In their first game of the Intermediate Cup, Dublin University Association Football Club (DUAFC) had beaten a strong Leixslip side who ply their league trade several tiers above them. It was a surprising victory for Trinity, despite the fact it had come at a time when Trinity couldn’t stop winning. After three defeats in a row, there was a different atmosphere coming into the team’s second game of the Intermediate Cup against Skerries Town FC, and DUAFC exited the tournament after a 1-0 defeat.
Trinity started the game well, keeping possession and limiting Skerries to their own half. Ten minutes in, a lobbed through ball from Eddie Duffy nearly put Oisin Pennycook in, his shot drifting across the face of the goal. Trinity’s best opportunity of the game came a few minutes later, when Duffy intercepted a loose pass. As he raced towards the goal, he was taken out by a Skerries centre-back who was lucky to escape with a yellow card.
As the half wore on, Skerries played better. Their crosses were causing problems for the Trinity defence. Nevertheless, the half ended scoreless. It was clear that a single goal would be enough to win the game for whichever team wanted it the most.
Trinity nearly went ahead shortly into the second half, when Pennycook found space in the box, his shot ricocheting off the post. Ten minutes later, Pennycook nearly scored again after Dan Kane’s through-ball found him behind the Skerries defence, his shot flashing across the face of the goal.
Then came a period of dominance for Skerries, with Trinity gifting them a number of chances. This culminated in a cracking effort from well outside the Trinity penalty area, which found the top corner of the Trinity net to give Skerries the lead.
Trinity spent the rest of the half trying to find an equalizer, but couldn’t create any real chances. The game finished 1-0 to Skerries, which marked the end of Trinity’s Intermediate Cup campaign.
Trinity lacked an attacking impetus yesterday. After such a good start to the season, this lull in performances was inevitable, but now the team need to put these four bad results behind them and start playing with the determination the players showed in their first few games. Their next game is on Wednesday against University College Dublin in College Park.
