Meath……0-06
Galway……1-14
Though Meath fans of a certain age mightn’t realise it, there have been tough days like this before. As far back as 1990 in fact, the first season during which yours truly began attending matches. Meath were beaten 14 points by Antrim and 16 by Roscommon. What happened thereafter? Now read on…
They extricated themselves from what looked like certain defeat in a play off against Donegal at Breffni Park – with the aid of two David Beggy goals – went on and won the National League and Leinster Championship before making the All Ireland Final.
Now before hysteria sets in among the bewildered out there, one is not for a split second comparing one scenario with the other. Or, as much as it would be desired, predicting a similar transformation might take place. Though nobody would be more uplifted by or emotional about it were such an eventuality to play out.
No, the feats of yesteryear were recalled merely as a means of illustrating that pressing the nuclear button early in the season – by anybody – would amount to reactionism and be wholly counterproductive, it is indeed difficult to mask what will be bitter disappointment tonight.
That said, nobody will be feeling that more than the players and mentors. Though it should be pointed out that there were a number of mitigating factors at play in Salthill today. Not least the weather and the fact that Meath were dealing with some very significant absentees in personnel. Including Conor McGill who was a late withdrawal before throw in.
However, if you strip away all of the above, the nuts and bolts of the matter here are that what the visitors produced today simply wasn’t good enough. And that’s not even in terms of not scoring in the first half. Being honest, what was more upsetting was the ease with which Galway seemed to breach our defences and, moreover, the percentage of their scores which came from frees coughed up to the classy Shane Walsh.
With the prevailing conditions, evan a Galway goal by Tommo Culhane goal shortly before half time shouldn’t have extinguished Meath from the contest. What did, mind you, was failing to disturb the flagmen until 10 minutes into the second half and being profligate with what possession they did garner at times.
I know I’ll get absolutely slaughtered for the following – and have done elsewhere online tonight but at this stage I couldn’t give a sh***. Nobody will be feeling the hurt of what happened today than the players and the entire Meath camp. Nobody. Do you think today has been easy for them? Hearing words such as ‘humiliated’ and ’embarrassed’ being tossed around about people you admire, respect and look up to is rough, upsetting and in most cases unwarranted.
Now imagine if you were one of those involved today or their loved ones. Just to be clear here, it doesn’t what team or what people are involved. I was once once a selector on a team which lost a county final by 3.20 to 0-04. Having been 2-12 to 0-00 in arrears half way through. The jibes afterwards hurt then and they still hurt now, 20 years on. As does the defeat.
But do you know what we did? We knuckled down, bottled every bit of hurt, every tear and every ounce of frustration and absolutely busted every sinu to come and win the county title the following year.
These Meath lads will rise again, sooner than many think. It’s very easy to kick them and theirs when they’re down, but what they need and deserve are backing and belief. They are much better than today was to them. We go again.
Meath: H. Hogan; R. Clarke, R. Ryan, E. Harkin; C. Hickey, S. McEntee, D. Keogan; P. Harnan, E. Devine; C. O’Sullivan, B. McMahon, M. Costello; J. Conlon, S. Walsh, J. Wallace. Subs; J. Morris for Conlon, T. O’Reilly for McMahon, S. O’Fionnagain for J. Wallace, J. Muldoon for O’Sullivan, G. McGowan for Hickey.
Ref: Patrick Maguire (An Longfort)
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