MEATH… 3-19
LONGFORD… 3-12
I’ve no doubt that when Longford raided the Meath net for a double helping of ‘majors’ late on in the action at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, the naysayers and doom mongers were convinced their sh*** didn’t smell.
The smug bleating could almost be heard carrying on the often ferocious winds of Storm Kathleen. “If the like of Longford can put 3-12 on them, what damage will Dublin do?
Before doing a nut and bolt examination of that whole scenario, answer me this – what would (some) people rather? Lose to Longford and be happy about it? Not as long as my backside is facing Down Under.
No, the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny fan clubs haven’t got new subscribers. Have Dublin better players than us? Yes, with the leather-bound, glory- laden CVs to prove it. But you know what? They can only put 15 of them out at any one time, the same as us.
We may well kick wides, but so will they. We may give away frees or get turned over in possession, they’re not exempt from mistakes no more than any team . So, do we just hoist the white flag before it even stsrts? Like hell we do.
There are many fine footballers on this Meath team. A defence which – weather related difficulties on this occasion aside – have been the foundation on which everything positive achieved during Colm’s reign thus far has been built and an arsenal of forwards, all of whom are capable of scoring if getting a decent supply of ball.
What’s more, the panel is, slowly but surely, developing a bit of depth which anyone with any serious ambitions of being successful needs. To that end, being able to run the likes of Cian McBride, Darragh Campion, Jack O’Connor, Keith Curtis and Ronan Ryan in off the bench underlines as such. Now consider that Aaron Lynch, who was selected on the Higher Education football All Stars, didn’t even get any game time this time round.
Anyway, when backed by the remnants of Storm Kathleen, Meath played some stylish, quick-tempo direct football as a result of which scores flowed freely during that first period. Special mention must be afforded to returning corner forwards Jordan Morris and James Conlon – both of whom belied a dearth of match practice beforehand to score freely. The St Colmcille’s clubman applying the finishing touches to the eventual victor’s opening goaling whilst also raising three white flags early on.
Morris, Shane Walsh, Eoghan Frayne, Cathal Hickey, Ciaran Caulfield and a sumptuous effort from skipper Ronan Jones punctuated a dominant spell for the away side. Meaning that, by the time Fermanagh’s Niall Cullen sounded the short whistle, five of Colm O’Rourke’s starting front sextet give the umpires work to do as they wracked up 1-13 before facing into what was at times a storm force wind.
Now, it was probably only to be expected that the visitors’ scoring rate would drop off when facing into the remnants of Storm Kathleen. Therefore, on the face of it, banking another 2-6 into the elements should have been highly commendable.
Which to a certain degree it was. Thanks to the surging runs Meath built their battle plan for the second half. The fruits of same manifested themselves by way of goals from Championship debutant Cian McBride and Frayne (penalty) as well as a flurry of points from the same player, Conlon and Morris.
On the face of it, a pretty satisfying shift, you’d think. Absolutely, if it wasn’t for the fact that binoculars are no longer required to see the footballing Goliath looming large.
That said, with the benefit of having seen video highlights, initial misgivings about the Meath rear guard relating to Longford’s first two goals may have been a little harsh. It would be fairer to say climatic conditions had more to do with the first two three pointers plundered by Paddy Christie’s charges than anything else.
It feels like pointing out it’ll be cold out when there’s snow to mention that the forthcoming adversaries are more than capable of leaving our lads – or any other team for that matter – with PTSD without us aiding and abetting its onset.
This column has no intention of itemising the ways in which Dublin could or maybe will cause Meath no end of problems. What’s wrong with extolling the virtues of our own?
Forget weather related aberrations. This is an effective Meath defence, in front of a steady custodian. We have an evolving midfield capable of holding their own with anybody and forwards of genuine quality capable of giving any defence plenty to do.
here’s a part of every sports fan that’s a dreamer, but, dealing in reality, do I think Sunday will be the day we tip the scales back in our favour? It breaks my heart to say no, but I do believe we will give a better account of ourselves than many – even within the county – believe.
It is my absolute belief that this team still have forward momentum with them. If, with the help of whoever pulls the levers far away, they were able to raise a few eyebrows against the auld enemy, it would be a highly significant step forward on the road to God knows where. Inches.
SCORERS – J. Conlon (1-6), E. Frayne (1-5), J. Morris (0-4), C. McBride (1-0), C. Caulfield, R. Jones, S. Walsh and C. Hickey (0-1 each).
MEATH – S. Brennan; D. Keogan, A. O’Neill, H. O’Higgins; C. Caulfield, Ross Ryan, S. Coffey; R. Jones, D. McGowan; S. Walsh, E. Frayne, C. Hickey; J. Morris, M. Costello, J. Conlon.
SUBS – J. O’Connor for Costello, C. McBride for McGowan, D. Campion for Ryan, K. Curtis for Morris, Ronan Ryan for O’Higgins.
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)