The Meath quintet of Sean Rafferty, Ciaran Caulfield, Mat Costello, Ruairi Kinsella and Jordan Morris have all been included in the PWC/GAA All Star Nominations. Their shortlisting represents due recognition for the significant progress achieved during Robbie Brennan’s first season as manager of the Royal County.
What the acknowledgement of the lads’ excellence also does, mind you, is frank Meath’s return as a team to be taken seriously at the highest level once again. Some will no doubt say their catapulting into such echelons layers next season with a coating of pressure to, as former Meath Ladies manager Eamonn Murray put it at the end of the 2021 season “Prove they are not one hit wonders”.
However, rather than pressure, I would see it as (a) motive and (b) opportunity. The first part of that is as laid out above and, indeed, the segment thereof is fairly self explanatory too. Reason being that, in Div. 2 of next season’s Allianz NFL, they will encounter Tyrone, Derry, Louth, Kildare, Offaly, Cavan and Cork. Go and beat them – again in some cases – and prove that not only are we their equal, with possibly two exceptions, we’re better than them.
If any of the famous five are selected they will be the county’s first male All Star selection since that of Stephen Bray of Navan O’Mahonys in 2007 while, in even being nominated, they have broken a duck of more than a decade since Kilmainham’s Mickey Newman was accredited on the long list.
MEET OUR FAMOUS FIVE
SEAN RAFFERTY (NA FIANNA)
At my beloved mother’s funeral on Monday last, the Second Reading was from the Book Of Revelations and the only surprise was there was no mention of ‘Raffa’ therein. For there is simply no other word to describe the Na Fianna clubman’s first full season at the highest level.
His ascent reminds me of a story told about the late Dunboyne GAA stalwart Ronnie Keague who once said to former Meath goalkeeper Declan O’Toole that he was putting him in full back “for the day” – but the “day” ended up lasting 15 years! Likewise, Brennan’s current incumbent only went in as a last minute replacement for the injured Adam O’Neill in the league match against Roscommon. Devotees of the green and gold certainly won’t mind if the man from Baconstown-Enfield is the custodian of the sacred No. 3 jersey for the next decade and a half, or more!
The late, great John Doyle was part of a Tipperary hurling full back line referred to, only half in jest, as Hell’s Kitchen. Rafferty encountered and quelled their forward equivalent during his novice season manning the Meath square. Con O’Callaghan, Shane Walsh, Ben O’Carroll, David Clifford, Sam Mulroy and Michael Murphy. If a man survives that apprenticeship he is thought to be armour plated. If Sean is not selected it will be the biggest miscarriage of justice since Thierry Henry’s hand ball!
CIARAN CAULFIELD (TRIM)
His inclusion might be considered to be left-of-field, but, had he not been, it would have represented as big a travesty as the inexplicable exclusion of Donal Keogan is. Sometimes you just know by a player. Actions speak louder than words. Ciaran has always had ‘Natural Leader’ stamped front and centre.
Both with the breakthrough Meath Minor side of 2020 and – perhaps even more so – in captaining DCU to win the Sigerson Cup last January. Now, I was long vehemently opposed to the Third Level competitions – and am still possessed of serious reservations but now solely due to the scheduling thereof.
However, there’s no doubt that, across all GAA codes, they are a proven testing ground for a players metal with regard to suitability for top level inter county fare. Thus, going by that scale, not only did Caulfield skipper the eventual victors, he was also accredited as the overall Sigerson Cup Player Of The Season.
With Meath, he was particularly outstanding during the Leinster Championship and even popped up with some vital scores during the unexpected brilliant journey. Factor in that the speedster was also instrumental in Trim making the knockout stages of the Meath SFC operating on the ’40’ and it presents to this writer what is the only conundrum regarding the current county Vice Captain – that his mercurial talents are wasted in a defensive setting. C’mon Robbie, make him the pivot of your attack and slot young Adam Kealy in at 7!
RUAIRI KINSELLA (DUNSHAUGHLIN)
No later than two sentences ago, yours truly extolled the virtues of redeploying Ciaran Caulfield to be the pivot of the Meath attack but, while conviction is steadfast that the Trim tearaway could excel in the role, mature recollection imparts that a better course of action would be to leave the No. 11 jersey with its current incumbent. Quite simply because, to my mind, Ruairi is the best centre forward in the country bar none.
That is not to say that Caulfield couldn’t be accommodated elsewhere on the three quarter line, but, I genuinely believe the Dunshaughlin dynamo is on course to be of similar ilk to Trevor Giles on the ’40’. First and foremost because it is his natural home on a football field. If you want to go back even further, think Tony Hanahoe.
Anyone who has been floating around this space for long enough will know I believe there are two methods by which the centre forward role can be discharged on a GAA team. Either standing and ‘trading’ it with your direct opponent – as Colm O’Rourke did for 3 and 9/10s of the four games against Dublin in 1991 with Keith Barr.
Alternatively, and in my preferred methodology, the holder of the 11 shirt can operate in a floating role. In other words, drop out the field to offer themselves as what one might call – to borrow a bit of agricultural parlance – the three point linkage. Being available as an out ball if your own defence in under pressure, capable of bringing others into play in the attacking third of the pitch and weigh in with their own quota of raised flags also.
Under all headings Kinsella excelled this season. His dropping deep proving absolutely crucial to the annexation of a point in calculably value against Roscommon in Dr Hyde Park, while, outside of the talented Mr Clifford, he was the top scorer from play in the rest of the entire country.
MAT COSTELLO (DUNSHAUGHLIN)
A second and thoroughly deserved nomination for our black and amber neighbours out the road. To me, Mat is the spiritual leader of this Meath team and has been for some time. If you ever had any questions about the character of the lad, consider the following – just hours after the death of his father Paul, he was the only bright spark on a torrid night for Meath football.
Thereafter, he quite literally lifted his club over the line to county SFC glory and was also the county’s top performer on a disappointing night, as Robbie’s NFL debut as manager ended in a narrow defeat.
Of greater cost than the loss of two points was the fact the mercurial forward missed the remainder of the spring campaign bar a fleeting appearance on another disaster day in Inniskeen.
That said, cometh the hour, cometh the man on the biggest of days. For it was Mat who registered our first score, and in trademark style too, when deliverance day against Dublin finally arrived in Portlaoise.
And again, even though the phantom free Martin McNally manufactured for Louth in Croke Park was ultimately their undoing, a Costello goal six minutes from time gave him and his colleagues an all too fleeting glimpse of glory before McNally pulled either Brian O’Halloran or Caulfield for farting too close to Ciaran Downey.
Speaking of six minutes, mind you, that was exactly the length of time Sean Rafferty was off the field against Galway after a communication breakdown on the Meath line.
In that time, Padraic Joyce’s side rippled Billy Hogan’s onion bag twice, but when the recycled food was about to hit tbe wind propulsion instrument, another inspirational intervention instigated by Costello insured a famous conquest for Brennan’s brigade.
JORDAN MORRIS (KINGSCOURT STARS, CAVAN)
Years from now, the following will be a quiz question: Name the player who broke his tibula and shattered knee ligaments at the end of March but was Man Of The Match in an All Ireland quarter final in early July.
Yes folks, that was Jordan Morris for Meath in 2025. We could mention the fact that the catastrophic injuries were caused when he was taken out off the ball in Inniskeen but sure in other news today is Friday.
The man’s mental and physical strength can only be marvelled at. That he made it back playing at all this year is one thing, but now factor in that not only did he play a huge part in Costello’s goal that all too briefly reignited our challenge against Louth, he then went on to give one of the great performances by a Meath forward in the big old field when hitting 1-6 from play against Galway.
Whether he is awarded a trophy or not, Jordy is absolutely a star in our eyes.
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