Replay offers promotional opportunity for the GAA

Last Sunday's SFC final draw (0-10 apiece) between Summerhill and Dunshaughlin will have an indirect positive impact for whichever team emerges victorious after the replay in terms of lead-in time for the opening round of the Leinster Club SFC clash against the Dublin champions. The Meath champions will tackle their Dublin counterparts in the provincial competition at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday 13th November after Leinster Council sanctioned a change from the initial date of Sunday 23rd October following a request from Dublin Co Board. Normally, changes are not permitted in the Leinster Club competitions, but Dublin's pleas received a favourable hearing and a change was sanctioned last week at a meeting in Portlaoise. Due to last Sunday's draw the Meath champions will now only face a wait of four weeks for the game and with a Feis Cup tie between Summerhill and Dunshaughlin still to be played, the Meath representatives will not be hugely disadvantaged by the delay. Last Sunday at Pairc Tailteann, underdogs Dunshaughlin produced a battling performance against a Summerhill side that was bidding to end a 25-year exile on the championship sidelines. With Meath manager Seamus McEnaney and selectors Tom Keague and Graham Geraghty watching, there was an opportunity for established and fringe players to make an impression. The weather conditions militated against quality football, but there was wholehearted commitment from both sides. Summerhill got off to a flyer and established a 0-3 to 0-0 lead, but Dunshaughlin settled and were ahead by 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval. Dunshaughlin remained on the front foot in an exciting second-half and were ahead by 0-10 to 0-9 until Brian Ennis drew the sides level. Summerhill were also denied a goal when Ronan Gogan and then Caoimhin King produced spectacular saves. There was also success for the small club with a big-name manager when Clonard won the Junior B title under the stewardship of Kevin Foley who famously scored THAT goal against Dublin in the third replay in 1991. There were great celebrations at the final whistle with tributes paid to Foley and also to chairman Joe Gannon and his wife Mary, stalwarts of the club through the days when defeat was a more regular visitor. "This is a great occasion for our club, I have a lot of people on my list to thank and I have to include my wife Mary on the top of that list," stated Gannon who, for many years was a top class hurling referee with his wife acting in the role of umpire. The Keegan Cup final replay will take place on Sunday 16th October, 3.0 with the MFC decider as the curtainraiser at 1.0. That game will feature Ratoath or Donaghmore/Ashbourne against Simonstown Gaels or Moynalvey. After last Sunday's disappointing crowd (estimated at 3,000), Meath Co Committee now have an opportunity to promote the final again, perhaps offering a family ticket for €20 to admit two adults and two children or even offer some deals through Cumann na mBunscoil aimed at packing the Pairc? This Sunday the focus will turn to hurling when Kildalkey go for three-in-a-row of SHC titles with Navan O'Mahonys bidding to end 25 years in the shadows. The last time O'Mahonys won the SHC title (1986) Summerhill claimed the SFC title. The identity of Meath's next minor football manager should be revealed at next Monday night's Co Committee meeting at Aras Tailteann. The process appears to have taken a lengthy period as the closing date for the nominations was almost two months ago, Friday 19th August. It is understood that the position has generated a lot of discussion at club level and that Andy McEntee has now emerged as the frontrunner. U-21 football manager Liam Harnan and the new minor manager will face stern opposition in the respective 2012 provincial competitions after the draws were made last week. Leinster u-21 FC: first round - Offaly v Meath; Kilkenny v Louth; Wicklow v Carlow; Wexford v Dublin; quarter-finals - Offaly or Meath v Kildare; Kilkenny or Louth v Longford; Wicklow or Carlow v Westmeath; Wexford or Dublin v Laois. Leinster MFC: first round - Longford v Meath, Kilkenny v Offaly, Louth v Westmeath, Wicklow v Laois, Carlow v Dublin, Kildare v Wexford.