Down defeat Royals on Burke's big day
Longwood player marks 200th appearance for Meath
Down...2-20
Meath...1-16
It's not too often a club gets to host an competitive senior inter-county game and have to manage the razzmatazz and the hullabaloo that goes with it.
Today Longwood got a chance to stage the Kehoe Cup game with Down and the club made sure everything at their home ground was spick and span with a couple of hundred spectators showing up.
Of course the venue wasn't picked at random. Longwood was the choice because one of their local heroes, Mickey Burke, was making his 200th appearance for Meath in a competitive senior game. He has reached that astonishing milestone through turning, for both hurling and football county teams over the past two decades.
He, as you might expect, captained the team today leading out the side through a guard of honour made up of youngsters from the club and others who just wanted to wish the long-serving player the very best on a special occasion for him and his family.
Among those in attendance was his father, known far and wide as 'Stoney' Burke, who played for Meath in minor and senior football games in the Leinster championships on the same day back in 1959 - another astonishing feat.
The only blot on a truly memorable day for young Michael was the fact that Meath lost this tie - their opening competitive outing of 2024. They still can make amends with two more games in this competition on the horizon against Wicklow and Kildare.
Not surprisingly, as he looks to rebuild the team for the season ahead, Meath manager Seoirse Bulfin fielded an experimental looking side and some of the more experienced players who played some were tried out in less familiar positions, such as, for example, Nicky Potterton and Sean Quigley, two richly-talented forwards, who got game-time in midfield.
Both did very well too in their more central positions, their respective performances distinguished by visionary passing and perceptive interventions that suggests they could be seen in these roles yet again.
Of the relative newcomers Na Fianna's Seanie Martin certainly didn't do his cause much harm with a strong, assertive displayed capped by three fine points from play. His clubmate Ronan Byrne also did well in defence as did Simon Ennis. Padraig O'Hanrahan, as ever, put in a busy, all action performance. He often roamed deep to pick up ball and invariably distributed it well. He ended up with eight points, seven frees.
Invariably there was some early-season rustiness on display. O'Hanrahan, for instance, spurned some chances when he spooned a few frees wide you would normally expect him to score with ease. He also was unable to score from a late penalty with Down 'keeper Pearse Smyth making an outstanding save to turn the ball away.
Daire Shine was another of those who sparkled for the home side. He fired home 1-1, his well-executed goal in the opening half (after Down struggled to clear) helping to gain a foothold in the game for Meath who struggled to deal with Down's intensity from the start. Quigley came on at the interval and made his presence felt from play as well as decorating his afternoon with three points.
Young Mark Horan also highlighted his afternoon with a top-quality score.
At no stage did the home side lead. The visitors - led by the commanding Pearse Og McCrickard who finished with 12 points, eight frees - deservedly were in front 0-14 to 1-7 at the interval and continued to stay one step ahead throughout the second-half. Goals from Niall Milligan and Jordan Murphy late on really helped their cause. Daithi Sands and Tom McGrattan were others caused Meath plenty of problems.
Victory eluded Meath in this game. A game that was special for Mickey Burke and the Longwood club.
SCORERS
Down - Pearse Og McCrickard 0-11, eight frees; Niall Milligan 1-0; Jordan Murphy 1-0; Daithi Sands 0-3; Tom McGrattan 0-2; Caolan Taggart 0-1; Tim Prenter 0-1; Eoghan Sands 0-1; Danny Toner 0-1.
Meath - Padraig O'Hanrahan 0-8, seven frees; Daire Shine 1-1; Sean Martin 0-3; Sean Quigley 0-3 one free, one '65''; Mark Horan 0-1.
TEAMS
Down - Pearse Smyth; Matt McAreavey, Conor Cassidy, Darragh Mallon; Barry Trainor, Coalan Taggart, Niall McFarland; Tim Prenter, Pearse Og McCrickard; Chris Egan, Eoghan Sands, Daithi Sands; Tom McGrattan, Donal Hughes, Danny Toner. Subs - Niall Milligan for Hughes half-time, Paul Sheehan for Prenter 38 mins, Aodhan Furlong for Sands 60m, Jordan Murphy for Toner 65m.
Meath - Jack Fagan; Ronan Byrne, Ciaran Lonergan, Michael Burke; Simon Ennis, Shane Whitty, Kris Gorman; Tom Shine, Nicky Potterton; Eoin Donegan, Daire Shine, Seanie Martin; Mark Horan, James Kelly, Padraig O'Hanrahan. Subs - Sean Quigley for Potterton, Jack Walsh for Donegan half-time; David Murtagh for T Shine 44m, Karl Rogers for Kelly 55m, Willie Gleeson for Horan 65m, Adam Kelly for Martin, Josh Wall for O'Hanrahan 71m.
Referee - Ciaran Goff (Wicklow).