Trim's belief helps them reach Leinster final showdown

One of the slogans that pops up regularly on the sideline advertisement hoardings at the World Cup games in Qatar is the line 'Believing is magic.' Another is 'Impossible is nothing.'

Certainly Trim have shown plenty of belief so far in their Leinster Club IHC campaign.

Otherwise they would never have got past Kilkenney side Danesfort.

Belief and a lot of others factors, were involved too in helping them defeat Tullamore 1-21 to 1-8 in today's semi-final at Pairc Tailteann.

Now for Jimmy Canty's side a final showdown beckons against Bray Emmets in what is will be one of the biggest days in the history of Trim hurling - and that's saying something.

The team in red were by some distance better than Tullamore in today's lob-sided encounter. In fact they were better in just about every department; every facet of the ancient game.

Once again there were some tour de force performances from the winners with James Murray right up there. The young Trim marksman helped himself to 10 points, including five frees and one point from a sidelide cut - a sublime skill he executes with consummate ease.

Or at least he looks like he does it with ease but it's probably the end product of hours of practice.

Five of the Trim's six fowards who started got on the scoresheet with Joey Cole hitting 1-1. His goal was part of a blistering, rocket-fuelled start his team made with Murray clipping over a point on 19 seconds with Cole adding his goal with one minute 16 seconds on the clock.

It was one of the many piercing moves Trim put together all afternoon. James Toher arrowed the ball to Mikey Cole from a free. Mikey neatly picked out Joey Cole and he fired the ball to the net.

Murray added a point from a free soon after and Trim were very much on their way. By half-time they led 1-9 to 0-5 and there was never any real danger in the second-half they would be overtaken either. Not really.

It says a lot too about Trim's defensive fortitiude that Tullamore failed to score from play. Not one point.

For some time now the kind of battlements Trim are able to construct in order to keep out attacking hordes has proved a cornerstone of their success - and today 's game was no different.

Not only did Trim's organised, rugged, obdurate backline prevent Tullamore from garnering a score from play they restricted the the Offaly team's attack to such an extent that only one of their personnel got on the scoresheet.

Shane Dooley hit all of Tullamore's scores, the goal he snaffled from a 20 metre free in the second-half merely serving to put a better gloss on the final scoreline, from his team's perspective at least.

At times Trim passed the ball crisply and accurately with eight players in all helping to ensure the scoreboard was kept clicking to ensure they stayed in front.

Pa Ryan capped an industrious display with points, as did the enterprising David Murtagh and Mikey Cole. Dylan Farrell, Conor Quigley, Toher and Alan Douglas were others who slotted over.

Trim have showed tremendous self belief to get to Saturday's semi-final. It helped them shock Danesfort. It helped them dig out a win in this game.

A win that was loudly and joyfully greeted by their supporters in the Pairc Tailteann stand.

For the Trim players and their supporters believing is indeed magic.

SCORERS

Trim - James Murray 0-10 five frees; sideline cut, '65'; Joey Cole 1-1; David Murtagh 0-2; Mikey Cole 0-3; Pa Ryan 0-2; James Toher 0-1; Conor Quigley 0-1; Dylan Farrell 0-1; Alan Douglas 0-1.

Tullamore - Shane Dooley 1-8, 1-7 frees, one '65'.

TEAMS

Trim - Charlie Ennis; Ciaran O'Rourke, Gerard Dwane, Ben Holden; Diarmuid Higgins, James Toher, Conor Quigley; Dylan Farrell, David Murtagh; James Murray, James Andrews, Pa Ryan; Mikey Cole, Alan Douglas, Joey Cole. Subs - Gary Fleming for Holden 42 mins, Neil Heffernan for Andrews 48m, Peter Farrell for Douglas 63m.

Tullamore - Adam Cleary; Dylan Hensey, Niall Houlihan, Michael Feeney; Ger Treacy, Ger Crowe, Brian Hogan; Gareth Mann, Ciaran Egan; Jack Dooley, Shane Kelly, Cormac Martin; Dan Fox, Shane Dooley, Mike Fox. Subs - Nigel Bracken for Crowe four mins, Colm Woodlock for J Dooley 55m, Kevin Waters for Egan 59m, Paul Kelly for Kelly, Niall McCabe for M Fox 63m.

Referee - Conor Daly.