Category: GAA
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Positivity there if you want to see it
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…
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A Lifetime in The Pairc – Part 2
In the opening instalment of this sojourn down memory lane, no secret was made of the fact that my ‘relationship’ with Pairc Tailteann got off to the most disastrous start possible. Between ‘Gate gate’ in 1991, my own personal flag disaster of county final day of 1990 and my initial viewing of a Meath match…
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A lifetime in the Pairc – Part 1
There is almost a sense foreboding about beginning work on what you will read hereafter. From the perspective of, is it actually going to happen this time? Such are the amount of false dawns which have been ignited and then extinguished with regard to the re-development of Meath’s home. Our home. That which has been…
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Working away in the shade
What is probably close to thirty years ago now, a word manufacturing machine being propelled by yours truly produced a piece headlined exactly as above. Back then, it mostly centred on how the All Ireland successes carved out by Down (twice), Derry and Donegal could be – and as it happened, was – ground breaking…
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Experimental Royals to tackle Mourne men
Meath senior hurling manager Johnny Greville has announced a side containing a mixture of experimentation and experience for tomorrow’s season opening encounter with Down in the Dioralyte Kehoe Cup at Dunganny. Philip O’Brien of St Patrick’s gets a rare start in goal, Conor and Mark Leavey both from Dunderry get starting berths as does Trim’s…
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Holders will take some dislodging on first evidence
DCU/D. E. 3-13 UUJ… 0-08 Do not adjust your sets. This is neither drill nor wind up. You might recall that this time last year this corner had something of a conversion moment in relation to Third Level GAA competitions. At my own expense, it will be admitted that it’s more the timing of the…
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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…
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Old(er) hands return for midlands tango
As expected, Meath have shuffled the decks ahead of tonight’s O’Byrne Cup quarter final against Offaly in Gracefield (7.30). Experienced performers Billy Hogan, James McEntee, Bryan Menton, Jack O’Connor and the inspirational Cillian O’Sullivan come into the side for the midweek tango with Declan Kelly’s midlanders. The incomings also prompt a number of positional switches…
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Treat people like fools and you’ll look like one yourself
Exhibit A: Clones, July 1993, what was to become known as the mudbath Ulster (SFC) Final. How St Tiarnach’s Park was ever passed as playable I’ll never know. It can only be assumed whoever arrived at the decision came from a land of draught. Exhibit B: Dunboyne, May, 2002. A hotly anticipated local derby between…
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New names, same old bravery, heart and skill
MEATH… 2-11 WICKLOW… 1-12 Meath won’t have shortened in the betting for the All Ireland, or the Leinster Championship or even promotion out of Div. 2 of the National Football League. But, taken for what it was, John McCarthy – head of Meath’s Development Squads – would have to have been delighted with the progress…