Tara… 3-12
Blackwater… 2-13
Thirty scores between two teams in what was meant to be a ‘meaningless’ match certainly knocked the theory of it being so on the head. Instead, acting as the best advertisment the Regional Championships have had to date.
Factually speaking, both teams did indeed know their fate before the ball was thrown in, but not in a million years would you think battling Blackwater had nothing tangible to play for.
That was because in their own minds at least, they most certainly had. Something which Jimmy Geoghegan rightly paid tribute to in his report for the Meath Chronicle. The lads in red and black obviously taking great pride in representing their Divisional area and taking their role very seriously.
Hardly surprising with a class act like Mickey Newman in their ranks. On that topic, commenting on the earlier rounds of the Regionals, the point was made that there had been some disquiet over ‘former’ stars of the green and gold lining out in the fixtures.
Presumably on the basis that, yes, the new competition was designed as a series of trial matches for the Meath senior panel going forward. Be that as it may, those who come from Junior and Intermediate clubs were of course entitled to represent their region.
Moreover, if Colm O’Rourke feels the well travelled troops have something to offer his platoon going forward, why not feed off their experience?
With that in mind, Mickey Newman has certain given Colm and his selectors Barry Callaghan and Stephen Bray something to think about in recent weeks. Never more so than most recently with the Kilmainham clubman accounting for 2-5 of Blackwater’s gallant effort.
For all that, it was Ger Robinson’s Tara side who got off to much the better start as goals from Tommy Kinsella of Dunshaughlin, Kilbride’s Jamie McWeeney and Paul Kelly from the Blackhall Gaels club left them clear by 3-05 to 1-06 at half time.
The Dunsany duo of Cathal Murphy and Pierre Fox again impressed, as did Davy O’Leary (Kilbride) while on the other side Newman was ably assisted by the burgeoning Hughie Corcoran of Drumbarragh.
So, while there still may be doubters as to the worth of these fixtures, those whose views are the most important of all, the players, have given the concept a glowing endorsement in more ways than one.