BOYLAN TALKS SPORT Disappointment, pride and reasons to be hopeful

Nearly 12 months to the day, the point was made in this space that “It had to happen sometime”. Back then, reference was of course being made to Louth defeating Meath in the championship for the first time, in Grattan Park Inniskeen, where they again had the edge over the Royal County in the final round of the National League.

Sunday, though, was different. The Wee County’s first annexation of a Leinster title in nearly seven decades. Indeed it did have to happen sometime. And, wasn’t it nearly fate that, when they did, it would be at greatest expense to Meath.

From a Louth perspective, there were hatchets to be buried, famines to be ended and the like. That said, all the bluff and bluster about revenge and settling scores was all drummed up outside the sanctuary of either team's inner sanctum.

In reality, the only connection to then and now was in the fact that Bryan Menton was an unused sub on the Meath panel way back in 2010. And, when it was all boiled down, Ger Brennan’s team were worthy winners on the day.

In contrast, from a certain angle, Meath might be inclined to feel this was one that got away on them, but, deep down, they will also know that when you concede three goals against any team - let alone in the first half against a team for whom every replenishment of the onion bag was like a transfusion of oxygen - you can’t have many complaints.

Yet, as if to underline the makeup of the occasion as a game of contradictions, it couldn’t be said that any Meath player put in a drastically below par shift.

If anything, if pressed to pinpoint what was Meath’s undoing, a lack of street wisdom, a dearth of experience in the big field and a few highly questionable refereeing decisions would sum it all up fairly well.

No doubt anyone with even a passing interest in the red corner would, I’m sure, rage at the irony of our lads taking issue with refereeing decisions given some certain past happenings.

Valid as such a viewpoint might be, the fact is that the penalty awarded to Louth was no more a valid one than a cow gets Bank Holidays off.

Then, Mat Costello was accosted with a yellow card so ridiculously unwarranted that the Dunshaughlin clubman deserves commendation for the manner in which he held his composure for a elongated period and, not only that, but be on hand to crack a late goal to the Louth net.

Mind you, through no fault of their own, collectively, Meath could’ve done with a little more calm, composure and nous coming down the home stretch.

That, however, comes with age and experience. Which those in the red corner had considerably more of, given that they were appearing in their third consecutive Leinster Final whereas there were Meath players only had the same number of appearances at the Dublin 3 venue.

Yet, to be fair to them, they belied that fact on several occasions throughout a typically pulsating joust between the familiar foes. Most notably after the first two Louth ‘majors’.

In particular after the Ryan Burns’ strike which got those under the guidance of the Dublin Brennan rather than the Meath one got back to parity at 0-09 to 2-03.

In truth, Meath were sublime in the spell which followed as Ruairi Kinsella, James Conlon, Eoghan Frayne and Sean Coffey essayed scores worthy of any occasion to leave the green and gold up by 0-13 to 2-3 as the half time hooter approached.

But then, one was again reminded of Con Houlihan’s immortal line that “Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make mad”. Because, having worked themselves into a thoroughly deserved handy lead, the scene which to them must have been their shower scene in Psycho - you know what’s coming, you see it coming but there’s damn all you can do about it - unfolded before their eyes.

That is to say, for the fourth time in two seasons, Craig Lennon charging at the Meath goal and unleashing an exocet missile beyond Billy Hogan’s reach.

Which meant that, instead of having a four point cushion turning to shoot into the green and gold festooned Hill 16, the buffer was the most slender one possible.

For all that, Meath admirably kept their noses in front courtesy of scores from Billy Hogan, Donal Keogan, Keith Curtis and the returning Jordan Morris. Until, that is, the final and most cruel turning point.

When, as Fergal Lynch said elsewhere in these pages, referee Martin McNally saw a foul that nobody else in the 65,786 attendance could. Thereafter, to give Sam Mulroy credit where it’s due, the Louth talisman and captain duly did come up trumps when the hoisting of an orange flag ended one of the longest droughts between drinks in the GAA.

Ironically, though, it was a second dousing with the same hose on the same day for Meath. Because the ladies had also put themselves a winning position only to be outdone by the fulcrum of the opposition operation.

Shane McCormack’s side having opened so brightly with points via Emma Duggan, Vikki Wall and Marion Farrelly. Midfielder Farrelly had to be withdrawn on 26 minutes due to injury and, whether notional or reality, Meath never appeared to operate with the same fluency thereafter.

Even though, with 11 minutes remaining, Niamh Gallogly had scythed through the two shades of blue and buried the ball in front of Hill 16. Alas, in a trailer of what was to follow - up to and including a Dunshaughlin player netting in the same spot - Dublin’s older heads - and the introduced Carla Rowe in particular - steadied their ship and closed out a victory that for long spells looked highly unlikely. So, a day of double disappointment for Meath, but one in which immense pride can be taken in how two basically new ensembles of players acquitted themselves. Which in itself should give Gaels in the county plenty of reason for hope. For the rest of the season and beyond.