Reilly heaps praise on Trim’s ‘special group’

Two things were certain when the Trim players woke on Monday morning. Firstly they weren't dreaming when the realisation dawned that they are Leinster Club Intermediate champions and secondly those aches and pains were very much real following their intensely tough final win over Clara on Sunday afternoon.

The old stadium in Navan hasn't crackled for many years like it did on Sunday. The shuddering hits and gargantuan noise must have registered on the Richter scale as the Trim players and supporters united in celebration of a new chapter in the history of the club.

Never in the proud days that have gone before for the 118 year old club have they attained provincial success.

Glory days on the football field have been few and far between for a club more accustomed to hurling success - but Sunday was special.

The emotion of men like Sean Gilsenan and Dermot McGuinness, the tears for departed stalwarts like Ted Murtagh and Harry Connor, the pride of fathers like Finian O'Connor and Declan Murray - it all came flooding out in Trim's victory.

This was a win not won on Sunday but, as manager Kevin Reilly explained, was founded on a commitment that he saw from day one of his tenure.

"I knew this was a special group from the first training session. I remember turning round to Barry Dunphy and saying these lads are an exceptional bunch," said an emotional Reilly.

"In early December 2020, when we were allowed back training for those couple of weeks, they (the players) were the ones that asked to go back early and start quicker than we had anticipated.

"In those cold, wet, mucky nights that we went for over those couple of weeks when we were allowed, you could see the attitude and the character straight off. I couldn't believe it when they were fighting for a ball in the muck in early December, months and month away from any potential county final, you could see it straight off that these boys were a special, special group."

Reilly himself has been part of many special days as a player. He enjoyed decent success with Meath, plenty of medals with Navan O'Mahonys and while he admits you can't beat playing there is a sense that this management achievement is right up there with the best he has felt in football.

"This is very special. Obviously nothing beats playing and the thrill and excitement of being out there on the pitch, but this is very special for this group," admitted the Trim manager.

"If you look at the history, to put this on the roll of honour and bring that cup back to Trim for the first time ever is great.

"It puts football back on the map in Trim and it has given everybody a huge pick up after a difficult Christmas because of Covid and all the worry that's around and the uncertainty.

"It's great to have Gaelic football and this journey to look forward too and thankfully it will continue on now for another couple of weeks.

"Credit to all the Trim supporters here today, the atmosphere was electric. It was a typical Pairc Tailteann atmosphere for a big game - there is nothing better.

"I played here myself in county finals and for Meath, when that stand is full and the game is in the melting pot and a roar goes up it makes the hairs stand on the back of your neck.

"There is no better atmosphere and credit to each and every person who came here to support Trim, it was exceptional."

Always one to deflect attention from himself Reilly was effusive in his praise of the players. At every opportunity he lavishes them with compliments in public, but you get the sense that inside the fence at the club grounds he drives the players to always improve.

On Sunday, despite being clearly the better team, the gods (and some dubious refereeing calls) threatened to come between Trim and the provincial crown.

On three occasions they had players dismissed from the field. Alan Douglas's red card was one of the harshest seen in the white heat of passionate championship football. Gerry Dwane saw yellow twice and was sent-off, while Mikey Cullen was overly-robust when it came to remonstrating with John Hickey and was sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes to cool down.

Despite all that, and the announcement of six nail-biting minutes of injury-time, the Trim players never panicked. The composure of the management on the sideline was reflected by the men in red on the field as they absorbed every sucker punch and hit back, with superb late scores from Rob Bourke and Ciaran Joyce epitomising the maturity and journey of a team that had suffered so much pain.

"The players deserve all the credit. They are the ones thinking on their feet, they're the ones in the pressurised situations and they're the ones making all those good decisions," praised Reilly.

"It doesn't matter what I say, whatever I recommend or whatever plan is there, they are the ones who have to execute it, so full credit 100 per cent goes to the players out there on the pitch.

"All credit to Clara, they put in an exceptional performance and asked loads and loads of questions throughout the game. Quite a few decisions went against us as well with the black card and the two red cards, so that all asked great questions of this team and especially of the players on the pitch.

"The massive occasion of playing in a first Leinster final, everything going against us, playing a quality opposition, all those were tough questions, but in fairness to the lads, and I've been saying it all year, credit to them.

"They stood up and took ownership out there and they showed real grit, but also real leadership to deliver a really composed performance in that crucial period, in the face of adversity.

"People have had questions about Trim in the past when it comes to the crunch, have they got it? Well it certainly came to the crunch there today and those lads stood tall and they kept ploughing forward - they certainly have answered that question in bucket loads today," concluded the proud Navan man and honourary citizen of Trim GAA.