Royals ‘battling performance’ delights Farrell

DUDLEY FARRELL, standing in for manager Colm Coyle, had reason to be bullish.

“It was 20 minutes before our first score. Maybe that’s down to nerves, there are a lot of lads out there who wouldn’t have tasted that level of football before, and maybe it took them that long to get up to the pace of the game.

“I thought Dublin pulled their half-forwards out in the first half to leave space for the long ball into their full-forward line. We were trying to counteract that but the conditions meant the ball slid rather than hopped, which might be a nicer ball for forwards. But I thought we addressed any flaws at half-time and came out fighting in the second half. We won most of the breaks in the middle of the field after half-time.

“In the last ten minutes we had more chances to win it than Dublin. I know in the first 10, 20 minutes they ran us ragged, we never got settled, but from then on I thought we gave as good as we got.”

The game didn’t lack incident, but Farrell was philosophical about the goals – Alan Brogan’s, the one that was, and Graham Geraghty’s, the one that wasn’t.

“There were a few unfortunate decisions, but that’s football. I’m delighted with the battling performance out there.

“Looking at the two of them (the goals), they looked similar. I was talking to the linesman and he was sure it was a square ball. Graham’s goal – I couldn’t see much of a push there, maybe because it was Graham Geraghty it was blown against him. But maybe the decisions that went against us will go our way in a fortnight’s time.”

Dublin were viewed as the more experienced side yesterday, but Farrell didn’t see that as a huge advantage.

“People are saying Dublin have three years’ advantage over us in building a team, but I think we’re up there with them. Our lads believed they could go a step further and beat Dublin – the people outside the camp didn’t believe that – and I think it might be closer the next day.

“We’ll keep working at it. Our lads won’t get carried away. The game will bring us on a bit but it was Dublin’s first championship game, and it’ll bring them on a hell of a lot too.”

Farrell had a word of praise, naturally, for the hero of the hour: “Anyone looking at club football in Meath couldn’t question the ability of Cian Ward. He kicked some fantastic points, and the one from the far sideline was top drawer stuff. John Donegan, another substitute, came in on Ciaran Whelan for his first championship game and did very well on him.”

And the hero of many a past hour? Asked if the odds favouring Dublin had been a motivation for Meath, Farrell laughed.

“I don’t gamble, but when I saw 7/1 on Graham Geraghty to be sent off I was nearly going to have a flutter myself!”

Royals captain Anthony Moyles had his back to the tunnel when we caught up with him, and for a second or two it looked as if the writers present were going to get a lecture.

“The character of the team has been questioned over the last couple of years” — cue an outbreak of interest in the toes of our shoes — “but maybe we’ve questioned it ourselves.”

Relief. Moyles grinned and continued. “One thing we talked about was the fact that Dublin always start well in front of the Hill. We knew if we stuck to our game plan we’d get there. They went five points up but we never panicked. We clawed them back, even when they got a goal before half-time we had faith in the team. We knew we’d be there. We’re delighted, it’s just a pity we couldn’t win it, but hopefully the next day.”