Brendan Boylan Column: Deferring to the past to sustain the present and build for the future
All too easily is the sense of foreboding in the build up to the All-Ireland SFC final of 1991 recalled. Not just in terms of the ultimately futile hunt for a match ticket, but, even more so, due to the dawning of the reality that Colm O’Rourke wasn’t going to be fit to start - or possibly play any part at all - against Down.
Add to the mix that Robbie O’Malley was also out and that Mick Lyons succumbed to a knee injury early in the second half and it truly is a wonder that Meath were able to recover from 0-5 to 1-11 in arrears to get as close to Pete McGrath’s team as was the case.
Of course it was only possible because others like Liam Hayes, PJ Gillic, Gerry McEntee, the introduced Alan Browne and - in particular - the brilliant Bernard Flynn stood up to the plate and did their best to make up for what were, in reality, unfillable voids.
That most heartbreaking of days returned to mind, again, during the past sporting week for several reasons. Let’s go to Pairc Tailteann on Saturday afternoon firstly. Meath’s first outing in the All Ireland Ladies SFC against Armagh.
There’s no doubt the Orchard County have been one of the most improved sides on the ladies’ scene in recent times, and proved as such with an Aoife McCoy goal appearing to have put the Ulster side in the driving seat but similar strikes from Vikki Wall and captain, Aoibhin Cleary, meant the sides went in deadlocked - 2-04 to 1-07 - before the home side turned to shoot into what would be traditionally regarded as the scoring goals at the Navan venue - the Navan O’Mahonys end.
The sides pretty much went point for point for the majority of the second half until a goal and point from scorer-in-chief Niamh Reel appeared to have seen the Ulster side home.
However, it was at that point that the home side deferred to past experience to secure their present in the race for the Brendan Martin Cup and have them looking towards the future.
In that it was heroines of glory days of yore like Cleary, Niamh Gallogly, Vikki Wall and, in particular, the returning Shauna Ennis, as well as emerging stars such as Robyn Murray, Ciara Smyth and another sub, Katie Bermingham, who ended up prompting the rescue of what could end up being a pivotal point.
Sometimes, when strife appears at its greatest, it’s a matter of going back to methodology of the most basic. In football terms, that means letting the ball do the work.
Thus it was on Saturday, when a long ball in was grasped by former skipper Ennis who turned and blasted a low shot under Anna Carr to leave the minimum between the sides.
Then, with a certain degree of inevitability about what happened next. Vikki doing what she’d done all day, grabbed matters by the scruff of the neck and drove over a mighty equaliser which was the least she and her colleagues deserved.
With the positive pep in the step, thoughts turned to Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore, where our minor footballers took on Kildare in Tier II All-Ireland MFC final. Unfortunately, while, like the Ladies, the young Royals made a valiant attempt to reel in what looked a hopeless cause but - ultimately - they had left themselves too much ground to make up.
Kildare’s buoyant start enabled by the aid of the considerable breeze and, more so, the contribution of midfielder Callum Keaveney, who contributed 2-3 over the course of proceedings, as Niall Cronin’s side built up a 2-07 to 0-03 buffer before the elements switched to the aid of Joe Cowley’s crew.
To be fair, the spirited youngsters gave bringing the Paul McGirr Cup a right rattle, with a Sean Smith goal and a slew of points from Charlie Gallagher, the aforementioned goal scorer, Adam McEvoy, Stephen Cahill and substitute CJ Lynch leaving just a kick of the ball between the sides when the clock won the race.
Naturally, a gut-wrenching conclusion to a rollercoaster season for a very gifted group of young men. Many of whose names you will surely hear on Meath teams in the years ahead.
Which in itself vindicates the work being done by Paul Garrigan and others around the development of young players. In ways, though, and, especially with minor gone to u-17, it’s now the real work starts.
In terms of bringing these young players through the system, into development squads and the like to minimise the instance of player drop off.
To be fair, it must be said that, in the last decade or so, Meath have got their house in order with regard to underage football. Results and progress are beginning to bear out as such though.
It does make you wonder, however, what the commensurate picture looks like with hurling in the county. That is not, in any way, to denigrate the efforts of those giving of their best to develop and progress the small ball code in the county.
Merely an admission that the feeling that matters have regressed is inescapable. Depending on how far back you want to go, there never really was an explanation as to why Seoirse Bulfin left his role as senior manager.
What’s beyond debate, mind you, is that the Limerick man’s departure prompted a spiral which was made to look all the more glaring over the past weekend when placed against the reality of Kildare going straight from winning the Christy Ring Cup last season to a point where they will be competing in the Leinster SHC and Div 1B of the Allianz League in 2026.
It’s not all that long ago that beating teams like Kildare, Westmeath and Laois was well within the compass of the Meath senior hurling team. However, presently, they have ascended to a different plateau altogether and left us behind.
Surely at some point somebody must ask why?