O"Mahonys looking good

The good ship Trim ran aground at Pairc Tailteann on Thursday evening as Navan O"Mahonys produced a masterful display to secure a facile SHC victory. The inconsistency that has plagued Trim in the SHC in recent years looks like returning for 2009 as they followed a decent performance in defeating Gaeil Colmcille in the opening round with this terrible display. Much credit must go to Navan O"Mahonys as they punished every Trim error with ruthless efficiency and were sharper, crisper and more effective. Trim threatened to make a good game of it for the opening half. They hurled to a decent standard, but there was still an over-reliance on the exceptional free-taking ability of Joey Toole. When O"Mahonys tightened up on their discipline after the break Trim had no plan B. It was an accomplished performance from O"Mahonys who, in contrast to Trim, had an excellent first touch and took some outstanding scores with Ciaran Dunphy and Colin O"Rourke in particularly exceptional form. O"Mahonys were superior in most departments. The full-back line were tenacious while at midfield Paddy Smyth and the prodigal son, Padraig Coone, dictated proceedings against a Trim side that were short on ideas and given even less room to express themselves. O"Mahonys slammed the door shut on every Trim attacking move and when they moved forward Dunphy, Michael Kelly and O"Rourke were too much for the over-stretched Trim rearguard to cope with. All that without the suspended Sean Kane - not bad! An indication of where Trim"s attacking threat lay came inside 90 seconds when Toole lofted over a pointed free from over 80 metres, but everything Toole could do Dunphy could emulate. The O"Mahonys ace freetaker levelled from the same spot Toole had scored from before Neil Heffernan pointed the first of only three scores from play for Trim to give them a 0-2 to 0-1 lead. That was the only time Trim had their noses in front. Two points from Dunphy (one free) and an excellent score from O"Rourke pushed O"Mahonys 0-4 to 0-2 clear, but by the early stages of the third-quarter Trim were level through Alan Douglas and Toole (free). Trim"s luck was epitomised a minute later when Jimmy Canty hit the upright and then Toole"s stunning first time pull was dramatically saved by James Burke. O"Mahonys countered and Brian Carley made an equally unbelievable save to divert Dunphy"s drive over the bar. Toole restored parity with a free, but then in the final four minutes of the half O"Mahonys pulled clear with Dunphy converting a free after the ball was moved forward for dissent, Coone pointing after great play by Paddy Skehan and O"Rourke kicking over the bar with the goal at his mercy to make it 0-8 to 0-5 at the break. Within 50 seconds of the restart Toole reduced the deficit with a free from his own 65-metre line. Dunphy remarkably clipped a sideline over from 30 metres and then added a free to make it 0-10 to 0-6. Toole responded with another long-range free before substitute Darren Magee was denied by a superb block from Damien Moran. Inspired by that defending, O"Mahonys pulled further clear with points from O"Rourke (two), Smyth and Skehan making it 0-14 to 0-7. Tempers became frayed in the final quarter with Trim"s Alan Douglas and O"Mahonys" Moran and Smyth seeing yellow. Toole made it 0-8 to 0-14, but points from Dunphy (two), O"Rourke, Stephen Quirke and Coone put the issue beyond doubt as Trim"s sole response came from Toole to make it 0-9 to 0-19. With tempers wearing very thin referee Gerry Keoghan allowed play to continue and while Trim did manage to notch their third score from play O"Mahonys magnificent display was blemished by a red card for Shane Crosby six minutes into injury-time after he pulled wildly on Ciaran Joyce. It was a disappointing end for O"Mahonys, but the win will fill them with confidence. Navan O"Mahonys - J Burke; C Reilly, S Duignan, D Moran; S Crosby, R Hogan, D Hogan; P Smyth (0-10, P Coone (0-2); S Quirke (0-1), P Skehan (0-1), C O"Rourke (0-5); M Kelly, D Loughran, C Dunphy (0-9, five frees, one sideline). Trim - B Carley; T Farrell, D McGuinness, B Keogh; C Joyce, G Kennedy, K Higgins; C Doyle, J Canty; A Douglas (0-1), N Murray, P Gilsenan; D Higgins, N Heffernan (0-1), J Toole (0-8, seven frees). Subs - D Magee for D Higgins half-time, M McCormack for Gilsenan 51 mins. Referee - Gerry Keoghan (Kilmessan).