“Don’t give up, Don’t ever give up”

MEATH… 3-14

WESTMEATH… 1-17

Outside of sport, what sort of television do you most like watching? Discounting farming videos on YouTube, the answer to that question in this seat is unquestionably true crime.

To the extent that, when you watch as much of the stuff as I do, phrases like DNA, trace evidence, fibres, microscopic molecular-sized particles and latent prints roll quickly off the tongue.

Then again, the one thing that everybody – regardless of scientific knowledge or otherwise – will know is that every being on planet earth, or any other  cosmic location for that matter, has a unique DNA footprint which is 1000,000% only theirs.

In a sporting sense at least, we Irish tend to ascribe similar DNA classification to individuals or perhaps even groups. For example, it is surely accepted that we produce the best National Hunt jockeys in the world, a Limerick presence on an Irish rugby team is an absolute necessity and – for a basketball nut like myself -it’s taken as a given that Duke University is a known conveyor belt for producing future NBA stars.

Likewise, in another reference to the fast-paced, five-a-side fare, one cannot help feeling that there are at least semblances of former North Carolina State coach, the late Jim Valvano’s famous 1993 speech, in which the following lines became immortalised – “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up” woven into the DNA of Meath GAA.

How many examples does one need? Kevin Foley’s goal in 1991, Jody Devine day in ‘97, the Ollie Murphy rescue act against Westmeath in ‘01 or Graham Geraghty’s helicopter mission against Louth the following year. Where he was Meath’s best man before flying back to Wexford to resume playing the same role at a wedding!

Thankfully, your DNA never changes. Yes, Conor Duke’s dramatic winner with literally the last kick of the game against Westmeath on Sunday last absolutely belongs in the pantheon of magnificent Meath manifestations of Valvano’s striking mantra. However, even with the last droplets of whatever Meath-ness is, if not the team circle itself, the most devout of Royal subjects must have thought Lazarus had missed the bus for them this time around. 

Eh, no. Not only did he come up with his own bus timetable, he got a police escort to the sideline in TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar. Arriving just in time to hold up Keith Curtis’ long ball for just long enough for the again outstanding Conor Duke grasp and bury it beyond Conor McCormack in the Westmeath goal and keep his side’s most unlikely drive for promotion well alive. 

Meath revelled, Westmeath raged. But on mature recollection, it will only be with themselves. Neither Meath nor referee Barry Judge kicked their 12 wides compared to four at the other end. Nor was it they who let five point  leads slip twice. Or failed to keep three players back. Thus conceding the free which ended up being Eoghan Frayne’s equaliser. 

And it was neither of the aforementioned parties who backed off expecting their opponents to just tap over a point when the magnificent Duke did what every kid is told from when they are old enough to kick a ball – play the whistle. In other words, don’t stop until you hear one. Or, in this case, a hooter! 

My understanding of the rule – and I am in no way claiming to have full confidence in my view – is that, when a scoring opportunity has accrued, play is entitled to continue until the ball goes dead. 

Patriotic hysteria aside, though, it would have to be said that Meath skated thin ice to the greatest extent during Robbie Brennan’s tenure thus far. Mostly in that gut feeling was that the Royals had not built up a big enough buffer when leading by 2-08 to 0-09 after playing with the aid of the considerably blustry climatic conditions. 

The goals coming via a piece of individual brilliance from Jordan Morris and, when his attempt at repeating the trick dropped short, Adam O’Neill was the most unlikely of benefactors when blasting to the net with the last kick of the first half. 

Inclination that the chasm wasn’t going to be enough seemed to be regrettably accurate as a spurt of scores from Luke Loughlin and Danny McCann wiped it out completely in what felt like jig time. Yet there was something either in the air or the Meath psyche which enabled them to keep a short head clear of their hosts via scores from Morris, Jack Flynn, Frayne and Bryan Menton.

Until a ghost from football nightmares past, former Lake County captain, Kieran Martin, entered the fray and sent tremors through our ambitions again when raising another green flag.

But again, the resolve and ingenuity of Brennan’s players peaked when needed most. As Jack Flynn and Frayne got them back to parity before the Curtis and Duke duet saw them top the charts.It is not over stretching reality to opine that Meath have already over achieved in this league campaign, but, that in itself at least allows for the inclination that anything achieved from here would be considered bonus territory. Then again, if those bonuses are available, why not go for them. 

SCORERS – J. Morris 1 x 2pt and C. Duke (1-3 each),E. Frayne (0-4, 2F), A. O’Neill (1-0), J. Flynn (0-3, 1 x 2PT), B. Menton (0-1).

MEATH – B. Hogan; S. Lavin, S. Rafferty, D. Keogan; B. O’Halloran, A. O’Neill, C. Caulfield; J. Flynn, B. Menton; C. Duke, J. Kinlough, T. O’Reilly; J. Morris, S. Walsh, E. Frayne.

SUBS – C. O’Sullivan for O’Reilly, E. Harkin for O’Neill, K. Curtis for O’Sullivan, A. Lynch for Walsh, M. Murphy for O’Halloran.

Referee: Barry Judge (Sligo).