Job done, move on, start building

MEATH… 6-22

LAOIS… 0-07

In such no-win situations, there’s only one thing a body can do – win. Tick the box and move on. If you do manage to win, you are only doing as would have been expected and if you don’t well, let’s not go there.

So, credit to them, when Trevor Giles’s had their backs to the wall, they came out swinging. Swinging their boots, to the extent that Conn Brennan, Harry McGuirk, Cormac Walsh and Thomas McKeever had all lined the home team’s net before the extremely youthfui looking referee called a halt. By which time the scoreboard read 4-11 to 0-04 in Meath’s favour.

Now, of course the point could validly be made that the mechanics of shooting fish in a barrel is about as useful as a milk holding organ on a bull, but the young Royals could only deal with the situation which confronted them.

Thus, one could only be impressed as they gave a more accurate reflection of what they are capable of. The challenge now is to build on it.

Scorers – H. McGuirk (2-5, 1x2PT), C. Walsh (1-7, 1F), C. Brennan (2-2), T. McKeever (1-3), M. Stafford (0-5, 2F).

Meath – C. Fitzsimons (O’Mahonys); B. Brown (Simonstown Gaels), T. Clarke (Dunshaughlin/Royal Gaels), N. Rogan (St Michael’s); L. O’Donoghue (St Colmcille’s), H. McGuirk (O’Mahonys), N. Smyth (Skryne); J. Killoran (Na Fianna), T. Proudfoot (St Ultan’s); C. McKenna (Wolfe Tones), C. Brennan (St Ultan’s), A. Keane (Dunshaughlin/Royal Gaels); C. Walsh (Trim), M. Stafford (Kilmainhamwood), T. McKeever (Wolfe Tones).

Subs – D. Glynn (Gaeil Colmcille) for Brown, C. McTigue (Dunshaughlin/Royal Gaels) for Smyth, T. Dillon (Syddan) for McKeever, J. Loughran (Syddan) for Proudfoot, H. Moffatt (Skryne) for McGuirk.

Referee – Lar Murphy (Carlow)