It was a touch harsh on Eamonn Barry, Meath’s manager at the time, though the national newspaper headline ‘Barry’s bizarre decisions backfire’ did sum up the confusion felt by some supporters at the time.

A baptism of fire is de rigueur in becoming the GAA’s national match officials manager. Nine years ago, Pat Doherty stepped into the role the day after Martin Sludden awarded Joe Sheridan that goal in the Leinster final.

The GAA are expected to ensure there is no promotion of either side ahead of the Eighth Amendment referendum at any of next month’s Championship games.

I see that Australian sportsman Israel Folau got himself in hot water over the last few weeks with remarks about gay people.

Offaly football manager Stephen Wallace has hit out at the negativity of recently retired inter-county players, accusing them of “throwing stones” at former teammates.

The all-consuming nature of inter-county life finds itself front and centre once more. Burnout tends to dominate GAA discourse this time of year, but the tales of Kieran Bergin and Joe Sheridan have overshadowed however many emerging talents are being pulled here, there and everywhere.

At a time of great volatility in the world, there is considerable comfort in the few reliables we encounter during this extended period of reflection in the GAA calendar.

Former Meath footballer Joe Sheridan has painted a bleak picture of inter-county football, claiming some players are “nearly detesting” it.

Although the Irish coffee was not specifically invented for the Christmas period, it has quickly become the traditional pick-me-up drink for many during these dark, cold and dreary evenings.

Gary Daly and Arthur McDonagh face off in an all-Fermoy Mick Barry Cup final to fill the last spot in next month’s King of the Roads semi-final.

Fermoy bowlers Arthur McDonagh and Gary Daly scored a double in the Mick Barry Cup at Ballincurrig in the race for a semi-final place in next month’s King of the Roads.

Former Louth manager Paddy Carr believes referee Brendan Gorman “lost control of everything towards the end” of the county’s remarkable qualifier defeat to Meath in 2002.

Laois 1-16 Meath 2-13: A controversial late penalty saw Meath advance on Saturday night in Stradbally to the O’Byrne Cup semi-finals at the expense of hosts Laois.

It was the end of the world as we knew it. That’s what we were told, anyway. That the reprieve offered to Diarmuid Connolly by two of the three men sitting on the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) panel had taken a match to the GAA’s disciplinary system.

Is the first guy to do it? You must be having a laugh, writes Mike Quirke.

Louth captain Adrian Reid says that today’s game against Meath “is our Leinster final, make no mistake about it.” But he doesn’t say it for purposes of revenge. You know - Joe Sheridan, Martin Sludden and all that.

Former Louth star JP Rooney insists he doesn’t harbour any bitterness towards ex-Meath forward Joe Sheridan following the controversial 2010 Leinster SFC final between the counties.

New operators are being sought for the bar at Shannon Airport named after the inventor of Irish coffee and where US president Barack Obama had his first pint of Guinness.

Aidan Desmond is All-Ireland Junior C champion after completing a unique sporting triple, in two sports, over two days, culminating in an emphatic win over Conor O’Neill in Sunday’s final at Drogheda.

Michael Bohane will lead the Munster challenge at next weekend’s All-Ireland finals following his clear win over Raymond Ryan in Sunday’s intermediate final at Lyre.

Could your county board do with an extra €5m? Would your county board like this €5m to come in the form of one of those great Fifa loans that don’t actually have to be paid back?

The 2014 season wasn’t without its fair share of disputes and furore. But just where does the likes of Shane Enright’s non-black card, Parade-gate and Stephen O’Keeffe’s safety-defying save from Anthony Nash rank in the GAA’s biggest on-field Championship controversies since 2000?

LEINSTER SFC FINAL:

It’s with an assuredness that Kevin Reilly now speaks of Meath football.

“Will we see another Geraghty run amok on a playing field?”

Deemed too old for inter-county football and possibly too young for politics, the last eight months have been a whirlwind for Joe Sheridan. But the 30-year-old’s interest in both remains unstinted.

Joe Sheridan believes Meath could be as many as 10 years behind Dublin in terms of football development.

LEINSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

From Dracula to Fr Ted and Boyzone, we have devised some of the most brilliant, but often annoying, things on the planet, says John Daly.

Graham Geraghty will be a 40-year-old Sigerson Cup virgin when he lines out against Footballer of the Year Michael Darragh Macauley early next year.

Meath defender Bryan Menton insists they don’t need a slice of rivals Dublin’s vast sponsorship pie to catch upon the All-Ireland champions.

Former League of Ireland player Shane Barrett turned in a remarkable display when powering Na Fianna into the semi-finals of the Meath SFC for the first time at Páirc Tailteann on Saturday.

Limerick’s objection to their minors’ All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Galway last Sunday is likely to fail on the basis of a rule in the GAA Official Guide.

Meath champions Navan O’Mahonys strolled through to the county SFC quarter-finals with a 0-10 to 0-5 victory over Seneschalstown in yesterday’s fourth-round clash at Stamullen.

Tyrone 0-17 Meath 2-9

There was a time that, once out of Leinster, Championship life finally began for Meath.

There are two changes to the Meath defence for their Leinster SFC semi-final clash with Wexford at Croke Park on Sunday (throw-in 2pm).

Wicklow 1-12 Meath 1-17

Wicklow 1-12 Meath 1-17

Meath manager Mick O'Dowd has included two Championship debutants in his team to face Wicklow in Saturday's Leinster SFC quarter-final in Aughrim (throw-in 7pm).

Allianz FL Division 3 final

ALL-IRELAND COLLEGES SAFC FINAL

Meath 2-12 Fermanagh 0-14