Experience trumps ingenuity but still positives to take

MEATH… 0-15

OFFALY… 2-13

First off, nobody likes losing any game, and the Meath camp would have loved the opportunity to get more top level mileage into the legs of their younger recruits. But, chances are, in the overall context of the season the Royal entourage will probably lose far less sleep about tonight’s outcome than will yours truly.

Even though in my case it’s purely out of worry and angst pondering the possibility of things not turning out as desired for those in who vested interests are held.

Furthermore, as has been said in this space on myriad occasions over the years, entities in which there are retained interests doing well is important on levels that far exceed the actual importance of what takes place inside the white lines.

Again, Meath fielded what was largely a development squad, whereas the locals lined out in Gracefield with what was basically their first 15.

The benefit of which was illustrated in the manner Jordan Hayes and Cormac Egan slalomed through the Meath defence like a hot knife going through a batch loaf.

With the two aforementioned Faithful rovers filling Billy Hogan’s onion bag twice before the short whistle. Which left the team managed by Declan Kelly and the auld crank ahead by 2-09 to 0-06 at the break.

There will be a cohort who will no doubt say the locals eased up etc, etc. They did in my one eye ease up. They were, essentially, outplayed and outscored in the second half, 0-09 to 0-04, by a novice Meath team (mostly) who, if they were possessed of the same levels of nous and composure as they had heart and ingenuity, they may actually have won here.

It’s a great pity they didn’t, but, hope and expectation would be that, for the vast majority of those on duty, their journey in green and gold has only just begun.

Scorers – D. McGowan (0-6), D. Moriarity (0-4), O. Martin and N. Finnerty (0-2 each), R. Stafford (0-1)

MEATH – Billy Hogan (Longwood); Ciaran McCarrick (Dunshaughlin), Gerry Dwan (Trim), Shane Gibney (Moylagh); Killian Smyth (Castletown), John O’Regan (Skryne), James McEntee (Curraha); Daithi McGowan (Ratoath), Bryan Menton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne); Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey), Oisin Martin (Wolfe Tones), Jack O’Connor (Curraha); Niall Finnerty (Skryne), Diarmuid Moriarity (Curraha), Darragh Campion (Skryne).

SUBS – Rian Stafford (Kilmainhamwood) for Campion, Oran Mulvany (Oldcastle) for McEntee, Conor Ennis (Ballinabrackey) for O’Sullivan, Michael Gavin (Simonstown Gaels) for Dwan, Jack Swan ( Skryne) for Gibney.

Referee – Enda Kelly (Westmeath).