No regular Joe
December 31, 2002
Moylagh midfielder Joe Melia could be forgiven for turning off his mobile phone, placing a large 'do not disturb' sign on his bedroom door and burying himself under a tog-15 duvet for a few days.
He has had a busy year, a hectic twelve months. Apart from playing for his club, Joe was an integral part of the Meath minor team that contested the 2002 All-Ireland final not forgetting the fact that he also helped Meath to a first Vocational Schools title in donkey's years. His was a year in the life of an aspiring footballer and a well-earned rest is warranted. However looking back on it now, the friendly 18-year-old confesses that he wouldn't change a thing. By Gordon Manning.
"It was a busy year but I enjoyed it. It was a great experience to play for the Meath minors. We probably didn't see an All-Ireland final place coming at the start of the year but we just kept doing our best and got there in the end. We were disappointed after losing to Longford but then went on and had two good wins against Galway and Kerry. To play in Croke Park was just unbelievable because I have been going there since I was about five years old. The first All-Ireland final I attended was back in 1991 when Meath played Down so it was something else to actually be out there on the pitch in a final myself."
Although Meath were comprehensively beaten by Derry in the minor decider, Joe firmly believes that the young Royals failed to play to their full potential in the game. "We certainly didn't give a thorough account of ourselves on the day. We know we could have played better but Derry deserved to win. However they are not all that much better than us."
Joe maintains that the primary reason the team progressed so far in the championship this past year is all down to coach Benny Reddy and his selectors Oliver Cudden, Peter O'Toole, Seamus Brennan, Paddy Ward and Eamonn Gillic.
"Benny and his five selectors were absolutely brilliant all year. If you look at the panel there were over ten clubs represented and by the end of the year we had developed a club spirit within the team. That is all down to Benny and the selectors and we really did get on well together as a panel. Benny is also a great motivator and although his training is tough, it gets you fit and he is able to get the best out of players."
The day after he played in the minor All-Ireland final Joe was due to start his first year of college in Bolton Street, Dublin. However he decided to give it a miss. "I had to take a day or two off for a rest and to recover a bit before going in," he laughs.
On the club front in 2002 Moylagh were knocked out by Navan O'Mahony's, 1-7 to 1-4, at the quarter-final stage of the junior championship in October. "We were unlucky that day and I think if you look at it O'Mahony's were coming into the game on the back of two or three competitive matches while we were kind of sitting around waiting a little for the game. That might have given them a slight edge, it is hard to say, but we still could have beaten them had we got a few breaks," he argues.
Although they lost their first championship outing against Wolfe Tones, 2-12 to 0-11, Moylagh went on to win their remaining four. "It was a bad evening in Kilskyre when we played Wolfe Tones. They got two lucky goals and that knocked us back a little. Thankfully after losing to them though we went on and never lost again until the O'Mahony's game. But Wolfe Tones are a very strong side and even when I was with the Meath minors we played them in a challenge and they gave us a very hard game."
A victory against Bective followed in early May and then a 1-9 to 0-11 win over St. Michael's in June. Moynalty were next up and were comfortably disposed, 0-12 to 0-5. Their final group game against Bellewstown in early August was perhaps their best performance all year, running out 2-11 to 0-7 victors. However the quarter-final against O'Mahony's did not take place for almost two months after that game and the lack of competitive action seemingly worked against them.
Coaching the north Meath club again this year was former Meath goalkeeper Donal Smith. The affable Garda is probably one of the most underrated players to have lined out under Sean Boylan, but Joe says he is far from undervalued at Moylagh. "Donal is a gentleman and a great character. He is also a very astute tactician and he has seen and done it all with Meath so he brings great experience with him to the club. He has definitely improved the team since taking over and all the players respect him."
Moylagh also retained their Division 3A status this year, and as Joe points out, that is quite an achievement for a junior club. "We were doing very well towards the start of the league and although we lost a few games later on we still stayed up in the division. Most of the teams in our group were intermediate and some senior also so it showed us that we can compete with teams like that."
In fact early on in their league campaign Moylagh looked like genuine contenders to top the division. They hammered Moynalvey in their opening fixture and followed that with wins over St. Michael's and Drumree. Curraha were next to be toppled as the men in green and white went unbeaten in four. A few narrow defeats mid-season halted their charge but they still easily avoided the relegation zone.
And according to Joe the current Moylagh junior team can only improve in the coming years. "It is a very young team, with not many players over the age of 25. We missed Justin Reilly this year through injury and he is always good for a few scores in every game. Damien Smith is another good player as is Peter Fox. He is one for the future and will probably play for the Meath minors next year."
In 2001 Moylagh's championship campaign started with a draw against Dunsany, followed with a win over O'Mahony's. But from there on in they suffered a string of defeats and failed to make it to the knockout stages.
Consequently this year was a step in the right direction for the club. "It is a definite improvement on last year. On our day I think we are good enough to beat any team. I didn't get to train all that often with Moylagh this year because I was with the Meath minors a lot but I could see us improving in every game we played. I believe we are one of the top four junior teams in the county," he says.
Apart from Gaelic football Joe also plays hurling and soccer and was a key figure on the under-14 Moylagh hurling side that won the championship in 1998. In 2000 he played for the Moylagh under-17 footballers, the under-16 hurlers, the junior hurlers and the Meath under-16 footballers. He also played for the Moylagh minors that contested this year's football final. Although how could he not have been immersed in GAA as he grew up with a football and hurling mad father in Ollie, who has supported his sons development and played his part in the footballer he is now.
And so as the year draws to a close Joe can proudly look back on a demanding but successful twelve months. Although he will not admit it, the Moylagh star was one of the Meath minors' most consistent performers all year at midfield.
Throughout it all he has remained unpretentious. Next year Moylagh will be justifiably among the favourites to capture the junior title and Joe will be a key figure in that challenge. However he is not eligible to play for the Meath minors in 2003. Like everybody else in life he is growing up and getting older. His long-term goals are to help Moylagh win the championship and eventually play for the Meath seniors. He is halfway there already and even more busy times loom ahead as a stint with the Meath under-21's will more than likely follow in the next year or two.
In his famous poem 'If', Rudyard Kipling wrote "If you can fill the unforgiving minute, With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything in it, And - which is even more - you'll be a man my son."
These days, time is a rare commodity for Joe Melia. But sixty seconds in a Meath jersey at Croke Park, hell he has all the time in the world, and which is even more, he'll become a man out there.
Ladies Football
Moylagh ladies barely had a chance to let the Christmas pudding settle in 2002. With the 2001 Division 2 League final in mid-February, training commenced earlier than usual this year.
Donaghmore/Ashbourne was the opponent and Dunsany, the venue. Moylagh won in promising style. The comfortable victory at this early stage set the pace for the year ahead.
However, the Intermediate championship got off to a shakey start with a nine-point defeat to a strong Blackhall Gaels side. This did not dampen their spirits. With very comfortable victories over Dunderry and Bellewstown, Moylagh were once again up against the Gaels, but this time in a final. On one of the hottest days of an otherwise damp summer, the intermediate final took place in Simonstown. The North Meath ladies buried the ghosts of the earlier defeat and came out on top with an eight point victory.
Under the watchful eyes of Lizzie Grall and Martina Brady, Moylagh ladies then went on to represent not only their club, but also their county. With a home venue and great support, the ladies overcame Laois champions, Ballylinan (Moylagh 1-15 Ballylinan 1-8). This put them in for a place in the Leinster semifinal against Dublin side Naomh Mearnog (Portmarnock). The Dublin side proved too strong for the young Moylagh team, and brought their championship run to an end.
Despite this defeat, Moylagh ladies are very proud of their achievements this year and hope to prove they are worthy of senior rank both in the league and championship.
The team would like to thank the following for their sponsorship.
Dromone Meats who provided shorts.
The following local people provided funding towards the purchase of t-shirts - Millbrook Motors, McEvoys Pub, Oliver Gibney, Aoife Gibney, Patsy Gibney and Patrick Hannon.
Moylagh ladies are also delighted to welcome their new sponsor for 2003, Max Security, Crossakiel.
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