BOYLAN TALKS SPORT: Making the best of what you have

There’s surely nothing more dispiriting for a team - or even an individual sports person - than to see their entire season’s efforts fizzle out in a damp squib of nothingness.

Like, for example, teams in that swamp of dead rubber during the final round of fixtures in the Premier League. For teams safe from the spectre of relegation but with no chances of advancement to European football next season.

Similar to the scenario which befell the Waterford hurlers in last year’s Munster Championship. Where their win over Tipperary counted for nothing other than to finish the Premier County’s season.

Unfortunately, the Meath Minor footballers succumbed to a similarly inauspicious end to their season when losing out in an All Ireland ‘C’ preliminary quarter final against Down in Pairc Tailteann.

Chances are I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t even aware the fixture was on. Yes, an appearance would’ve been made if such was the case.

A few weeks back, Fergal Lynch made the point that such an arena was not where a Meath team wanted or needed to be. I’m sure, like myself, our Editor wasn’t expressing that view to in any way have a dig at the players, mentors and backroom staff. Being acquainted with individuals in all three categories, the commitment and dedication put in by all concerned can be vouched for.

The question, more so, should be, what purpose do these Micheal O’Luch competitions actually serve? The value to keeping groups of players together is obvious, but does it have to be literally always together?

At what stage do competitions lose their credibility and become comparable to a school sports day where everyone gets a prize?

I’ve no idea when Joe Cowley and his assistants first brought a panel together for this season, but you can be pretty sure it was well in advance of their opening round encounter with Kildare.

Now, even if things were going well, there would be skill involved in keeping a group of young players engaged in the processes over a decent length of time. So how mentors, never mind players, could rise themselves for an outing like Saturday’s is beyond me.

Whether an individual or team pursuit, sporting or not, in order to achieve what you set out to, you have to make best use of what resources you do have. I’m just not sure the current competition structures at Minor level do that.

That said, there are numerous examples of teams making the most of what might disparagingly be referred to as meagre means. Punching above their weight in other words.

With absolutely no disrespect intended, Louth would surely top any such group. In fact, when you consider the infrastructural encumbrances which have inhibited the county in recent seasons, their achievements are all the more commendable. And before you say it, just as not all superheros wear capes, not all achievements bring silverware.

Achievement is best appraised when measured against a starting point.

For example, it’s not all that long ago Cavan weren’t even fielding a senior hurling team. Not only are they now fielding, but thanks to the heroic efforts of disciples of the ash in the Breffni County - with the assistance of Meath’s Neil Cole for a time - they have actually won a few games this season.

Incidentally, most recently, they recorded a resounding result against Leitrim. Who themselves have made significant progress in the small ball code, driven by the likes of Zac Moradi.

To return to more relatable comparisons in a local context one need only look at the cases of the Monaghan footballers and several hurling teams against whom Meath should be judging themselves - Offaly, Carlow, Down and Westmeath - and the gap between where we are and where we should be is magnified.

In one sense, there’s an inclination to give the players a pass in view of the upheaval which engulfed their camp for a period. But then, there was never any explanation as to what caused the strife other than the reality that one of the greatest advocates hurling in this county has ever had in Martin O’Halloran exited stage on foot of it.

Staying on matters hurling, Meath need only look at those around their own level to see what can be done. Offaly have been punching above their weight for more than four decades.

Yes, they have regressed somewhat from their former lofty ranking but that they were able to scale such heights at all is perhaps the greatest tribute to the people of the Faithful County there could be.

Consider the small pockets of hurling strength there are by the Faithful Fields. There are those in every county where football prospers greatest - including Meath.

Just as there are football enclaves in Limerick, Waterford, Wexford and, yes, to some extent, Kilkenny. Now consider results like Westmeath beating Wexford last term or even more sensationally, Carlow’s recent draw with Kilkenny.

However, from a Meath perspective, perhaps the most relatable reference point is that of the Offaly U-20 hurlers. While the exact first time Adam Screeney was seen hurling cannot be recalled, the impact wielded by the Kilcormac/Killoughey rising star had on the game in question and that which he has continued to purvey on every match in which he has been involved since is unmistakable.

That said, what has been really noticeable regarding the diminutive dynamo has been how Leo O’Connor and Johnny Kelly - Offaly U-20 and Senior hurling managers respectively - have managed the green-helmeted magician’s arduous workload.

With due respect to the stickmen of the Kingdom, Kelly was obviously confident enough his charges could get the job done (they duly did) without taking the wraps off Screeney for the day. No doubt you’re probably wondering what relevance that has in a Meath publication…

Here’s why. Because Colm O’Rourke et al are now have the luxurious conundrum of if and/or how to inculcate members of the Leinster winning U-20 panel and whatever other additions and/or alterations the Simonstown Gaels clubman has made to his panel since the defeat to Dublin.

The Meath boss told this paper “Shane Walsh is out with a metatarsal injury and obviously Brian O’Halloran has had a shoulder problem while John O’Regan and Jack Kinlough came back into us with shoulder injuries”.

While the exact makeup of the present panel isn’t known to yours truly, it can be confirmed that my club colleagues Seamus Lavin and Sean Ryan did link up with the touring party prior to the recent training camp in Portugal.

Yes, the likes of Jordan Morris, Walsh and O’Halloran would obviously be considerable losses but their absences present opportunities to others to step to the plate. Two of the forthcoming opponents - Monaghan and in more recent times Louth - have built their personas on punching above their weight. There’s no reason Meath can’t do the same.