HARRY’S HEROICS ALL IN VAIN
Now is not the time for a major analysis or critique. For personal reasons which should be fairly obvious. Meath’s defeat in Ennis last night is still far too raw. Emotionally and in other ways. Suffice to say that the end result was bitterly disappointing.
Have got off to a very slow start, they showed admirable character and skill to work themselves back into the game. And, with the aid of a Conor McGill penalty and points from his Ratoath colleagues Bryan McMahon and Daithi McGowan had them ahead, 1-09 to 1-08, entering the final quarter.
In truth, McGowan’s volleyball-type strike could have been a goal and that it wasn’t was probably their undoing. Thereafter, they failed to score for the final 18 minutes. That said, were it not for Harry Hogan’s heroics in goal – stopping a Clare penalty from David Tubridy and another torpedo from sub Keelan Sexton – the contest would have been over much sooner.
The custodian has been one of the good news stories for Meath this season. And what an achievement for the Hogan family and the Longwood club to have both Harry and his brother Billy on county duty in Ennis.
THE HANDS THAT HAVE SHAKEN HURLING
The long running and bitter dispute between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger was one the longest running story lines in English football. For as long as both men were actively involved therein. It appears hurling now has a tet e tet to rival it.
But this one is even more complex and actually desperately sad. There are certain undeniable truths in life. To quote a bit of Baz Luhrmann “Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you, too, will get old”. Now, the following is only my view, with no basis more substantiated than my outsider observations.
My guess is that Brian Cody had, in his own mind at least, anointed Henry Shefflin to be his replacement. Thus, in some way or other, feels hurt that the flame haired former forward didn’t bide his time and stay local? Just a theory.
Whatever has come between them, you’d hope it can be bridged. They have been such intrinsic parts of each other’s lives and such giants of the ash.
CHAMPAGNE FOOTBALL IS USELESS WHEN FINISHING IS SLOPS
While in no way wishing to espouse the virtues of the keyboard warriors that I loathe so, there has to be a pondering of how the Republic Of Ireland left Armenia yesterday empty handed.
Stephen Kenny’s side do indeed at least strive to play a decent brand of football, but it’s not worth squat if you can’t fill the onion bag. Chiedozie Ogbene, Josh Cullen, Seamus Coleman did work their collective rump off, but its another case of one step forward and two back.
RAISE A GLASS TO STOUTE AND THE KING!
Whatever about The Queen and the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, somewhere in a quiet corner of Buckingham Palace yesterday, HRH was probably clinking a gin glass to Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Kingscote following the highly impressive victory of Desert Crown in the Epsom Derby.
After all, Kingscote was the jockey most effected by the decision of the box of intelligence that is Michael Owen to do away with the services of Tom Dascombe as his retained trainer. While in no way wishing ill will on the very talented Hugo Palmer – who has replaced Dascombe in the Manor House Stables role – if the former striker’s acumen at that business is anything like his football punditry Palmer could have his work cut out for him!
DUE CARE IS NOT CHARITY
Last week, Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle pulled off a quite remarkable victory over Leinster in the European Cup. It can be described as such because, of all the Heineken finals they’ve been in, this was the one in which they looked most like ‘Sure Things’.
Aside from the fact that the outcome proves, yet again, that there is absolutely no such item as a ‘sure thing’ in sport, it is surely symbolic of where things currently lie within Irish rugby that what was, with respect, a third string Leinster combination thumped Munster in the United Rugby Championship the week beforehand.
But here’s the thing, O’Gara’s annexation of the ultimate prize is the cumulative effect of several years building under the former Munster and Ireland fly half. That, ironically, is exactly what the Corkman’s former employers are in desperate need of right now.
Fresh blood, without question, is needed, but so too is some local input on the coaching side. To that end, the enticement of Denis Leamy back to his home territory is certainly a step in the right direction. But more is needed, much more.
But the problem with where Munster are in the pecking order at the moment is that it becomes harder to attract top quality players or coaches. That, however, should not open the southern province to condescention and derision.
Talk of Leinster ‘Propping up’ Munster and decrying ’20 minute post mortems’ on what’s gone wrong with them, instead of ‘concentrating on the good Irish teams’.
It’s a long road that has no turn. Never forget where you come from.
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