Meath… 0-28
Tyrone… 0-20
When putting up the ‘Check In’ post on Facebook upon arrival at Pairc Tailteann early on Saturday evening, no secret was made of the reality that one was unsure what, if any, of the sliotar the one seeing eye here would be able to pick up.
It being a first match in the small ball code in the flesh for the occupant of this seat since the All Ireland SHC semi final of 2009 between Kilkenny and Waterford. A first locally since the Meath SHC Final of 2008 between Dunboyne and Kildalkey. Alas, very quickly it became all too obvious why the hiatus was undertaken.
Were it not for the sound of the sliotar being accosted by hurls, my only way of following what was happening would’ve been via the cheers of the unfortunately sparse attendance. No doubt there will be some who will scoff at the irony of the latter point but it would be hoped there would be enough fair minded folk understanding of the circumstances. My point is that the progress Meath have made in hurling deserves acknowledgement and support akin to what our lads underage or lady footballers have commensurately received in recent years. As an aside to that very point, while it was of course right and wonderful to see the Meath Minor hurlers – Peadar Lehane Cup winners – introduced to the crowd, it would have been nice to see them also brought out at half time in the football match when there were even more there to appreciate their success.
Anyway, even without being at any of their matches prior to yesterday, two characteristics have been very obvious in the makeup of this Meath team which were once the staple diet of our footballers and will hopefully return to being as such sooner rather than later – nothing seems to phase them, helped at least partially by their ability to run up big tallies of scores. That said, no matter what level one might be operating at, there is always a pronounced step forward in quality from league to championship.
Thus, even though James Kelly got Meath off the mark within a minute, the O’Neill County had the small but raucous following well enthused throughout the first half. With Jack Regan and Eamonn Og O’Donnchadh fizzing in attack, Seoirse Bulfin’s team carved out a lead of 0-05 to 0-01 for themselves before Tyrone had their best spell in the game. Sean Duffin, Ruairi Slane and Michael Little proved deadly accurate in attack which propelled the Ulster side into a 0-10 to 0-08 lead as half time approached.
Again, though, the pendulum swung back in favour of the locals, meaning that when Regan split the posts at the O’Mahonys end in first half stoppage time it meant the green and gold led by 0-13 to 0-11 half way through.
Things were fairly evenly matched throughout most of the second half with Jack and Eamonn continuing to display ruthless efficiency in front of goal and Martin Healy, Pa Ryan and James Kelly also adding to the tally.
At the other end, the defensive unit were solid, wiith Mickey Burke, Brendan McKeon and Simon Ennis particularly noteworthy while Charlie Ennis again underlined his class with a superb stop from a Lorcan Devlin rasper which, had it gone in, would’ve left only a point between the sides with four minutes left.
Instead, the close call seemed to stir Bulfin’s brigade back into life as they produced perhaps the most noteworthy and significant passage of play as the introduced Adam Gannon (three), Mark O’Sullivan (two) and James Murray produced scores which proved Meath have the strength in depth which could prove pivotal going forward.
MEATH – C. Ennis; M. Burke, S. Brennan, B. McKeon; N. McLarnon, S. Geraghty (0-1), S. Ennis; P. Ryan (0-2), M. Healy (0-1); P. O’Hanrahan (0-1), J. Regan (0-11), J. Kelly (0-2); S. Quigley, E. Og O’Donnchadh (0-4), N. Potterton.
SUBS – A. Gannon (0-3) for Quigley, M. O’Sullivan (0-2) for Potterton, J. Murray (0-1) for O’Hanrahan, E. Fitzgerald for Kelly, D. Shine for Geraghty.
Referee – C. Cunning (Antrim)
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