Trim march on in Leinster bid

This Leinster Club IFC quarter-final had all the hallmarks of a potential banana skin, but Trim didn't slip up as they comfortably saw off the challenge of Kilkenny senior champions Thomastown by 1-14 to 1-4 at Ashbourne today.

Off the back of their first senior title in 36 years and after dethroning four-in-a-row Kilkenny kingpins Mullinavat a week earlier Thomastown arrived in Ashbourne full of hope, and with the wind howling there was a whiff of a shock in the air.

However, Trim were relentless and while their margin of victory was a very comfortable 10 points, it could have been so much more, but they eased their intensity with the wind at their backs and cruised over the winning line with just 14 men follow Gerry Dwane's harsh 54th minute sending off.

As well as the difficult conditions, both sides had to negotiate a fussy referee in Louth's Stephen Murphy who dished out seven yellow cards, six to Trim, in a game where there wasn't a dirty stroke pulled.

Despite all the hurdles put in their way Trim laid the platform for this victory when playing into the teeth of a howling, freezing wind in the first-half. Thomastown did have chances sporadically in that opening period, but they were smothered out of the game and often lacked the know-how to breakdown the Meath champions' defence.

Despite facing into the wind Trim started on the front foot and had the ball in the net inside two minutes as Eoin O'Connor set-up Mikey Cullen for a simple finish after an error by Patrick Khan.

Patient Trim retained possession well, but Thomastown missed two frees before two points from Aaron Lynch (one free) and one from Cullen established a 1-3 to 0-0 lead inside 12 minutes.

The dangerous Rory Monks, who along with Daithi Barron caused Trim a few problems, opened Thomastown's account in the 16th minute from a free, but Trim continued to dominate and after Alan Douglas hit the post with a dipping effort Lynch was on target again to secure a 1-4 to 0-1 lead at the water break.

It took Trim six minutes to add to that tally after play resumed with Rob Bourke on the end of a brilliant move to stretch the lead.

James Toher picked up Trim's second yellow card for talking back to the referee, but that didn't disrupt the Meath champions as Lynch forced Khan into a brilliant save and from the resultant '45' the ball was worked to Douglas who lofted over.

Another good save from Khan denied Lynch again as Trim had to settle for a 1-6 to 0-1 interval lead.

It took Douglas less than 10 seconds to stretch Trim's lead to nine points after the break, but as the intensity dropped the Kilkenny men came more into the contest and added two successive points with Monks converting a free and kicking a superb score from play - their only one of the game.

Another Lynch free prompted an emptying of the bench by Trim manager Kevin Reilly, but the traffic continued to flow one way as Lynch and Cullen were on target to make it 1-10 to 0-3.

Monks replied with another converted free as the Thomastown subs cheered every score, but James Murray replied for Trim to ensure the lead stood at 1-11 to 0-4 at the second water break.

A poor restart from Khan gifted Trim another goal chance, but Douglas shot tamely at the goalkeeper and four minutes later Dwane was issued with his second yellow card after a foul on Monks which led to the penalty that he brilliantly tucked away.

Trim's response to conceding the goal was emphatic. Two points from Lynch and one from Douglas cancelled out the goal as the 14 men eased over the line with all bar two of their scores coming from play, in contrast to all bar one of Thomastown's scores came from placed balls.

Trim will now play Wexford champions Crossabeg-Ballymurn in the semi-finals after they defeated Laois champions Park Ratheniska 1-8 to 0-5. That game is scheduled to be in a Meath venue on Saturday 18th December, 1pm.

SCORERS

Trim - Aaron Lynch 0-7 two frees; Mikey Cullen 1-2; Alan Douglas 0-3; Rob Bourke 0-1; James Murray 0-1.

Thomastown - Rory Monks 1-4 1-0 penalty, three frees.

TEAMS

Trim - Peter Farrell; Gerry Dwane, Luke Moran, Declan Dowling; Ciaran Caulfield, James Toher, Ciaran O'Rourke; Rob Bourke, Sean Fitzgerald; James Murray, Alan Douglas, Daire Lynch; Mikey Cullen, Aaron Lynch, Eoin O'Connor. Subs - Ben Holden for Topher half-time, Mikey Cole for O'Connor 41 mins, Cian Downes for D Lynch 42m, Kevin Nally for Dowling 51m, Owen McGrath for Bourke 54m

Thomastown - Patrick Khan; Ned Kirwan, Richard O'Hara, Ciaran Sutton; Peter Connellan, Jonjo Farrell; Diarmuid Galway, Luke Connellan; Johnny Barron, Davy Prendergast, Daithi Barron; Thomas O'Hanrahan, Stephen Donnelly, Rory Monks. Subs - Jack Barcoe for J Barron 36 mins, Paul Barron for Prendergast 60m.

Referee - Stephen Murphy (Louth).