Minors go under to future champions
November 27, 2011It took three defeats to finally end Meath's interests in this year's All-Ireland minor football championship.
While there was no second chance for any of the losing teams in the Ulster and Connacht championships (up to the final), the young Royals took advantage of the backdoor system in Leinster to qualify for their third provincial final in five years. And despite losing to Dublin, they were handed a third chance by virtue of the rule that allows the provincial runners-up to progress to the All-Ireland series.
But there was no way back for Davy Dalton's charges after a four-point loss to Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final at O'Moore Park.
This year's Meath minor squad was notable for an unusually high number of players from intermediate and junior clubs with the likes of Moynalvey, Clann na nGael, Ratoath, Dunsany, St. Vincent's/Curraha, Round Towers Ballinlough/Inny Gaels, Moynalty, Longwood, Killary Emmets and Clonard all represented. It was also notable for the fact that 23 out of the 30 players on the panel had progressed through the Centre of Excellence over the past number of years.
Managed once again by former Kildare All-Star full back Davy Dalton, who was assisted by selectors PJ Gillic, Dermot Rooney and Pauric Coyle and later by Trims Eoin McGrath, Meath made a poor start to the Leinster championship when they succumbed to a Ciaran Byrne-inspired Louth by 1-11 to 1-13 at Haggardstown.
The corner forward struck nine points, including eight from frees, while John Horan's goal nine minutes after the restart left Meath - who trailed by 0-7 to 1-10 at that stage - with it all to do. But the introduction of Oldcastle's Robert Farrelly brought the visitors to life and he scored 1-2 as they registered 1-3 without reply to level the game with 10 minutes remaining.
Byrne and Padraic Harnan traded points before Byrne (from a '45) and Robert McCabe grabbed the last two scores to give the Wee County a rare championship victory over their neighbours.
All was not lost for Meath who faced a trip to Carlow in the first round of the backdoor series. The visitors immediately stamped their authority on proceedings by posting the first four points and they went into the break leading by 0-7 to 0-3.
Meath extended their lead following the resumption, but Carlow were given a glimmer of hope when Darragh O'Brien netted a penalty in the 43rd minute to leave five points between the sides.
However, they failed to score again as the Royals dominated the remainder of the game with Shane McEntee's goal putting the seal on an emphatic 1-17 to 1-3 victory.
Meath were now back on track and another comfortable win over Wexford - 1-16 to 0-3 - at Pairc Tailteann earned them another tilt with Louth in the Leinster semi-final.
With Padraig Harnan and Shane McEntee, who are nephews of Liam and Gerry, dominant at midfield and Bobby O'Brien turning in a man of the match performance at centre forward, the home side eased into a 0-9 to 0-2 interval lead, despite having played against the wind.
Converted frees by Bryan McMahon and Neil Shorthall put the game beyond Wexford's reach early in the second half, and they had to wait until four minutes from the end to raise their third and final white flag.
However, Meath had the final say when Bobby O'Brien crashed home a late goal to complete the rout.
The young Royals received an unexpected boost before their rematch with Louth when they were handed home advantage. With two good wins under their belts and a more settled team in place, they avenged their first round loss with a 0-13 to 0-10 victory, which was achieved despite the dismissal of Neil Shorthall on a second yellow card 13 minutes from the end.
With Ciaran O'Sullivan, Shorthall and Bryan McMahon all in fine scoring form, the hosts led from the off. O'Sullivan and Shorthall posted three points each to give them a 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the break, with all of Louth's first half points coming from Ciaran Byrne.
Amazingly, Byrne was the only Louth forward to score, finishing with a personal tally of 0-9. Their other point came from centre back Daniel Grimes.
The Wee County played their best football in the third quarter when they reduced the gap to two points. However, Meath made light of Shorthall's sending off by scoring the next two points, and two frees from Byrne in injury-time were not enough to save the visitors as the Royals progressed to their first Leinster final in three years.
Having won five of the last six Leinster minor finals they had played in, Meath had high hopes of maintaining that proud record against Dublin in Croke Park, but Dessie Farrell's highly-rated charges were a step above anything the Royals had faced up until then and they pulled clear in the second half for a 2-18 to 1-11 victory.
However Meath were short a number of key players including full back Conor McGill who was a late withdrawal. In the aftermath there was a general feeling that the selected fifteen really under performed and with the return of some players and with a general tightening up in defence they could give the young Dubs a much stiffer test should they be lucky enough to meet again in the later stages.
After posting huge scores against Westmeath and Kildare in earlier rounds, much was expected of the physically imposing Dubs and they certainly didn't disappoint.
While the Metropolitans eventually won convincingly, an upset had looked likely after 20 minutes when Ratoath's Bryan McMahon (shades of Bernard Flynn and one who the senior management should have a look at) netted to give the Royals a 1-5 to 0-5 lead. Showing their class, Dublin immediately replied with a goal at the opposite end and, while Cathal Smith responded for the Royals, two further points had the Dubs 1-9 to 1-6 ahead at the break.
Dublin landed further scores on the restart before Meath closed the gap to six points before four unanswered points to seal matters.
Meath had another chance to redeem themselves against surprise Munster champions Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final, but it wasn't to be as Tipp scored five of the last seven points to claim a 0-11 to 0-7 win. However, the outcome may have been different had Bobby O'Brien not had a goal disallowed for a square ball infringement 10 minutes into the second half.
A number of other vital decisions did not go in the direction of the young Royals who, and it looked a really long shot at this stage were going under to the future All Ireland champions. Perhaps this narrow defeat was more a measure of their true worth rather than the shambles that was the Leinster decider.
The sides were level five times until outstanding attacker Quinlivan inspired Tipp's late rally.
O'Brien opened the scoring for the Royals after three minutes before Philip Quirke levelled five minutes later. The sides were level on 0-3 apiece at half-time, though Meath were unlucky not to be ahead after Ratoath clubman O'Brien saw his goal attempt hit the post in the 11th minute.
There was still nothing to separate the teams until quick points pushed Tipp into a 0-8 to 0-5 lead. Meath replied with scores from Bryan McMahon and Anthony Forde, but they couldn't get back on level terms and Tipp pulled away in the closing stages, with Quinlivan accounting for two of their last three scores.
The Meath team which faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland MFC quarter-final was: Robert Burlington; Cathal Finn, Conor McGill (captain), Oran Fitzpatrick; Shane Melia, Shane McEntee, Anthony Forde (0-1); Padraic Harnan, Adam Flanagan; Oliver Sheridan (0-1), Bobby O'Brien (0-1), Sean Sheridan; Bryan McMahon (0-4, 3f), Cillian O'Sullivan, William McGrath. Subs used: Eamon Wallace, Conor Sheridan, Declan Smith, Ross Gore and Robert Farrelly.
So defeat it was but over the course of a long season little things, happenings that often make the difference between progress and defeat did not go Meath's way. Certainly Davy Dalton had little or no luck on the injury front. People say such and such a player should have been involved in the team but Meath played the entire championship without a number of key performers. Players like Stefan McDonnell and Conor Sheridan were star performers the year before and while the Simonstown lad made the odd fleeting appearance their strength and ability, not to mention their leadership qualities were sorely missed and would have proved such a help, especially in the Leinster final when the chips were down against Dublin.
Meath must have made some kind of record by suffering three defeats in what was essentially a knock out competition. However an examination of these set backs puts things in an entirely different perspective. Two were against the future All Ireland finalists while good judges in Louth tell us that this was the finest Wee County minor combination for years. So perhaps it was a case of far from under achieving.
And 2012 promises to be an exciting year in this grade. Andy McEntee has replaced Davy Dalton in the hot seat and has subsequently changes the back room team. But Dalton has left the back bone of what appears to be an outstanding side. Quite a few of the class of 2011 are still available for the months ahead and with central players like keeper Robbie Burlingham, Padraig Harnan, Shane McEntee and Cillian O Sullivan to the fore that All Ireland glory may not be a pipe dream. Tweet
