Kennelly stands out in boring mismatch
Complacency could set into any opponent who stayed with this game until the end. Likewise, the GAA would want to be very careful not to have too many of these ‘encounters’ or the discerning public will vote with their feet.
It was that bad.
The first half was littered with mistakes by both sides and some of Meath’s 16 wides and attempted foot passes were of junior club standard rather than inter-county senior.
Things started poorly for Eamon O’Brien when his expected “on field” general Anthony Moyles made a dreadful handling error to gift Kerry a penalty.
All week we said that Moyles is not a natural full back and not comfortable on the edge of the square. That cameo proved fact irrefutably.
The second thing we learned from Darran O’Sullivan’s slip as he ran up to kick his goaled penalty was that the surface on Croke Park was unacceptable for the job it is meant to do.
No doubt the “there were a few showers before the game” excuse will be trotted out.
Based on yesterday’s evidence, we have a fine stadium, but a very poor surface for the biggest month in the GAA calendar and lets pray it will not rain for the hurling final on Sunday.
The recession is hitting us all, and the GAA are correct to look at other revenue streams for their headquarters. However the football or hurling supporter who shells out €45 for an All-Ireland semi-final or twice that, for a final should not be the fall guy or gal for a relaid pitch that is closer to an icing rink than the best field in the country.
The sod was not good enough yesterday. And that is not good enough at this level.
Players were slipping and sliding and the ball skidded alarmingly the second it hit grass, even a direct bounce was not coming back to base. In my opinion it had a detrimental impact on the quality of the game and that is unacceptable for both players and supporters.
It would be churlish and unfair to exclusively blame the slippery pitch for the periods of wretched play we had to endure. Meath were at sea all day and only for the free taking and exquisite sidelines that Cian Ward scored they would have been hammered.
Their lack of pace at the back was alarming and Tadhg Kennelly gave Cormac McGuinness a torrid time.
The Listowel man looks like a player who has been calibrated all season to play in Croke Park. His fitness, work-rate and link play was top class and it was his marvellous cross-field pass that set up Walsh’s well-taken goal.
The fact he also kicked two fine points from play only confirmed his outstanding contribution and should have put him in the shop window for man of the match. His potential clash with Graham Canty in the final is one to savour. Paul Galvin and Tomás O Sé picked up a lot of breaking ball around the middle third and the entire Kerry half-back line were in control throughout.
Indeed the central axis of Mike McCarthy and Tommy Griffin will have been a source of comfort for Jack O’Connor. McCarthy has been a revelation since his return from retirement and he appears to be enjoying his football with the freedom of the centre back posting. Another man who often escapes under the radar of praise is Seamus Scanlon and yesterday he was by far the best midfielder on view.
To beat Cork in the final they will need both him and Darragh O Sé in flying form. Likewise they will need Colm Cooper and Declan O’Sullivan, who did not score yesterday, to offer more penetration. On too many occasions they went laterally rather than going directly for goal.
The gulf between Meath and Kerry is immense and that was exceedingly evident from the subs that they brought on – Tommy Walsh, Aidan O’Mahony, Paul O’Connor and Micheál Quirke compared to Mark Ward, Niall McKeigue and Jamie Queeney.
O’Connor has some decisions to make for the final, Tommy Walsh’s quick fire 1-2 should see him in the starting 15, however the lack of a long-range free taker is an issue.
That was obvious when Cooper tried to go short with a 45 in the first half and such option taking won’t work in the final. Other than Bryan Sheehan, there is no obvious man to come in, just for frees, but in a tight game it could be decisive.
Yesterday’s performance will not be good enough to beat Cork; that said, who would wager against Kerry in an All-Ireland final on the 125th centenary year?
