A Frank insight
December 31, 1999
Meath selector Frank Foley looks back on a year which was wonderful for the county and disappointing for the club.
Maybe it's his affinity with the musical note, but whether it's been as a player or as a selector for the Royal County, Frank Foley's sense of timing has been exquisite. He arrives on the scene and Meath win an All-Ireland senior title. And then, soon after, they win another one. In a new decade, the same thing repeats itself. During the interview, when this fact pops up, his modesty permits him only to laugh and refer to himself as a lucky man.
He's not short on words, though when the words happen to be about himself and his own footballing exploits he does dispense them less generously. Prompted to talk about his own career, he jovially retorts: "that won't take too long," and it doesn't. While he grabs other people's, Foley's own trumpet merely gathers moss.
He's the youngest of five brothers in a football-mad family. He first played for Meath at under 14 level in 1976, alongside Finian Murtagh and Liam Hayes. They won a Leinster title. Four years later, the bones of that team, with Foley at wing forward, won a Leinster minor title. That was as far as they went. They were unlucky. Lost to Kerry in the semi-final. People say that was one of the best minor teams Meath ever produced.
In 1987, Sean Boylan called Frank into the senior panel. He played in the first round of the championship against Kildare. Then Kevin came into the team at brother Frank's expense. "I was keeping it warm for him," says Frank. As a substitute he won two All-Ireland medals. In 1990 he retired.
Five years later Sean Boylan called Frank again - this time to be one of his right-hand men. Those were low times for the county team. Big transition. While no one was quite sure what was going to happen, almost everybody was certain it wasn't going to be what did. Foley though, because of Meath's tradition and because there were no teams in the country to be afraid of, was not so pessimistic.
Indeed over the last couple of years, he says, Meath football has been reaping the benefit of the success the county enjoyed during the eighties. "The players playing today grew up watching the likes of Colm O'Rourke and Mick Lyons. Trevor Giles, Enda McManus - they would have been in school when the Cup was brought around in '87 and '88. They would have equated Meath football with success and would have understood the high standards that have to be aspired to. Success breeds success - more fellas take up the game and that helps to maintain the standard that has been set."
Sean Boylan has set standards in Meath that make him one of the greatest managers in the history of the sport. Foley played for him and now works alongside him. As a player, did he appreciate - as he does now - the manager's unique abilities? "Probably not," he replies. "You don't really understand him when you're a player. When you see him working close up, you appreciate his qualities better.
"He's got a good eye for players, bringing in fellas from junior clubs, for example, which other managers mightn't do. He can spot potential early on. And he's able to organise players very well, into a successful unit."
That seems like a succinct appraisal.
How many times have people questioned a Boylan decision only to end up wiping egg from their face? Why is that player playing? Why is he playing in that position? But Boylan and his backroom boys cherish versatility and this year they had Meath playing in the most economical, effective manner imaginable: attackers defending, defenders attacking - 'total football'. In the forward line alone were three players who began their county career in defence - Geraghty, Curtis and Nestor . . .
"Curtis actually scored three goals on his debut against Louth in a challenge
from corner forward," corrects Foley.
"But the way the game has developed players need to be versatile. If you look at the club scene in Meath, Trevor plays in defence, so does Evan Kelly. Hank Traynor has played midfield, Paddy Reynolds plays as a third midfielder, Mark O'Reilly plays up front. Fellas have to be adaptable and mobile and they have to work on the whole range of skills."
What Meath worked on this year, or were deeply conscious of, was their discipline. A lack of it, as journalist Sean Moran speculated in the Irish Times following their victory over Cork, arguably cost them four All-Ireland titles in a row. Who knows?
This summer, without any debilitating suspensions or dismissals at crucial periods of a game, Meath were troubled by no team. Is it that simplistic, however? Probably not.
"The way 1996 ended," says Foley, referring to the fallout from the all-out melee against Mayo, "got in the way of '97. It was hard to get the fellas . . . they were upset at the way '96 ended with the controversy and the suspensions. And I think that took it's toll on the preparations for '97.
"It was definitely pleasing that this year there were no controversies attached to our victory. I was talking to Bertie Cunningham who played with Meath in the seventies and he said that in terms of the quality of football and the quality of scores and all the hard work that went in to it, it was the best All-Ireland Meath have ever won.
"Personally, I think our standard of football this year was very good. People who don't know about football like to caricature Meath as an over-physical team. They forget about the number of quality players we have - we had four fellas representing Ireland this year and we had 12 All Star nominations. Even the guys who didn't get nominated for an All Star were excellent for us: Nigel Crawford came out of the blue to play a vital role in midfield; Hank Traynor did very well as an attacking half-back; and Nigel Nestor returned from a very serious injury to play his part in an All-Ireland winning success."
While the moving of Graham Geraghty to full forward was the masterstroke of the football year, it was perhaps the injury to Tommy Dowd that brought the best out of the captain and the other Meath forwards, says the Trim clubman. "Tommy's injury put pressure on the fellas to perform. He was in great form against Offaly and it was huge blow when he got injured. But his injury highlighted the strength in depth of the forward division. Richie Kealy and Ray McGee did very well when they were called upon."
They all say it's almost impossible now, but what about back-to-back All-Irelands? "The more they say it," says Foley, "the more it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wouldn't say it will be impossible but it will be very hard. After winning an All-Ireland, it's very difficult to get the fellas in the same frame of mind. But we've had the experience of '96. We've got a good panel that's maturing every year. And we won't lack in motivation - I think we'll be in with a shout."
What about the club scene, where being in with a shout one year is no guarantee of being in with anything the next? Having contested the 1997 senior final, Trim endured another disappointing year, losing two out of their three group games before contesting a relegation play-off against Carnaross, which they won after a replay. "In Meath club football, there's a very fine line between doing well and doing badly," says Foley, who won two senior hurling medals and one junior football medal with the club. "You can slip back five per cent and find that your fortunes have reversed dramatically. The club scene in Meath is a very fluid one - there are teams emerging all the time challenging for honours.
"Despite the results though, I don't think there's that much wrong with Trim football. The club retained it's senior status - and that was essential. I think they can build from there and be back up challenging for honours."
Rough justice on Trim
Reigning senior hurling champions Trim found themselves embroiled in controversy last summer when they were removed from the championship for failing to fulfil a fixture. Here, Trim manager John Andews fills Randal Scally in on the circumstances surrounding the ejection and his team's determination to get back on track in the coming season.
When Trim set out to retain the Jubilee Cup last season, they couldn't possibly have envisaged what lay ahead. Having lost to Kilmessan, drawn with Rathmolyon and defeated Athboy, they needed to beat Killyon in their fourth championship fixture to remain on course for a fifth Jubilee Cup success of the nineties.
However, it was then that their hopes evaporated. On Saturday, July 10, the Trim senior footballers were scheduled to play Dunshaughlin in a make-or-break championship game at Navan. On the following Wednesday, July 14, the Trim hurlers were also scheduled to play Killyon in an equally important championship tie at Longwood. With no fewer than 11 players involved in both teams, Trim felt it was unfair to be made play two big championship games in four days.
Trim agreed to play the football game but submitted a letter to the Hurling Board informing them that they would not be prepared to fulfil the hurling fixture and sought a postponement instead. The Hurling Board, however, demanded that both fixtures be fulfiled and when Trim did not agree to this, they found themselves in the embarrassing situation of being ejected from the hurling championship.
Trim hurling supremo John Andrews remains bitter about the affair and how his players were denied the opportunity to defend the county championship.
"We are still very sore over what happened," he says.
"The club agreed to play the football championship game against Dunshaughlin but it was asking a bit much of us to have to play a vital hurling championship game four days later. Normally, the Hurling Board would allow for at least a week between two games such as this but this time their demands were just too much. You cannot expect amateur players to play two big games in four days."
Trim lost their football championship encounter to Dunshaughlin but it wasn't the only loss they suffered. "We had two lads injured in the football game and that meant that we would have been understrength as well as match weary if the hurling game against Killyon had gone ahead. In all, we sent three letters to the Hurling Board with regard to postponing the hurling fixture but they were having none of it," Andrews explains.
John, who guided Trim to victory over Kilmessan in the previous year's Jubilee Cup decider, claims that his club asked the Hurling Board to rearrange the fixture for Friday, July 23. As things transpired, though, the points were awarded to Killyon and Trim were ejected from the championship. The other team in their section, Longwood, were also awarded full points.
"We were very disappointed with the Hurling Board's decision, they didn't show any consideration for the predicament we found ourselves in. We were treated very unfairly," John says.
1999 had been shaping up to be another successful year for the red and whites. In April, they defeated Killyon by three points at Athboy to win the delayed 1998 Doherty Cup final. And, despite losing their opening championship game to Kilmessan, they seemed capable of resurrecting their season until that controversial decision was taken.
Memories of the bitter events of last July still linger in Trim. Nevertheless, Andrews insists that his players are already looking forward to next season and the prospect of atoning for this year's disappointment.
"The lads are wounded but they all seem determined to put the whole episode behind them," he comments.
"They feel they have a point to prove and next year's championship will provide them with the perfect opportunity to do so. We have a nice mixture of youth and experience in our team and I would be hopeful of championship success next year. Youngsters such as Benny Keogh, Evan Lynam, Jimmy Canty and Joey O'Toole have come on an awful lot and their continuing improvement must bode well for the future."
John Andrews is a dyed-in-the-wool Trim clubman. Between 1978 and '97, he represented the Trim senior hurlers with distinction, winning four senior championship medals in the process. He was a member of Meath senior hurling team from 1986 to '95, garnering an All-Ireland 'B' Championship souvenir in 1993. One of his greatest honours came in 1991 when he was named Meath Hurler of the Year.
Andrews also played adult football for Trim for 16 years and won a Leinster Junior Football Championship medal with Meath in 1986. A man who still regularly lines out in goals for the Trim junior hurlers, he has also ventured into refereeing in recent times. This year, he officiated both the Junior 'B' and Under 21 'B' hurling deciders.
"Although I would prefer to be playing, I have had no regrets whatsoever about going into refereeing. I enjoy it very much and felt very honoured to be given two finals to referee this year. I intend to give the refereeing another go in the year ahead," he says.
The dominant team in Meath hurling since 1987, it is Trim's great ambition to remain a powerful force in the new millennium. 1999 was a forgettable year but Kilmessan and the rest beware - Trim are hellbent on recapturing the Jubilee Cup in 2000.
Junior 'B' glory for the Reds
With the Trim senior footballers failing to build on the progress made in '97, it was left to the club's second string to provide something to cheer about and they duly obliged by capturing the 1998 Junior 'B' football crown at Clonard's expense on a scoreline of 0-9 to 0-6.
The standard on display in Pairc Tailteann may have left a lot to be desired, but an exciting encounter between two evenly matched teams ensured that that the spectator's interest was kept alive until referee Donal McKay's final whistle.
In fairness to both teams, the inclement weather conditions didn't favour an attractive style of play. A gale force wind, which was blowing into the hospital end goals, marred the game as a spectacle.
The town side went away with the cup because they were that bit sharper in attack. Maurice Power and Mark Gilsenan had impressive outings, as did full forward and captain Alan Smyth.
Defenders Ivor McCaffrey and Tom Canty were others to show up well for the winners.
Despite playing into the wind, Trim made the brighter start and were two points up with five minutes gone. Alan Canty opened their account after twenty seconds and three minutes later Gilsenan was put clean through by Eunan McCaffrey but the number 15 elected to take his point with the goals at his mercy.
Clonard forced their way back into contention and by half-time the sides were level at 0-4 apiece. Glisenan (his second) and Power completed the Trim scoring for the first half.
Clonard were first off the mark in the second half, but points from former Rathkenny player Damian McBride (free) and Paul Gilsenan, who played well at midfield, handed the eventual winners the initiative.
Clonard restored parity with twelve minutes of the second half gone, but that proved to be their last score of the game.
Paul Gilsenan edged Trim back in front and brother Mark doubled the advantage. Power waltzed through for the game's last point near the end.
Trim - C. Dempsey; D. Dempsey, I. McCaffrey, T. Canty; D. Rispin, J. O'Loughlin, D. McGuinness; E. McCaffrey, P. Gilsenan (0-2); D. McBride (0-1), C. Kelly, M. Power (0-2); E. Markey (0-1), A. Smith, M. Gilsenan (0-3).
Triple crown for Trim
You have to go back to 1991 since Trim have failed to feature in a senior camogie final. Collecting their third title in a row the red and white outfit are without a doubt the camogie team of the decade in Meath. Kilmessan have pushed them hard for their crown recently and it took a replay to separate the sides last July when Trim triumphed on a 0-4 to 0-3 scoreline at Longwood.
A late Kilmessan goal gave the challengers another bite of the cherry on the first day out in a game dominated by Trim. The replay was a shoot out between Christine O' Brien and Marie Dennehy, both girls notching three points. Lynn Winters got the decisive score allowing Dearbhla O' Carroll to once again collect the cup from Meath Camogie Board Chairperson, Brigid Carney.
Between the two games good performances for the winners came from Mary Andrews, Darina Smith, Suzanne Kelly, Yvonne Quinn, O' Brien and O' Carroll.
The winning Trim team was - S. Kelly; C. Smith, M. Andrews, I. Kelly; G. Farnan, D. O' Carroll, D. Smith; U. Crowley, C. O' Brien(0-3); L. Winters(0-1), Y. Quinn, E. Guy; B. Guy, J. O' Connor, J. Telford.
Sub- D. Dunne
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