BOYLAN TALKS SPORT A bridge too far on a journey of significant progress

It is said that a picture paints a thousand words, but if one was to take a portrait of the scoreboard in Croke Park at full time on Sunday evening it would give a very distorted, unfair view not only of Meath’s contribution to the game, but of their entire season.

I cannot abide the notion of moral victories, but, the best and fairest summation of Sunday in the context of the entire season would be to say it was a bridge too far on a journey of significant progress during Robbie Brennan’s first season in charge.

If looking for pointers of positivity from the campaign just concluded, consider that in Billy Hogan, Sean Rafferty, Sean Coffey, Ruairi Kinsella and Mat Costello, the spine of the team has a very settled look about it.

Furthermore, it’s only right and fair to acknowledge the way in which players like Rafferty, Kinsella, Conor Duke and Keith Curtis emerged as significant contributors to an odyssey which took us to the second last hurdle in all of Ireland. Where, essentially, lack of experience competing against Grade One opposition saw them undone in the final few furlongs.

Now, of course, the uncomfortable question regarding whether the likes of Donal Keogan, Bryan Menton and Cillian O’Sullivan will go to the well once again. Well, in terms of the first pair mentioned, if their on-field output is anything to go by, there’s no doubt both still have plenty more to offer in green and gold. And, though he may not get as much game time as was once the case in times past, I know that, given the respect in which he is held and the positive influence he conveys within the group, Robbie will be very keen to keep Cillian aboard too.

Of greater interest still, mind you, will be to see which members of the Development Squad - extended panel - can push for more active roles in 2026.

At different stages this year, players such as Sean Ryan, Mick Murphy, Charlie O’Connor, Sean Emmanuel and Jack Kinlough have broken into the matchday 26.

There’s no reason that (a) those that have got the reins on their necks cannot kick on to the next level or (b) other members of recent U-20 teams like John O’Regan, Michael McIvor, Rian McConnell and Jamie Murphy cannot kick on to the next level and break into the Development Squad. Similar sentiments can also be appended to the likes of Cian Commons, Hughie Corcoran, Rian Stafford and Tadhg Martyn can’t kick on and break into the senior panel.

So, having said all of the above, where did Sunday last go so wrong? My theory on that is two pronged. (i) That Meath, understandably, were predisposed to attempting two pointers given their alacrity at converting them throughout the season. Alas, the one day they really went to lean on the orange flag option, luck and accuracy deserted them.

And (ii) that the loss of Bryan Menton to a 20th minute injury had a more cataclysmic effect on Meath’s ambition than may well be calculable. That is not to in the slightest criticise his replacement Conor Gray.

After all, as was said in a previous offering here, that the gargantuan Dunshaughlin midfielder is in a position to play football at all - let alone at inter county level - is nothing short of a miracle.

No, disappointment felt at Menton’s early departure was - apart from for the man himself obviously - because it left Donal Keogan to shoulder the experience burden on what is a very young, raw side.

Not to mention the fact that, in that opening quarter, Donaghmore/Ashbourne’s Menton had ruled the skies around Drumcondra while he was on but the minute the former captain succumbed, the young Royals found themselves dealing with traffic chaos that they were never able to get under control.

Now, no doubt, knowing we were beaten by 20 points some will scoff and possibly even sneer at the following, but, the fact is that when the match was still a contest, the men from the north west benefitted from two awful refereeing decisions involving the same Meath player which certainly put the eventually vanquished on the back foot very quickly thereafter.

Firstly, Michael Langan can count himself a very lucky boy to have escaped a black card at the very least for taking Keith Curtis out along the Hogan Stand sideline and then, the highly impressive Rathkenny clubman was absolutely fouled in the junction of the Hogan and Nally stands, but again it was play on and at the end of said passage of play the ball ended up in the Meath net. Inches.

However, painful though it may be to contemplate, when you kick 15 wides and leave seven balls short into the ‘keeper, you only need a mirror to find the reason your ambitions were derailed.

But then, nothing or nobody can take from the monumental progress which has been made and what it means for the future. Thanks lads.