Published: Wednesday, 6th January, 2010 4:59pm

Things can only get better

by Fergal Lynch

Louth 2-14, Meath 3-4

Former Meath minor star Damien Carroll made his first appearance for the seniors and grabbed a goal during Sunday's SF challenge defeat by Louth at Haggardstown.
Pic by==: 97

On a bitterly cold afternoon, when you wouldn't even put bottles of milk outside, Meath opened 2010 with a humbling SF challenge defeat for what was effectively Eamonn O'Brien's third string against a strong Louth side at Haggardstown on Sunday.

Under new manager Peter Fitzpatrick Louth were eager to impress and they were very effective with J P Rooney running the show from his full-forward position and giving the Meath defence a torrid time.

Meath boss O'Brien opted to field one of last year's regulars with Peadar Byrne filling his usual role. The rest of the team had a very experimental look about it, although there were famililar faces with Mark Ward, Brendan Murphy, Barry Regan, Damien Sheridan, Shane O'Rourke and Jamie Queeney also featuring.

It was a difficult afternoon for Meath. There were doubts about the fixture in the days leading up to the game, but Meath Co Committee were assured that everything was in order at the home of the Geraldines GAA outside Blackrock. However, upon initial inspection Meath found the pitch to be more like an ice rink and questioned the wisdom on the game going ahead.

Referee Pat McEneaney agreed to start the game and see how it developed. He obviously found no problem with the pitch and agreed to a 60 minute match, but it was obvious that the Meath players were cautious with their approach, fearing injury on what was without doubt an unplayable surface.

As many of the Meath players went slipping and sliding they more resembled characters from Disney on Ice than inter-county footballers, but Louth adapted to the conditions much quicker and dominated the contest with a fast moving and much more confident display.

The game was Meath's first outing since the All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat by Kerry in August and while they did have a brief get-together on New Year's Day there was a lot of unfamiliarity about their play with the defence not linking up well with the forwards and the midfield out-played by Paddy Keenan who, even at this early stage of the year, still looks like one of the best midfielders in the country.

It was harsh on the full-back line of Seneschalstown's Stephen Sheridan, Rathkenny's James Macken and Summerhill's Davy Dalton because they came up against a lively Louth attack and suffered more than any other line on the field. It would be cruel to judge the trio on this display, but they will know that Sunday's disappointing show will not do their prospects of earning a place on the panel for the league much good.

Hopefully, as the more regular names return, the fringe players will get another chance in a better balanced side and then that talented trio will get a greater opportunity to shine and show off their undoubted talents.

Very few players covered themselves in glory. Only returning goalkeeper Murphy and Ballinlough star Peadar Byrne looked like being up to the mark on the bitterly cold day.

Murphy made one outstanding save from a Rooney penalty, while his composure at the back and his confidence when calling for, and claiming, high balls saved Meath from a number of difficult situations.

Byrne showed all the guts, courage and determination that he might produce on an August afternoon. He tried hard and was certainly Meath's most effective player when driving forward.

Others like Queeney, Damien Byrne, Conor Gillespie, Maurice Kennedy and substitute Damien Carroll also made decent contributions at times, but it was always going to be a very difficult day for what ever side O'Brien opted to put out.

Meath struggled to get out of their own half in the opening 20 minutes. Darren Clarke pointed a brace of frees, Brian White added two points and Rooney kicked a fine score to open up a 0-5 to 0-0 lead for Louth after 10 minutes. Pauraic Smyth also rattled the crossbar in the second minute with a rasping drive.

Had Rooney converted his penalty after he had been fouled then Meath could have started the bus and headed for home. As it was they soon found themselves 0-0 to 1-5 adrift when Rooney finished a great move after Ward had gifted the hosts possession from a free inside his own 20-metre line.

Rooney added another score to Louth's ever-increasing total, while the closest Meath got was an O'Rourke sideline that tailed wide and a Michael Newman flick that was cleared off the line by Keenan. Eventually Meath did get off the mark when Queeney pointed a free three minutes before the break to leave the Royals 0-1 to 1-6 adrift at the interval.

Meath made a couple of changes at half-time and closed the gap to seven points when Queeney added his second free. Five Louth changes interrupted their flow a little, but Meath failed to take advantage as Andy McDonnell, Rooney and Keenan stretched the hosts lead to 1-9 to 0-2.

Queeney again stopped the flow with Meath's first score from play after 41 minutes, but Keenan and Rooney responded to make it 1-11 to 0-3 at the end of the third quarter.

In a three mimnute spell Meath had a couple of decent chances, some taken, some missed. After another Queeney free, Byrne showed his strength to grab Meath's first goal and seconds later Queeney was denied by a great save from Sean O'Connor. The second goal did arrive with nine minutes remaining when Byrne's point attempt came back off the upright and landed in Na Fianna's Ollie Lewis' hands and he prodded to the net, 2-4 to 1-11.

As usual Meath threatened a recovery, but that threat didn't last long.

White pointed before Michael Rogers won possession ahead of Stephen Sheridan and produced a superb finish to tag on Louth's second goal.

There was still time for points from Rogers and Rooney either side of Carroll's flicked goal for Meath before McEneaney thankfully brought proceedings to a conclusion on a freezing cold afternoon.

Louth - N Gallagher; D Byrne, D Finnegan, R Greene; R Finnegan, A Hoey, J O'Brien; P Keenan (0-2), L Shevlin; P Smyth, A McDonnell (0-1), D Maguire; D Clarke (0-2, frees), J P Rooney (1-5, one free), B White (0-3). Subs - D Crilly for Maguire 31 mins, S Fitzpatrick for Shevlin 31m, S O'Neill for O'Brien 31m, P Rath for Hoey 31m, M Fanning for Byrne 31m, S O'Connor for Gallagher 36m, M Rogers (1-1) for Clarke 52m, J Craven for McDonnell 52m.

Meath - B Murphy; S Sheridan, J Macken, D Dalton; G O'Brien, B Regan, G Reilly; M Kennedy, M Ward; P Byrne (1-0), S O'Rourke, D Sheridan; M Newman, J Queeney (0-4, three frees), C Gillespie. Subs - E Gilsenan for Regan 30 mins, S Kennedy for Reilly half-time, N Mooney for Ward half-time, D Lyons for Murphy 35m, D Carroll (1-0) for Newman 36m, O Lewis (1-0) for O'Rourke.

Referee - Pat McEneaney (Monaghan).

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