MEATH… 3-06
WICKLOW… 0-16
Matches at this time of year, and particularly hurling ones, should be legally obliged to come with a disclaimer. Accompanied by the familiar skull and cross bones label. Under no circumstances are patrons or participants to indulge in serious analysis of what transpires beyond this point.
As a reference point, consider the following – if Kildare had defeated Westmeath on Friday night last, they would have moved further clear at the head of the O’Byrne Cup Roll Of Honour.
As it is, the Shortgrass are often referred to as the kings of challenge matches. Indeed, if you go back to 1988, weeks out from Meath beginning the defence of their Leinster and All Ireland titles, the Lilywhites travelled to Summerhill and won by 2-16 to 0-00.
The bottom line of which underscores the importance of the few lines in bold above. Yes, this corner has been guilty of falling into that trap. As recently as the Meath footballers’ defeat by Offaly in Gracefield.
Believe me, it’s very easy to find the negative in things if you want to. But you’d hope there wouldn’t be too much soul searching in Meath hurling circles after Johnny Greville’s seniors suffered a second narrow defeat from as many outings in the Dioralyte Kehoe Cup.
Notwithstanding the fact that I don’t believe there should be any hurling played before March, even though the Royal County camp will naturally be disappointed at coming up short again, there were plenty of positives to be gleaned from Sunday’s encounter with the Garden County at Dunganny.
Scoring 3-6 will win you most matches at that level and, what’s more, keeping clean sheets is never any harm for any team. Furthermore, admittedly from a bit of a one-eyed remove, it’s nice to see inclinations regarding the burgeoning class of Tom Shine coming to fruition.
Likewise his Kilskyre/Moylagh club mate Darren O’Higgins, who, in the humble estimation of yours truly, is becoming the hurling team’s equivalent of Mat Costello – a goal machine. A trend which kept up on Sunday while Jack Walsh of Navan O’Mahonys raised the third green flag.
So, with mainstays like James Toher, Jack Regan, James Murray, Cian Rogers, Colm O’Riordan and heaven knows how many more to re-enter the picture with the NHL opener against London looming on the horizon and plenty of fresh talent putting their hand up, there is much to be optimistic about.
On that, there’s no doubt, for a variety of reasons, that the addition of Gavin King – currently playing his club hurling with Na Fianna in Dublin – is a serious boon for the green and gold, but I do wonder, given his alacrity at being an influential contributor to the forward line of Niall O’Ceallachain’s All Ireland Club winning team, has any consideration been given to deploying him in a similar role in a Meath jersey? Surely worth a punt.
Scorers – T. Shine (1-3), D. O’Higgins and J. Walsh (1-0 each), L. Byrne, E. Donegan and M. Leavy (0-1 each).
Meath – P. O’Brien; C. Leavy, D. Shine, J. Ennis; D. Heffernan, S. Ennis, N. Conroy; L. Byrne, T. Shine; D. Healy, M. Cole, E. Donegan; D. O’Higgins, S. Doyle, M. Leavy.
Subs – G. King for O’Brien, J. Cole for Donegan, C. Barron for M. Cole, S. Geraghty for Conroy, R. Fagan for Doyle, J. Walsh for Healy, A. Healy for C. Leavy.
Referee: Mark Ryan (Dublin)
FOGRA: I couldn’t but think of two beloved Kilskyre/Moylagh clubmen looking down from the big stand above as so many of their comrades excelled on the pitch. Paddy Muldoon and young Tom Lynch. May they both rest in peace.
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