since early in the year the players have been on a protracted training/playing routine. Despite the hectic schedule it hasn't dimmed their hunger for silverware. Clearly.

They are still in the Leinster Junior and the FAI Junior cup competitions (they are holders of the Leinster Junior Cup) so the merry-go-round keeps whirring. "We've won more trophies in the space of a year. This team doesn't get a break, they just continue to go and go," added Horgan. "The lads never get a break, apart from a few weeks at Christmas, but they never ask for a break. They put the hard graft in and that's how you earn trophies."

Next up for Horgan's Hoops is the Challenge Cup final against Quay Celtic. After that who knows how long their season will stretch as they continue the relentless search for silverware.

Trim Celtic - Conor Gilsenan; Mark Leavy, James Goggins, Ger Murray, Sean Fitzgerald, Conor Walsh, Callum Ennis, Aaron Williams, Oisin Smith, Anthony Burke, Jack O'Keeffe. Subs - Brian Faulkner, Dean Courtney, Ethan Rathbone, Gary Gibney, Adam Fox, Wes Gibbons, Danny Connell.

Parkvilla - Euan Niven; Wojaech Marzec, Sean Lally, Chris O'Neill, Danny Doggett, Chris Kennedy, Sean Kane, Ryan Murphy, Jamie Blake, Eoghan Heavey, Kian Ratty. Subs - Conor Fleming, Ross Quigley, Eoghan Breathnach, Ben Gibney, Karl McHale.

Referee - Conor Byrne; assistants - Billy Cruise, Lee Hermitage.