Minor hurlers show real improvement
November 27, 2010
The Meath minor hurlers lost to Westmeath twice in the space of approximately four months during 2010, but there was a world of difference in the qualify of the two performances by a Royal County team managed by Dunboyne's Paul Reilly.
When the counties met in the Leinster Championship at Cusack Park, Mullingar, in April Westmeath coasted to a 2-16 to 0-4 victory, but when they came face to face again in the All-Ireland 'B' semi-final at Pairc Tailteann in August the victory margin was just two points at 1-12 to 1-10.
The reason was obvious. Through no fault of the team management, the panel was inadequately prepared for the provincial meeting and that outing against Westmeath was the first time they had the players together for a game. Understandably, Reilly was unhappy and it was revealed that they had tried to organise a challenge match against Dublin the previous Wednesday, only to be told that no pitch was available at Dunganny.
In the circumstances it was no great surprise that Meath were so comprehensively beaten by a Westmeath side that had Neal Kirby red-carded late in the first half, yet still coasted through the contest. They had a real star of the show in Aonghus Clarke who contributed 1-10, 0-8 of which came from frees.
By comparison, all Meath had to show on the scoreboard were points from play by Paddy Conneely and Fionn Ferguson and efforts from frees by James Kelly and Ciaran Fitzsimons and the issue was as good as settled at the interval when Westmeath led by 0-11 to 0-2.
When Niall O'Brien scored their first goal 20 seconds after the restart it really was all over bar the shouting and their second from Clarke merely put the icing on the cake. Brendan Wright, Stephen Morris, Kelly, Conneely and Ferguson were among those to show up to good effect for Meath, but they were comprehensively beaten.
Manager Reilly and selectors Paddy Kelly, Conor Ferguson and James Toher continued to work with the panel and they scored a runaway victory over Louth in the Leinster Minor Shield, winning by 7-22 to 0-5 to set up a final meeting with Kildare at Pairc Tailteann.
Only about 100 spectators were in attendance, but they were treated to an absorbing contest which Meath won by 4-21 to 3-22 after extra-time. Not too many Moylagh players have worn the Meath jersey in hurling, but Willie McGrath did and he earned the Royal County a sensational win when he scored 1-1 in the closing stages.
The match produced 50 scores, seven of which were goals, and Kildare shaded the very early exchanges as two points from Conor Kenny were divided by a well-taken Shane Brennan point for Meath. However, the home side then suffered a blow when goalkeeper Conor Murray failed to keep Jonathan Byrne's long range free out and it ended up in the net. Otherwise, Murray was superb, with his safe handling vital to the success.
Scores came with great regularity. Brennan pointed for Meath, Kenny and Niall Gorry fired over for Kildare and Damien McGee split the uprights for the Royal County. But when another sloppy goal was conceded, this time to Conor O'Hehir, the signs weren't good for the home team.
A response was required and it came in the shape of points from Fitzsimons, McGee and Adam Gannon which cut the deficit to 0-6 to 2-4 by the end of the opening quarter. The gap was down to the minimum (1-10 to 2-8) at the interval, with the Meath goal coming from McGrath following a McGee '65'.
The Meath management made vital switches for the second half, including the move of McGrath from full-forward to midfield and Kelly from centre-back to full-forward. Substitute Aaron Ennis was introduced at centre-forward and it was the Royal County who resumed on the more positive note.
Fitzsimons had them level when he pointed within 30 seconds of the restart and when Conneely netted after McGrath had provided the opening they were in front for the first time. The duo repeated the feat for another goal and Meath, having earlier looked to be in trouble, were ahead by 3-11 to 2-8.
McGee (two) and McGrath added to Meath's points tally in the third quarter, but Kildare had managed to bring the deficit down to 2-14 to 3-14 at the three-quarter stage and it was all to play for. The teams continued to trade points, but when the Royal County pushed four clear with a Kelly score two minutes from the end of normal time they were looking like winners.
But, typical of this brilliant contest, Kildare had something left in the tank. They required a goal to resurrect their fortunes and it arrived when O'Hehir found the net, before Kenny slotted over a difficult free to send the game to extra-time. They were locked together on 3-17 each and the small band of spectators who were lucky enough to be in Pairc Tailteann could look forward to another 20 minutes of action.
Conneely and Kelly pushed Meath two points ahead at the start of extra-time, but Kildare recovered to lead by 3-21 to 3-19. McGee converted a free and Kelly was denied a goal when the visitors' goalkeeper Cormac Gallagher saved well. It continued to be a thriller and the Lilywhites led by 3-21 to 3-20 midway through the additional 20 minutes.
Kenny pointed to leave Kildare two ahead and as the second period of extra-time drew to a conclusion it appeared that they would get their hands on the shield. But Meath, and McGrath in particular, had other ideas. Firstly, he directed Kelly's pass to the net and then fired over a point which was the 50th score of the match.
Kildare continued to press and it took a brilliant block from Kelly to keep them out. It typified Meath's great character and when the final whistle sounded the players knew they had been involved in a truly brilliant game of hurling. It was a happy moment for captain Thomas Raleigh when he was presented with the shield by Leinster Council treasurer Pat Toner.
The Meath team against Kildare was - Conor Murray (Gaeil Colmcille); Stephen Morris (Blackhall Gaels), Niall Weir (Boardsmill), Brendan Wright (Dunderry); Corrin Byrne (Longwood), James Kelly (Kiltale, 0-2), Ryan Andrews (Trim); Thomas Raleigh (Killyon), Shane Brennan ( Kilmessan, 0-2); James Toher (Trim, 0-1), Ciaran Fitzsimons (Clann na nGael, 0-4), Damien McGee (Trim, 0-5); Adam Gannon (Killyon, 0-1), Willie McGrath (Moylagh, 2-2), Paddy Conneely (Kildalkey, 2-3). Subs - Ger Foley (Killyon) for Byrne, Aaron Ennis (Longwood, 0-1) for Raleigh, Fionn Ferguson (Gaeil Colmcille) for Gannon. Extra-time - Raleigh for Foley, Michael Hennessy (Kiltale) for Ennis.
Meath still had the All-Ireland 'B' Championship to look forward to and they cruised past Mayo in a quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann where it finished 6-28 to 0-2. The issue was beyond doubt at the change of ends when they led by 4-13 to 0-0 and it was a case of going through the motions in the second period.
James Toher was Meath's top marksman with 2-4, McGrath got 2-1, Gannon registered 1-4, Michael Hennessy recorded 1-1 and Conneely helped himself to five impressive points from play.
The prize for Meath was a semi-final meeting with Westmeath, also at Pairc Tailteann, approximately four months after their neighbours had crushed them by 18 points in Mullingar. The Royal County didn't manage to reverse that result, but they did demonstrate how much they had improved with adequate preparation.
McGee scored four first half points from frees and Ennis (two) and McGrath slotted over from play, but Westmeath led by 1-7 to 0-7 at the break. Clarke, who had contributed 1-10 in the earlier meeting, managed only 1-1 on this occasion and his goal arrived after 21 minutes.
Enda Kincaid and McGee traded points early in the second half and Meath went close to levelling when Ennis was narrowly wide going for a goal. They did gain parity 10 minutes into the second period when McGrath got a vital touch to a Brennan delivery to find the net and make it 1-8 each.
Meath were playing very well and looked capable or avenging the Mullingar defeat when Conneely and Toher fired over to leave them two points ahead. But that was as good as it got and Westmeath reeled off the last four points to win by 1-12 to 1-10. Meath did have late chances, but McGee and Toher were narrowly off target from frees.
They lost William Harnan in injury time when he was sent off after receiving a second yellow card and they later lost manager Reilly who said he was stepping down because he was unhappy with the allocation of tracksuits for the panel. They wanted 35, but received only 30.
Reilly and his selectors clearly did a huge amount of work with this panel of talented and committed players after the massive disappointment of that crushing defeat in Mullingar. It would have been easy to throw the towel in at that stage, but they stuck with it, won the Leinster Shield and went close to reaching the All-Ireland B final. One and all deserve great credit for that.
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