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2025 - Fairyhouse Steel – Senior Football Championship – Group C Round 1

Trim 2-18 Meath Hill      1-12

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🏐🔴Man of the Match Tadhg Carty - Senior Championship Debuts Sean Foley & Eoin O'Reilly 🏐🔴

On the back of an impressive league campaign that saw them promoted to Division 1, Trim opened their 2025 championship campaign with a convincing win against Meath Hill in Simonstown on Sunday afternoon.  In what appeared in the first half to be a one-sided affair, Trim had to overcome a strong Meath Hill surge in the 3rd quarter that required alert defence and cool heads to steady the ship and secure all available points for the Trim men.

On a near perfect day for football, Meath Hill opened the scoring from a 2nd minute free following intense, early tackling from Trim’s Eoin Sweeney.  Moments later, despite the attention of Harry Purcell, the Hill struck again with a very well taken point to see them 2 scores up and only 3 minutes gone.  From the kick out it was clear that Trim’s Tadhg Carty was intent on establishing his dominance in the middle of the field where he won the high ball and eventually released Daire Lynch who struck a good point to get Trim up and running in the 5th minute. Meath Hill built patiently and breached the half back line only to be met by superb defending by Ben Holden who burst out and counterattacked down the field to pick out Tom Carmody who converted to level the score at 2 points each. 

It’s a hard ask of any player to keep up with a former international runner, and this was the task for Meath Hill when moments later, Trim’s Harry Purcell took off down the field like a scalded cat to pick out Sean Foley who struck over to put Trim into the lead for the first time with 8 minutes gone on the clock. Trim suddenly seemed to have settled into a good rhythm. Urged on by dominant displays by Ian Birmingham and Carty in midfield, the Reds spread the ball across the field and watched for the opening. When the ball found its way to Meath and DCU’s star wing back Ciaran Caulfield a surge of anticipation went through the large crowd standing on the embankment. Caulfield neither looked left or right but cut straight down the middle of the Meath Hill defence and hammered the ball to the back of the net.  Despite the blow, Meath Hill replied with a nicely taken point of their own. From the kick out James Toher at centre back for Trim, drove the ball to the far  corner where Sean Foley delivered a lovely pass to Aaron Lynch who struck for goal only to be well saved by the Meath Hill keeper. The resultant 45 metre kick was converted by Lynch to see Trim establish a 4 point lead.  

But Meath Hill were showing a determination not to be left behind in this game when in the 17th minute they converted a free – but then, immediately after caught Trim asleep when a quickly taken free saw Meath Hill attack down the right wing, cut in and drive the ball past the floundering O Reilly in the Trim goal to level the game again. A minute later a well worked attack by Meath Hill delivered a sweetly struck point to put them in the lead with 20 minutes gone on the clock. Like the grumpy bear that has been poked, Trim rallied with venom. From the back line, Conor McGinley started the steady Trim relaunch. Moving the ball through Toher, Bermingham and Daire Lynch the ball was delivered to Purcell who ran at the Meath Hill full back line to drive the ball across the mouth of the goal where Foley, who was making his championship debut, graciously awaited to tap the ball to the back of the net.    On the kick out Carty once again secured the ball and released Daire Lynch who laid off to brother Aaron who, in turn found Eoin O Connor who drove the ball against the Hill crossbar with a ferocity that shook the nails in the posts. 

But not to be deterred by a bit of wood, Trim kept coming. This time it was Ian Birmingham who strode through the centre of the opposition’s defence to secure a well deserved point. Minutes later, an attack by Trim far out on the left wing was brought to ground on the edge of the 40 metre arc. The ever dependable county player Aaron Lynch confidently stood up and struck the ball between the posts for a well taken 2 pointer. At this stage Trim were playing very well throughout the field, with Holden in defence particularly impressing while Carty in midfield lorded it over all. Eoin O Connor was increasingly hungry for a score only to be once again beaten by the post and the goal keeper to see the ball go out for a 45 that was ably converted by Lynch on the 28th minute. As the crowd anticipated the final whistle of the half, James Toher converted a free from well outside the 40 meter arc to secure an excellent 2 pointer followed a minute later by another Carmody point for Trim – and the half time whistle.

Moral of the story – be careful when you poke a grumpy bear!

Half time:   Trim 2-11 Meath Hill        1-05  

On the resumption, it was business as usual for Trim when Lynch shook off his marker to secure a well-taken point in the first minute, followed a minute later by a tap over point for Sweeney who had been playing very well throughout.  But Meath Hill were not inclined to throw in the towel, when, in the 7th minute they won a free on the 45-metre mark that was easily converted by their goal keeper to bring the margin back to a still daunting 9 points. By the 14th minute, Meath Hill were on a purple passage having struck a further 4 points and bringing the margin down to 5 points.  The Meath Hill attackers constantly surged forward and the Trim defenders Eoin Ryan, Holden and McGinley were repeatedly called upon to break up attacks. Trim goal keeper Eoin O Reilly, who was making his championship debut, stood solid and never flinched. Trim’s Lynch twice dropped kicks into the opposition goal keeper’s hands while Carmody shot wide.  But everything comes to those who wait and, after a full 21 minutes without scoring, the drought for Trim was at last relieved when Meath Hill were penalised for having only 2 men in the opposition’s half. The resultant free struck by Lynch gave Trim a much needed 2 point score. This settled Trim, and in the remaining 5 minutes the Reds converted 2 further Lynch frees separated by a Carmody point in the 30th minute. Only a consolation point for Meath Hill in reply.

While the scoreboard shows Trim as the comfortable winners, they did have to dig deep in the 2nd half and call on their full defensive abilities to fend off a spirited Meath Hill resurgence. A man of the match performance by Tadhg Carty in the middle of the field combined with a stoic Toher and Holden in defence ensured a solid victory for the men in red.  Trim will take learning points from this game as will Meath Hill who stuck to their task but just came up short against a better team on the day.

Well done to all. 

Full time: Trim 2-11 Meath Hill      1- 05  

 

Trim:  E O Reilly; C McGinley; B Holden; E Ryan; E Sweeney (0-01); J Toher (0-02); C Caulfield (1-00); I Bermingham (0-01); T Carty; E O Connor;  D Lynch (0-01); H Purcell; T Carmody (0-03); A Lynch (0-09); S Foley (1-01)

Subs: K Ennis (0-01) for E O Connor; C Quigley for I Bermingham; D Dowling for B Holden; D Murtagh for E Sweeney; S Fitzgerald