BALLINLOUGH…1-18
ST VINCENT’S…1-15
As many of you will know, it’s customary for pieces written in tribute to appear in this space when somebody held dear and/or greatly admired are called to the conference room far away. Indeed, there’s an exceedingly difficult one in the works here as well as what you are currently reading. However, undoubtedly two of the most difficult productions in recent times have been in homage to three inspirational members of the same unfortunate club plunged into mourning three times in far too quick succession.
The club being Ballinlough GFC – and by extension Kilskyre/Moylagh Hurling Club – and the fallen heroes being Jimmy Brady, Paddy Muldoon and young Tom Lynch. That’s without mentioning the late Gary McDonnell and the very recently deceased Tim Ryan. The latter two whom I would of course have known of – big Gary left us in heartbreak hotel on many occasions throughout his playing career – but not well enough to keyboard a piece in tribute.
All of the above said, regrettably, the St Vincent’s club are also grieving the most recent passing of Tommy Hand whose sons Nigel and Ryan have been mainstays of the maroon and white for as long as wheels transporting yours truly have been parking on sidelines. So, regardless of who won Saturday’s late night encounter there was bound to be an air of poignance about the result.
Speaking of the actual fixture itself, a word in appreciation of the splendid surrounds of Cortown GFC. Obviously, Pairc Tailteann being out of commission is a big loss to Meath GAA at many levels. However, what the prevailing circumstances have allowed for is the showcasing of the many grounds around the county capable of holding floodlit football. Including (belatedly) I am very proud to say, Kepak Park in Dunboyne and the homes of both clubs hosted by Cortown on Saturday night.
In fact, such is the quantity of pitches capable of hosting matches under lights now that you’d hope somebody in a position of influence might give some consideration to the inception of something like a Floodlit Cup. Bad enough that, for example, Meath were out of competitive action on June 21st and they are unlikely to return to same until the last week of January 2027.
Idiocy. Though even worse, and again, merely by way of example, St Peter’s, Dunboyne exited the Meath SFC on August 6 and it will be mid February at least before they see competitive action again. At what point is that sane? No wonder foreign sports are coming in and pilfering the game’s best players left, right and centre while the so-called top brass of the Association sit on their hands and do absolutely nothing.
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Anyway, enough of all that migraine material. When Ciaran Flynn did get the action underway, a shuddering collision between Mark McCullen and St Vincent’s Michael McIvor resulted in Evan Connor slotting a double for the Ardcath men to open the scoring.
They were offset by a brace of Daire Shine frees and even though the lively duo of Darren O’Higgins at one end and Paddy McGill at the other traded scores, it was the former and his colleagues who went on to enjoy what was probably the decisive spell of the entire match at that stage.
Andy McGovern’s side posted a phalanx of points unanswered, courtesy of Tom Shine and McCullen (three each), Harry Ryan (two) and the other Shine twin. All of which meant that the red and white took a cushion of 0-13 to 0-04 to the dressing rooms.
Perhaps it was only natural that Ballinlough were unable to maintain their breakneck gallop after half time. There was probably an inevitability too that their opponents would eventually get something of a spell of dominance.
Which, when they did took the form of two Michael McIvor two pointers and, though Ryan took advantage of brilliant approach work by O’Higgins to blast to the Ardcath net, fine points courtesy of Richie O’Sullivan, Gary Tuite and Matthew Tuite before the latter went on to net.
As is often the case in these situations, the chasing pack had left themselves with too much ground to make up and late scores from Kit Og Lynch and Daire Shine saw them through to an outing in Boliden Tara Mines Park, Simonstown in nine days time.
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