Why?

A long since deceased friend of my father once said to him “Don’t let anyone tell you about the good old days, the good days are now”. At the time, reference was being made to the agricultural wage of the day and/or what it took to make a living out of farming at the time in question.

The above might seem a strange start point to assess the current state of Meath football but, if that modicum is deployed in a reversed sort of way it actually fits the bill painfully well for the Royal County presently. Us disciples of the green and gold long for the good old days. Or even a diluted version of same. I’m not even talking about winning Leinster titles or All Ireland titles at this stage. Just to be able to compete against the top teams with a bit fight and respectability.

With the greatest of due respect to all concerned, losing to Louth in Navan and drawing with relegated Limerick is not that. At this point, it must be categorically stated that such being the case is not the fault of Colm O’Rourke or Andy McEntee or Mick O’Dowd or any number of Meath managers past or present you care to mention.

I have my own theory as to the drop off – U-20/21 in particular – which no secret has been made of over the years. That we sat on the laurels of the successes Sean Boylan bestowed upon this county and doing so for too long caused the conveyor belt to seize up altogether.

Yes, the point must be made that we were desperately unlucky in a couple of Leinster U-21 FC campaigns – on one occasion having to field without James McEntee and Eamon Wallace, both of whom were and established members of the senior panel by then (and still should be) yet they only lost out to a star studded Dublin outfit by two points.

True also that strides have been made with regard to the production of underage teams in more recent years. As a result of which an All Ireland MFC title and a couple of provincial titles were bagged. Furthermore, having won the Gerry Reilly Cup last season, at the time of typing, this year’s Minor bunch are still in contention for honours.

However, after the U-20 team’s desperately disappointing defeat by Dublin last night (Tuesday), there is only one question on this writer’s mind – Why? Not why did Dublin win the match, they were the better team by a distance.

More fundamentally, why do we struggle so badly against Dublin teams at any level nowadays? At this stage it’s not even about beating them, just competing in a decent fashion. Granted, in the first quarter on Tuesday evening, John McCarthy’s side did that and more.

Jack Kinlough and Conor Gray dominated the aerial exchanges, which in itself allowed the potentially lethal forward line to begin abuzz. That manifested itself in both midfielders, Eoghan Frayne and Shaun Leonard driving over impressive scores as the locals opened up a lead of 0-05 to 0-01.

Alas, then it which has happened all too often in recent years occurred again. The Dublin defence made two fantastic blocks in the space of a couple of minutes and instantly had the effect of being a pin into the baloon that was Meath’s ambitions.

From being four up, Dublin went on to outscore the green and gold by seven points to one – a Frayne free – for the remainder of the half. Still, trailing by two, 0-06 to 0-08, wasn’t the worst scenario of all time.

Meath would, after all, have the aid of the not inconsiderable breeze blowing towards the hospital end of Pairc Tailteann after half time. That said, there was nearly a predictable, depressing inevitability about what was going to transpire.

The visitors come out, tack on a few more scores and then retreat into a defencive phalanx which their opponents wouldn’t break down if they were there until Christmas. Thing is, it’s not just Dublin, and not just this particular bunch of Meath players.

Not only do we seem unable to break through an overloaded or zonal defence, most disappointing of all, our basic skill levels are – or at least are made look – in a different place to the so-called ‘top’ teams – and specifically those against whom we rightly judge ourselves most.

Before anyone mounts any high horses here, I am not in any way having a cut at anybody. I’ve been involved with the management of enough teams myself over the years and am fully cognisant of the commitment and dedication that goes into such roles.

The one question I keep coming back is why? Go back to our meeting with the Dubs in the league last month. Dessie Farrell’s team scored with their first five shots at the target in what felt like the blink of an eye.

In contrast, for various Meath teams, there are times when progress in games feels like trying to knock the Great Wall Of China with a pickaxe. There are good young footballers in Meath, there has to be. You don’t win an All Ireland MFC title and two provincial titles without being stocked as such. But at some point after their Minor days or at best U-20s large chunks of the players involved fall through the cracks.

Now, I realise that David Clifford isn’t a fair comparison to anybody as the man’s a freak of a footballer but you look at lads like Darragh and Ruairi Canavan in Tyrone, Tommie Conroy in Mayo, the Downeys in Derry. If you want talk hurling, consider the likes of Billy Drennan in Kilkenny. All players who have graduated from winning underage teams to make their mark at senior level.

With the exception of Shane and James McEntee, Seamus Lavin and Padraic Harnan, few if any of the Meath Minor group of 2012 which made it to the All Ireland Final really ‘made it’ while Eamon Wallace – who didn’t feature in 2012 – also became a key player for the last decade before being unjustly jettisoned most recently.

In between 2012 and most recent years, we did of course have two exceptional talents in Conor Nash and Cian McBride, though regrettably both were lost to the lure of the Australian dollar.

Yes, before you say it, I know a member of my own club was similarly drawn overseas. How many more will be lost before the GAA cop on and pay players at inter county level? Anyway, if there’s an acceptance that it’s not a dearth of good players causing us to remain down throdden at the highest level, why does the slumber rumble on?

It’s hardly those who are over the teams as they all have brought success to the county at their various levels. The latter point probably quashes the argument propogated in some areas pertaining to how the teams are coached. Presumably those misgivings relate to styles of play employed. They can’t be all that bad judging by results at Minor level in recent seasons.

The problem, you see, is, to borrow a bit of horse racing parlance, that many of the talented players on those teams don’t ‘train on’ a la some of the players from other counties listed above.

Recently, at a dinner time round table football debate, the point was made that the All Ireland winning teams of 1996 and 1999 were backboned by those who had won the county’s so far only All Ireland U21/20 triumph in 1993.

There was also a fair infusion of talent from the last team from the county who won provincial honours in 2001 as the seniors did likewise later that season.

Prior to last Tuesday, it was genuinely hoped – and maybe even a little bit expected – that this bunch would be the one to end the long wait for success at the grade.

My sources indicate that at least three members of the 20s are already on the fringes of the senior panel. If true, even that would give matters a much needed boost and were more of the triumvirate’s colleagues to be called in, it may even cause a stir of excitement.

Sure it’s the hope that kills ya!