Trim produce stunning performance in SHC semi-final thriller

Trim 2-19

Kildalkey 2-13

Tom Gannon reports

Trim conquered champions Kildalkey on Saturday afternoon at Pairc Tailteann in a match that will go down in history as one of the most entertaining SHC semi-finals in Meath hurling. Although Trim led for the entirety there were plenty of shifts in momentum throughout and at one stage during the second-half, it looked as if Kildalkey were timing their run to perfection. Trim dug deep and kept the scoreboard ticking away to see out the game well.

Kildalkey will rue chances missed early on in the encounter and they really should have been a lot closer to Trim on the scoreboard at half-time. Kildalkey had seven wides inside the opening quarter and 11 in total in the first-half. Trim’s well-organised defence played its role in making Kildalkey shoot from distance and hence forcing them into errors and wasted opportunities.

Trim went in at half-time holding a five-point advantage but by the time we reached the third quarter, that lead had been reduced back to one. The next 10 minutes of play was crucial to Trims' success as they outscored Kildalkey 1-5 to 0-1.

A 55th-minute long-range goal scored by Niall McNally gave Kildalkey hope but it was Trim who finished strongest as they secured their spot in the 2024 SHC final.

Even though Charlie Ennis will not look back fondly at the second goal that Trim conceded, the county keeper certainly played his part by denying Kildalkey three fantastic goal opportunities early on in the second-half.

Making his return from injury, James Toher was a huge addition to the Trim defence. His role in organising the back six was massive in a phenomenal defensive display from Trim, particularly in the opening 30 minutes.

The real star of the show though was James Murray who converted four fantastic sideline cuts, one of which was right in line with the halfway marker, a phenomenal display of accuracy from the centre-half forward.

Trim were first to register a point when wing-back Dimmy Higgins got the scoring underway. Two immaculate James Murray sideline cuts from either side of the pitch followed before Josh Harris set up Murray for the contest’s opening goal. Murray and Trim were off to an electric start and Kildakey looked rattled.

Pa Ryan put Trim 1-4 to no score ahead before eventually, after seven wides and 15 minutes of play, Kildalkey registered their first score, a free courtesy of Nicky Potterton. Two Mikey Cole points came either side of Potterton’s second before David Murtagh edged Trim eight points up with only a minute remaining of normal time in the opening half.

Injury time of the first half saw Kildakey force their way back into the contest with a point from David Harmon and a well-struck goal from the lively Nicky Potterton. Paddy Barnwell played a big role in Potterton’s goal as he collected Caemerhon Smith’s puckout before launching it long for Potterton to claim and finish to the net. A Mark Molloy point meant that Trim held a five-point advantage at half-time.

Kildalkey came out in the second half with intent and that showed on the scoreboard as they outscored Trim 0-7 to 0-3 in the third quarter with Potterton contributing 0-5 during this period. However, the finest moment of that third quarter belonged to James Murray as he secured an unbelievable sideline cut from in line with the halfway line. Murray also secured his fourth sideline cut of the day minutes later much to the delight of the Trim faithful.

In the final quarter, momentum shifted back in favour of the eventual winners Trim and Murray, Molloy, Toher, and Murtagh rattled off four points without reply. Martin Healy settled the ship for Kildalkey before a long ball into the square fell lovely for Trim’s Mikey Cole. In trademark fashion, he found the back of the Kildalkey net to give Trim a seven-point advantage with seven minutes left on the clock. Substitute Alan Douglas added his name to the scoreboard to stretch Trim’s lead further.

However, Kildalkey refused to lie down and a long-range effort from Niall McNally ended up finding the back of the Trim net. Potterton followed up with a free and all of a sudden the lead had been cut back to four. Douglas and McNally traded points before an injury to Joey Cole caused a four-minute delay.

When the game restarted, only five minutes of injury time remained and Trim saw out the game well with two points courtesy of Douglas and Kyle Ennis.

Trim – Charlie Ennis; Danny Coleman, Gary Fleming, Ben Holden; Dimmy Higgens(0-1), James Toher (0-1), Conor Quigley; Joey Cole, David Murtagh (0-2); James Andrews, James Murray (1-6, one free, four sideline cuts), Pa Ryan (0-1); Mark Molloy (0-2), Josh Harris, Mikey Cole (1-2). Subs – Alan Douglas (0-3) for Harris halftime, Kyle Ennis (0-1) for Ryan 39m, Eoghan Ryan for J Cole 57m.

Kildalkey – Caemerhon Smyth; David Coneely, Brin Kelly, Brendan McKeon; David Harmon (0-1), Martin Healy (0-1), Gary Kelly; Evan Fitzgerald (0-1), Paddy Barnwell; Luke Rickard, Brian O’Halloran, Paddy Conneely (0-1); Niall McNally (1-2), Nicky Potterton (1-7, five frees), Conor Fitzgerald. Subs – Mark Healy for C Fitzgerald, Podger Geoghegan for Barnwell, Kelvin Lynch for Rickard all halftime, Brian Coffey for E Fitzgerald 51m.

Referee - Kevin Brady (Louth)