Replay for Classic Meath/Dublin Match

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Irish Voice Sport

Replay for Classic Meath/Dublin Match

June 8, 2007

By Cathal Dervan

MEATH and Dublin revived memories of old clashes as a last minute point from a sideline ball by substitute Cian Ward earned a Royals a Croke Park draw Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-14 in a thrilling Leinster SFC quarterfinal on Sunday. Ward struck gold for the GAA the Sunday, June 17 replay will be worth €1.5 million with that late equalizer after Meath twice came back from five points down to frighten the provincial champions.

“We were five down after 47 minutes but we created a lot more chances than Dublin from there on,” said Meath selector Dudley Farrell afterwards. “We showed great battling qualities all through but then we never doubted the lads. They showed that there’s no great gap between ourselves and Dublin.

“Some of the refereeing decisions were unfortunate but, on the plus side, the team refused to be disheartened by them and eventually worked their way to safety. Some decisions definitely went against us but maybe we’ll get those calls the next day. The important thing was that we kept working and battling which was very important especially after making such a slow start.”

Graham Geraghty, who may face disciplinary action after RTE cameras caught him tussling with David Henry, had a goal and a penalty appeal disallowed while Dublin’s Alan Brogan may have been in the square when he hit the net just before halftime.

“I couldn’t see much of a push there with Graham for his goal,” added Farrell. “It was a tussle for a ball and Graham got it. Maybe because it was Graham Geraghty it was blown against him. I could see nothing wrong with it.

“Even the linesman, I was talking to him, was sure it was a square ball. Another day these decisions go with you, but today they didn’t and we will move on.

“People are talking that Dublin have three years of an advantage on us in terms of building. But we’re building too and we’re right there with them as well. Our lads believed in what they could achieve today.”

Geraghty claimed referee McKee could have awarded him a second half penalty and allowed his first-half goal to stand.

“On the spur of the moment I thought they were a bit harsh but I’ll have to watch it again on television to see how the referee came to his decision,” said Geraghty.

“I thought the second one was definitely a penalty but the first one (the disallowed goal) I’d have to look at again. I thought I jumped cleanly for the ball but these things happen in big games and you just have to get on with it.”

Dublin manager Paul Caffrey was quick to praise both sets of players. “It was a great game, full of championship intensity and it renewed the old rivalry between these two sides,” said Caffrey.

“There was a lot of heart shown by both sides and we’re all happy to live to fight another day. We weren’t beaten so we have to temper the disappointment. It remains to be seen how much this performance brings us on. It was our first game for eight weeks so it should bring us on a good deal but then it will also bring Meath on.

“There was great intensity out there from start to finish. It was a renewal of a great rivalry and it’s still all to play for.”

Louth Wins

LOUTH finally saw off Wicklow at the third attempt at Croke Park on Sunday with manager Eamon McEneaney more than happy with the second half performance of his side in their 2-18 to 0-11 win.

“I think it was just a case that out lads were more determined today than they had been in the other two games and wanted to finish the job they had started,” said McEneaney.

“In the couple of games against Wicklow at times we were on the ropes but we just kept battling and it was only the will to hang on that kept us in there.

“But we knew that we had to put the quality with the commitment and we did that. We got the hangover from the National league out of the way and I think we had a certain amount of that no matter what way you looked at it.

“A lot of people asked a lot of questions about the quality left in the team and we’ve shown that we still have the quality and I knew it was there it was just a matter of time before it came out but the question was were we going to get the time, hopefully we can produce this the next day.”

Wicklow manager Mick O’Dwyer was upset with that second half collapse and said, “We are disappointed of course, we put up good performances in two and a half games. There were two games we could have easily won, but that happens on a given day we just didn’t perform in the second half.

“I was terribly disappointed with the second half because we did play well in the first half, we came back from three points down and put some great moves together and could have got a goal as well, but when they got the goal our lads heads dropped and that was it.

“We played very well in the first half, but overall Louth were the better team and I wish them well and I think they will be a team to do well in Leinster. The conditions weren’t good and in the league we didn’t play well in bad conditions.

“It was a great learning experience for Wicklow and a great learning experience overall and let’s hope that we can continue and go on from there.”

Wicklow now go straight into the Tommy Murphy Cup and Micko added, “It’s a terrible state of affairs, we don’t get a chance to get back in and reshape and have another go of it, but that’s just part and parcel and that’s how the GAA organize it and we just have to accept it.”

Kerry Wins

KERRY boss Pat O’Shea believes his team can only get better after an emphatic 2-15 to 0-4 win over Waterford in the Munster SFC on Sunday.

“To be honest about it, I thought the performance in the second half was poor. We put up a good score in the first half and in some respects that gave us breathing space,” said O’Shea.

“Maybe the experience the guys have gained over the last few years meant they might have decided, ‘We have to pull up a small bit here. But there will need to be improvements for the final. Maybe we’re striving for perfection too early in the season, but we were a little rusty in the beginning and I’m not convinced our performance was hugely impressive.

“We were a bit rusty in the beginning; we had some handling errors and some scoring chances we didn’t take What was nice about it was that even though Waterford had a lot of wides, particularly in the second half, defensively there was still good shape, there was still good covering, good help and support. Defensively they performed well, I was happy with that.”

Laois Wins

LAOIS boss Liam Kearns was relieved after his side saw off Longford on Saturday with a 0-14 to 0-9 win.

“We won the game and that’s what quarterfinals are about, so I’m happy in that respect. Longford had a championship game played, beating Westmeath and I was expecting plenty from them,” Kearns said.

“We struggled in the first half, but we could have had three goals as well. The message at halftime was that it wasn’t good enough and if we didn’t improve, we weren’t going to win. Fellas had to stand up and, in fairness, they did it in the second half.”

Longford football manager Luke Dempsey felt his team should have had a second half penalty and said, “A goal was given between Donegal and Armagh and I could see very little in the difference between that and our one. Padraic Berry ran in from distance, made no contact with the goalie, but the referee called a free out and from that, they go up and get a point.

“That was a four point difference and championship matches are turned on such decisions.”

Power Out

A HAMSTRING injury has ruled Richie Power out of Kilkenny’s Leinster SHC semifinal against Offaly at Portlaoise on Sunday when manager Brian Cody expects a big test from the underdogs.

“I’m expecting a huge challenge -– Offaly will be hungry and they’ve had a good game and a strong performance against Laois already,” said Cody. “They scored 1-26 and looked very impressive. Offaly have been building and have put together a very skilful team, a very strong team.”

GAA Shorts

THE Cork County Board will have their appeal against the Thurles tunnel incident heard on Thursday night when they will fight bans handed out to goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack and defenders John Gardiner, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Diarmuid O’Sullivan for their part in incidents before the Munster SHC clash with Clare, who are also likely to appeal against the suspensions dished out to Colin Lynch, Alan Markham, Andrew Quinn and Barry Nugent . . .

TYRONE will have forward Ryan Mellon available for the Ulster SFC semifinal against Donegal on Sunday, June 17 despite a recent red card in a club game but Gerard Cavlan may be suspended after a similar fate befell him on duty for Dungannon. Tommy McGuigan and Niall Gormley will both miss the game after they picked up injuries in club games at the weekend but Stephen O’Neill, Joe McMahon and Owen Mulligan should be fit after recent injury problems . . .

RTE have appealed to the GAA to delay the throw-in time for the Dublin-Meath replay at Croke Park on Sunday week from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to facilitate live television. The Leinster replay will be preceded by the meeting of Louth and Wexford in the quarterfinal . . .

THE Ulster SFC quarter final between Derry and Antrim will be played at Casement Park on Sunday after the original game was postponed last Sunday due to a waterlogged pitch . . .

LONGFORD footballer Brian Kavanagh and Cork hurler Ronan Curran have been named as the May winners of Opel Gaelic player of the month awards . . .

CORK expect to have Timmy McCarthy back and fit for Sunday week’s Munster SHC semifinal against Waterford after he played for his club at the weekend . . .

DERRY forward Paddy Bradley will be able to line out against Antrim in Sunday’s refixed Ulster SFC quarterfinal, despite facing a disciplinary hearing . . .

DUBLIN will be without talented youngster Johnny McCaffrey and Kevin O’Reilly for Saturday’s Leinster SHC semifinal against Wexford . . .

INJURY has ruled Paul Kelly out of Tipperary’s Munster SHC semifinal clash with Limerick on Sunday.

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