Moyles better
December 31, 2000
South Meath club St Paul's enjoyed a relatively successful first season in the intermediate grade, consolidating their position in the championship before going on to win the league late in the year. Predictably, county man Anthony Moyles was again one of their key men in 2000.
In the summer of 1999, Anthony Moyles was playing for St Paul's in the Meath junior championship. He was a very good club player, at 22 an exciting prospect for the future. Yet not even the most biased supporter of the Clonee side could have guessed what would come next for the affable young business studies graduate.
Just eight months after being called into the Meath senior set-up for the first time by Sean Boylan, Moyles was running out onto Croke Park for the first round of the Leinster championship. He had won a starting place, not on the flank of the attack or at wing back, as many would expect for a championship debutant. Injury had ruled out Enda McManus and, latterly, Nigel Nestor, giving Moyles the chance to make his initial foray into Leinster senior championship action in the key position of centre half back.
Few readers will need - much less want - reminding that little went right for Meath on that June afternoon. The side looked heavy-legged, the hunger that so often epitomises Meath's style of play sadly absent as Offaly upset the defending provincial and All-Ireland champions. The disappointing side of that afternoon is plainly obvious, spelled out in neon lights for all to see, yet Anthony Moyles has managed to extract some positives from his big day.
"To be honest," he says, "that was probably my best game for Meath all year. I enjoyed the big occasion, and felt I adapted to it fairly well. I marked three men during the game, and none scored from play, so that was satisfying personally, though it was so disappointing to lose."
Many spectators subsequently expressed the view that the Meath team were a shadow of the side that swept to All-Ireland glory just eight months previously. Lethargic was a buzzword in pubs across the Royal County, but Moyles insists fitness was definitely not a problem.
"We were as fit as fiddles for the game, there's no doubt about that. I think that Offaly were possibly more ready for us than we were for them, you know, when you're champions you're up there for everyone else to shoot at. They played it very cute, switching (Finbar) Cullen into the forwards before the game. Even at that, though, we still could have won the game, because there were a few easy chances missed at important stages."
At the beginning of the 1999/2000 National Football League campaign, Moyles could not have foreseen the direction his career would take, leading to that first championship start and beyond. He admits to having been slightly overawed by the whole scene at the beginning.
"You go to Croke Park, and watch Meath games, and never think you'll be out there yourself. Coming into the squad was daunting at first, especially with the team having won the All-Ireland, but all the lads are great, and made all the newcomers fell very welcome.
"I played wing forward in the league game against Sligo, and then was centre back for the rest of the group games. Darren Fay, Paddy Reynolds and Hank Traynor were a great assistance, always talking to me and telling me where to go, so I was constantly learning off them. Playing those league games was great, but I never for a moment thought I'd be there in the championship. Everyone expected Enda to come back in, and I felt I was just keeping it warm for him."
Moyles worked extra hard to gain and maintain high levels of fitness, and feels himself that he may have overdone it after Christmas, with the result that he was not at his best towards the end of the league campaign. He recalls vividly the semi-final against Kerry, when he came up against a red-hot Liam Hassett.
"He ate me that day," he says plainly. "I was caught in two minds, not sure whether to follow him or fill the space. It was a real slap in the face for me, and I got dropped for the league final against Derry. But I made up my mind that I wasn't going to be written off that easily, that I had to work hard to prove myself. I had to show that I wasn't one to give in, and it was great to get back and play in the replay."
He is pained by the memories that the name "Hassett" bring back, but over-riding that pain is pride at how he subsequently fought back to regain favour in time for the championship. This year, he says, the league is as important as it gets for the time being. "It's my second year, but I still have everything to prove, so there's no question of taking the league handy. There are very few lads sure of their places, Sean is always finding young talented footballers, so everyone has to be on their toes and treat it very seriously. I have work to do to win and keep my place. Enda was excellent in the position, and he has worked with me a good bit. I feel I'm always learning, that my reading of the game is constantly improving."
Moyles also hopes to help keep St Paul's on the right track in the coming year. After gaining junior championship success in '99, they were many people's tips to fall into the dreaded relegation place. But they not only managed to consolidate their grip on an intermediate berth, but topped off the year by gaining promotion to Division 2 of the All-County 'A' Leagues, defeating Castletown in the Division 3 final to win more silverware.
"It hasn't been a bad couple of years for us," he laughs. "We're a very small club; the core panel is basically only 24 or so players, so we have to get everyone pulling together. It's good in a way, though. Because it's so small, there are no cliques; everyone's part of one big family. After games, we all go back to McDonald's in Clonee. We're comfortable in each other's company, and all get on well. I think that shows out on the field."
Moyles believes Paul's are probably two players short of a side that could mount a convincing challenge on the intermediate championship. "This year, the lack of strength in depth showed when we were missing a few men for the big games. St Pat's only beat us a couple of points when we were without Barry (Anthony's brother), who had been playing at full back. He pulled his hamstring, and probably tried to come back too quickly, and it kept going. There were one or two others missing as well, and Daithi Whyte was a real handful in the forwards, so we could have done with a full panel that day."
The opening game against Donaghmore/Ashbourne brought an early brace of points, although the final scoreline of 0-4 to 0-2 didn't inspire the greatest confidence in Pauls' prospects for the year. Nevertheless, a win is a win is a win, and that initial victory set them up for a relatively successful first season in the grade. The most disappointing performance of the year came in the match against Rathkenny.
When victory might have set them up for a possible tilt at gaining one of the two precious knock-out places, they slumped to their worst 30 minutes of football of the past two years. At half-time, they trailed by 12. By the final whistle, they had reduced that to just two, but their valiant efforts to get the horse back in the stable were denied. That reverse virtually ended their interests in the championship, although a subsequent victory over Slane ensured they would retain their intermediate status.
Moyles cites the impending return from Australia of Con Lucey, who proved a real find at corner back two years ago, as a plus going into the summer of 2001. "Con was brilliant before he left, so if he comes in and gets back to where he was, he'll be a big addition to the team. It is a small club, with a maximum of 18 or 19 training at any given time, so we're always on the look-out for younger players. Some of the older heads in the team help them along.
"Tom Keague is one of the more experienced lads, and even though we slag him a bit during the stretching, he's very cute, and is brilliant at creating space for runners like myself coming through the middle. He's also as accurate a kicker as you'll find, and if you give him a chance, it usually goes over the bar."
Keague will doubtless be a major asset for the Clonee men in the coming year. If Anthony Moyles can blossom in the Meath side as his faultless attitude suggests he can, however, he should be the main man for St Paul's for a long number of years to come.
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