Trim's young guns chalk up resounding victory

Trim u-21 hurlers have reached their sixth successive final following a resounding victory over Kiltale, in Boardsmill.

While the final score points to a comprehensive success, there were times during this tie, especially during a seven minute spell midway through the second half, when the final result still looked uncertain.

Kiltale had clawed their way back into contention, and could have closed the gap to a slender two point margin if it wasn’t for the timely interception of Pauric Walshe who deflected a Kiltale goal bound shot over the crossbar.

Trim began well and the lively Ian Byrne opened the scoring with a well taken point in the first minute. Kiltale’s top scorer Luke O’Halloran, his final tally was 1-6 (1-5f), equalized with the first of his pointed frees and by the end of the first quarter Trim were marginally ahead by 0-5 to 0-4, the Trim scores coming from George Douglas and Kyle Ennis (0-3, 2f).

It looked like Trim were about to ease into a comfortable lead when Josh Harris raised the first green flag following the sweetest of moves involving Joey Cole and Kyle Ennis.

Kiltale, however, were not for backing down and Luke O’Halloran’s opportunist free, just before half time, flashed to the back of the Trim net to reduce the margin to two points. Trim’s other scores came from Kyle Ennis (0-3,2f) and Darragh Heffernan, who completed the first half scoring.

Half Time: Trim 1-9, Kiltale 1-6

Trim had five unanswered points by the twelfth minute of the second half, through Alan Costello, Kyle Ennis (0-2, 1f), Joey Cole and Ian Byrne.

However, Kiltale had introduced the lively Craig Gilsenan at half-time, and he caused a good deal of difficulty to the Trim defence scoring two points and assisting in a couple more. Kyle Ennis had added another to his tally and substitute Daniel Fox also added his name to the Trim score sheet.

Trim still held a reasonably comfortable lead of five points when Pauric Walshe came to their rescue with that timely interception.

That score, in the nineteenth minute, was to prove to be Kiltale’s final score of the game. Thereafter, it was all Trim and they outscored their opponents by 1-6 to no score to see out the game before referee Mark Reilly sounded the final whistle.

Josh Harris had raised his second green flag, and had another disallowed for a minor infringement, and there were further points from Kyle Ennis (2), Ian Byrne, Joey Cole, Eamonn Yeates, and Daniel Murray.

Full-time: Trim 2-22; Kiltale 1-12

Trim now await the outcome of the other semi-final next weekend between Dunboyne and Kilmessan.

Trim - Eoin O’Reilly, Ben Gaffney, Pauric Walshe, Harry Cotterell, Aaron O’Rourke, Alan Costello (0-1), Eoghan Ryan, Joey Cole (0-2), George Douglas (0-1), Daniel Murray (0-1), Daragh Heffernan (0-1), Kyle Ennis (0-11), Ian Byrne (0-3), Josh Harris (2-0), Josh Ayton

Subs: Cathal O’Reilly, Daniel Fox (0-1), Eamonn Yeates (0-1), Luca Taheny, Cormac Doyle