MEATH…1-24
CORK…0-30
Reference to being blindsided is not meant in terms of the overall result. These teams are very evenly matched. With never more than a kick of the ball between them. So it was again, with the irony being that John Cleary’s crew didn’t need a goal to pull off a win that – from the perspective of the losing side – is as hard to decipher as it is to stomach.
For the second time in 24 hours, those of us of a green and gold hue, are left to pick apart how exactly we have come away from a contest we seemed to have and should have had under control wondering how exactly we ended up on the wrong side thereof.
However, at least in the case of our Minor footballers, their youth, lack of experience of cut-throat inter county fare and the manner in which matters played out were all mitigating factors in their favour.
It’s difficult to apply commensurate reasoning to the implosion of the senior footballers in Pairc Ui Rinn this evening as Cork took their buffer to 5-2 over the Royal County in recent meetings.
Now, the following might seem a shade harsh, but, the question could be asked, are the Rebels residing at very low cost in Meath heads at present? They obviously feel they have struck some class of cryptonite in getting Meath into the more stringent confines of their secondary venue.
Not that you would have any inclination as such early on as James Conlon almost singlehandedly tore the local rearguard to shreds.
By the short whistle, the St Colmcille’s clubman had bagged a half dozen for himself. His colleagues rattling off ten more in tow while Ciaran Caulfield’s three pointer cracker left the visitors clear by 1-16 to 0-11 when the hooter honked.
Unlike elsewhere in the country, the only body heat rising was the steam rising off the 30 warriors going for much needed refuelling. But one could only feel that Cleary’s side got the most of what was in the bulk tank. As they outscored their guests by 0-19 to 0-08 after the restart. At this point, it should probably be acknowledgement that were it not for heroic defending from Robbie Brennan’s troops at various stages their goose could’ve been cooked long before Conor Corbett clipped over the insurance score.
It wasn’t though, as the imperious Conlon – for as long as his legs carried him – Sean Brennan, Eoghan Frayne and Jordan Morris collectively wracking up another 1-24, but the width of a crossbar at Flower Lodge and a Cork defenders hands diverted goalbound efforts from Ruairi Kinsella and Jordan Morris which would’ve tipped the scales back in Meath’s direction.
So the summer journey takes another unexpected twist. That need not be seen as a bad thing. I still maintain we still haven’t become a bad team overnight. Wracking up 1-24 only underlines as such.
Yes confidence will need a lift – in this seat as much as anywhere – but, the best thing about young players is that they tend not to dwell on things. No doubt the togethernes which has seen them achieve quite a lot in relative terms already will keep them on track.
There’s a temptation to say there’s only one possible opponent we would be better off avoiding, but, events elsewhere when we were in bother by the Lee proved anything really is possible.
SCORERS – J. Conlon (0-7), E. Frayne and R. Kinsella (0-5 each), S. Brennan (0-4). C. Caulfield (1-0), J. Morris (0-2), M. Costello (0-1).
MEATH – S. Brennan; D. Keogan, S. Rafferty, S. Lavin; S. Coffey, B. Menton, C. Caulfield; C. McBride, R. Ryan; C. O’Connor, J. Morris, R. Kinsella; M. Costello, E. Frayne, J. Conlon.
SUBS – J. O’Connor for C. O’Connor, J. Flynn for Menton, C. Hickey for Frayne, B. O’Halloran for Coffey, A. Lynch for Conlon.
Referee – Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
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