Trim pull clear to avoid upset in Rathmolyon

Scoreboard drama as Na Fianna go close

Trim......................0-21

Na Fianna .............0-15

There was some confusion over the final score, but it mattered not as Trim pulled away to secure an unconvincing victory over Na Fianna in their SHC opener at Rathmolyon on Friday evening.

With just two minutes left the scoreboard read 0-17 to Trim and 0-16 to Na Fianna. Trim officials and the media in attendance had Na Fianna credited with one point less, but referee Henri Clifford insisted the scores on the board were correct.

Despite their protests the Trim management had to go by the official's word and with an upset on the cards they managed to dig deep, scoring the final four points to claim the spoils.

Trim's profligacy in front of the posts allowed Na Fianna stay in contention and apart from a brief spell after the enterprising George Douglas opened the scoring inside 15 seconds Trim were not ahead again until the same player made it 0-13 to 0-12 in the 41st minute.

Trim had 16 wides tallied by that stage, but they looked to have upped the tempo after the break and when Mikey Cole forced Johnny McCluskey into a fine save to tip his driving effort over the bar to make it 0-14 to 0-12, that was when the confusion over the scoreline started to arise.

The scoreboard credited that Mikey Cole point to Na Fianna before quickly rectifying the error. However, despite correcting the Trim score upwards to 0-14 the Na Fianna tally remained at 0-13, but it should have been reduced to 0-12.

Trim protested on several occasions, but the officials were adamant the scoreboard was correct. Trim's frustrations were further amplified when they had two 'points' that were waved good by the umpires, subsequently ruled wides by both linesmen, but despite those distractions Declan Murray's side settled and closed out the win.

While Murray may have been frustrated with the officials, he will surely be even more concerned about his own side's performance as they hit 20 wides and were often second best in many of the 50-50 battles against a hungry Na Fianna side that hurled well.

Na Fianna's nine wides were spread more evenly, with four in the opening half and they really could have been further clear than the two-point lead they held at the break.

Shane Jordan, Oisin Bright and Michael Heffernan were excellent for the Enfield/Baconstown side, but when Trim needed leaders it was Joey Cole, Eoghan Ryan, James Toher and Conor Quigley who came up with some big plays in the final quarter to get them over the line.

Douglas's early score looked ominous for Na Fianna, but as Trim struggled to find their range or win a break, Na Fianna hit six of the following seven points with Ronan Byrne landing one from a free, one '65' and one from play, while Jake Doherty, Oisin Bright and Anthony Healy also chipped in to make it 0-6 to 0-2, a Kyle Ennis free was Trim's only reply in that 12 minute spell.

After that purple patch for Na Fianna it was then Trim's turn to enjoy a spell of dominance as they hit four of the next five points from George Douglas (two), Mikey Cole and Ennis to make it 0-6 to 0-7, with Byrne converting a free from his own half in reply for Na Fianna.

Heffernan, Byrne (free) and Oisin Bright, with the score of the game, restored a substantial cushion for Na Fianna, 0-10 to 0-6, but a fine score from Ian Birmingham and a converted free from Joey Cole with the last puck of the half closed the deficit to 0-8 to 0-10 at the break.

Byrne stretched Na Fianna's lead with a converted free inside 80 seconds of the restart, but with Joey Cole on frees full-time Trim got back to within one with a brace of placed balls.

Oisin Bright settled Na Fianna again, but another Joey Cole free and a point from Ryan restored parity in the 41st minute for the first time since the third minute.

George Douglas quickly added Trim's 13th point to edge them ahead, but then came the confusion after Mikey Cole's score. Joey Cole added one from play to make it 0-15 to 0-12, on our scorecard, and when Ethan Devine and Byrne sandwiched a James Andrews score it made it 0-14 to 0-16 (but 0-15 to 0-16 on the scoreboard).

Quigley stretched Trim's lead before Darragh Heffernan had a point disallowed by one linesman.

Peter Slevin with a massive free closed the gap to two (or was it one?), but Trim didn't panic and there was no controversy at the finish as closing scores from Toher, Quigley, Pa Ryan and Joey Cole (free) ensured a sufficient gap at the final whistle to avoid any confusion. For the record, the official final score is 0-21 to 0-16.

Trim: Eoin O'Reilly; Danny Coleman, Gary Fleming, Ben Holden; Darragh Heffernan, James Toher (0-1), Eoghan Ryan (0-1); Joey Cole (0-6 five frees), Mark Molloy; George Douglas (0-4), Conor Quigley (0-2), Ian Birmingham (0-1); Mikey Cole (0-2), Alan Douglas, Kyle Ennis (0-2 one free). Subs : James Andrews (0-1) for Birmingham 37m, Pa Ryan (0-1) for M Cole 54m.

Na Fianna: Johnny McCluskey; Conor Cummins, Stephen Slevin, Cian Doherty; Shane Jordan, Peter Slevin (0-1 free), Jake Doherty (0-1); Anthony Healy (0-1), Ethan Devine (0-1); Oisin Bright (0-3), Ronan Byrne (0-7 four frees, one '65'), Michael Heffernan (0-1); Eoin Bright, Cian Slattery, Eimhin Flynn. Sub : Patrick Jordan for Flynn 43m.

Referee: Henri Clifford (Ballivor).