What you will read hereafter is in the above category solely due to breadth of material likely to be covered. Quite simply because there was a compulsion to write something. But not about anything in particular, if you get me. Unlike, say, last week, when a tumultuous week for Meath GAA meant things more or less wrote themselves.
Anyone who perused my social media over the weekend just gone will no doubt have spotted that da’s second anniversary rolled around. Some days it feels like two weeks, others two decades. It’s a good thing they say there’s no time limit to grief, because I haven’t a bull’s notion where I’m at with it.
Maybe it’s an age thing, but it always seems that it’s only on such occasions families seem to congregate. On that, it was both annoying and upsetting that a certain local business couldn’t – and made no effort to – accommodate this wheelchair user. Not to worry, with immense credit to Maurice Regan and his staff, most especially Cliodhna, we were exceptionally well looked after in the Grasshopper Inn in Clonee.
After that, yours truly got word that there was work going on that, on a different day, these wheels would’ve been out the gate like Road Runner after a beak full of birdseed. But Saturday wasn’t that day.
Even though everything over the weekend was going to be a challenge in its own right, it was probably obvious that greatest solace would be obtained from watching GAA. And, thanks to modern technology, there was so much of it on offer, I will try to compartmentalise it below.
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Act I in what I think was nine different matches watched over the weekend was a brilliant All Ireland MFC quarter final between Dublin and Cork in the unusual but fine setting of Nowlan Park.
With Teddy McCarthy having been laid to rest hours beforehand, a Cork victory would’ve been a most fitting tribute. And for very long periods, with Frank Hurley, Sean Coakley, Dara Sheedy and Denis O’Mullane excelling, it seemed on the cards.
DNA is a powerful thing, though. Whatever way one might like to put, Stephen Cluxton’s essaying of that winning point in 2011 transplanted something into Dublin football which remains flowing through its veins.
Cork were in control for so much of the contest yet they could never put Dublin away. Which meant that, slowly but surely, Noah Byrne, Paddy Curry, Lenny Cahill and substitute Shane Mullarkey dragged Damien Fennelly’s team back into the game.
Like all good teams, when presented with a chance at salvation arrives, they generally grasp it. Indeed, it was only fitting that it was the red hot Curry who dished a tastey delivery to the Cork net, saving the day for the Dubs.
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With the other minor quarter finals being fairly cut and dry affairs, the next talking points of note were the two Tailteann Cup Prelimiary quarter finals. Therein, Carlow welcomed New York to Dr Cullen Park while Longford headed for the Mountains of Mourne.
The first thing to note was the marvellous crowd at the midlands venue. Proving that the Tier II All Ireland Championship is rightly getting the backing and support it merits and deserves.
Equally, those who were there were treated to a right good game of football. One of completely contrasting styles, but that merely added to the entertainment value. On one hand, you had the diaspora employing a more direct, traditional style.
Initially, it paid off nicely for them too. Liam Kearney gave them a very decent foothold in midfield. Benefitting from same, Shane Carthy, Daniel O’Sullivan and Gavin O’Brien kicked the stars and stripes into a deserved interval advantage.
Now, anyone who has been on the ‘circuit’ for long enough, particularly in Leinster, will have known of the prowess and class of Darragh Foley but, if nothing else, another boon of the Tailteann Cup has been allowing the likes of the aforementioned and Pat Havern of Down and Evan O’Carroll from Laois and Antrim’s Dominic McEnhill display their undoubted talent to the widest audience possible.
That said, anybody thinking Carlow were one trick ponies would surely have had their eyes opened as players like the Furey brothers – Johnny and Mark – were in great tune at the back, Jordan Morrissey proved the bloodlines are still strong around centre field and the half forward triumvirate of Conor Crowley, Josh Moore and Ross Dunphy excelled as a sensational summer for the Barrowsiders rolls on.
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The final stop on the GAAGO enabled whistle-stop tour of GAA grounds was the picturesque Pairc Esler in Newry – which, as it happens, also boasts some of the finest disabled viewing facilities in the country – as the locals entertained Longford. These two sides met earlier in the year in the National League and, with Liam Kerr putting on an exemplary display as the men from the Mournes recorded a handy enough win.
This time around, early on at least, it appeared as if there was going to be no repeat of that as Paddy Christie’s charges fizzed in attack with Joe Hagan, Kevin McGann and Darren Gallagher kicking the Leinster lads into an unlikely but deserved interval advantage.
With no disrespect intended to anybody, there are teams who need everything to go exactly to plan for them to maximise their potential. And if one scintilla of that goes wrong it can derail their progress train.
Thus, when the gallant but luckless warrior that is Mickey Quinn was at the very least impinged if not completely shackled by a war wound, it let Conor Laverty’s crew off the hook. Once presented with their shot at freedom, propelled by Havern, Ross Carr Jnr, Andrew Gilmore and the tireless Eamonn Brannagan, the red and black followed Meath into the third last hurdle.
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