On the way to Kildalkey for this Sunday afternoon match the God of Winter woke from his slumber and spat out as nasty a belch of freezing rain and chilling breeze as I have felt for a long time.It lasted a half hour and penetrated to the bone,not a great omen for the impending battle between ourselves and the North Meath combination.
In my time there have been numerous contests between us that went to the wire against both half of the combination in both hurling and football,some of which we lost and some of which we won.I can stretch back nearly two decades to an under 14 Hurling Match in Dunderry where I was the agreed referee and was nevertheless stretched out in a schemmozle .to being put outside the wire after objecting to an agreed referee from the opposition moving the sliotar up to sixty yards for dissent.On several occasions.We won both contests.
The former was re fixed and my eldest son was accidentally split in the face during the replay in Athboy and I spent most of the match in a doctor,s surgery getting his wound stitched.Not a great place to be for the Team manager during the game.We lost narrowly.
About a decade ago Mattie ,Paul and others put a huge effort into reviving hurling at juvenile level in Moylough.I remember bringing a juvenile team there on a bank holiday weekend about a decade ago to participate in a tournament involving a juvenile match between us as a support act to a junior match between them and a Westmeath Team.
They had pulled out all the stops for the day and had magnificently trophies on hand and a catering operation second to none.Our match became the main event as the guest Junior team did a no show.Very disappointing for them but good for us as we ate for three teams and got a trophy,hard earned it must be said.
And then in 2005 when I was manager of Dunderry Senior Football team Ballinlough beat us after extra time in a relegation battle.And shades of the under 14 match a decade earlier, my son Evan had his cruciate snap in the game .I can tell you that carrying your son in a stretcher as he is wincing in pain from a football pitch is not a pleasant experience.We went down by two points to a last minute fisted goal.
The fact that the four semi finalists came from our group of six didn't soothe the pain.Nor did the fact that nearly all village teams now labour in Intermediate status.Two All Ireland winners,Dowd once and Callaghan thrice,amongst others have tried unsuccessfully to get back up.Maybe the Legend who has just got the job for 2014 will succeed.Here's hoping.
I.m sure that the combination teams have similar stories of woe regarding ourselves.Let's put it like this.There is a healthy respect inter se and no quarter is sought nor given and the contest only ends when the fat lady sings.
Those thoughts and the bittersweet memory of last year's defeat in a replay to another combination of Drumree/Blackhall,in which the Drumree joint captain thanked our very own Kevin Dowd for the coaching he had given them, rankled.
And the match was sandwiched between the funerals of the Nailer on Saturday and Derry O Brien the coming Monday.
Surely the Man above woukld allow us some cheer.OR would it be the case that "no sooner has God closed one door in your face than he also slams the second one" as my uncle Joe was wont to say betimes.
The pitch was slippy after the shower and it was cold.No conditions for fancy hurling you would say.The fiver admission fare included a programme naming both teams.The referee was Gerry O Brien.They were there from Crossakiel to Carnaross and Oldcastle to Drumbarragh to support the combination and from Tullaghanstown to Tullaghanogue and Kilcooley to Clonbun to support us.
Dunderry Team.
Luke Martin
Conor Dempsey. Conor O Shea.
Dylan Keenan Brendan Wright Stefan Clarke
Conor Farrell John Moran.
Jordan Martin Killian Minogue Simon Carty
Stephen Coogan Christopher Harrington.
Subs.
Paddy Kenneally,Killian Leonard,Alan Casey and Dara Scannell.
Manager.Mick Minogue,and selectors Kevin Dowd and Tommy Keenan.
IT was not a day for fancy hurling I thought.I would have said safety first and plenty of ground hurling was called for.Which probably explains why I was not asked to be a selector this year again.
But the skill levels of both teams and the ability to get ball to hand under the heaviest of tackling was a sight to behold.There was no player on either side lacking in either skill nor commitment and the referee let go tackles that a less hurling orientated referee would whistle ,frequently.
No soft frees so and equality of treatment to each side.You earned your free.But no hurling man complained.
We were the superior team in the first half.But the effort of both teams was exemplary.We scored 2--5 the first half,only two coming from frees by Minogue,one for a foul on himself.,the other for a foul on Coogan..Harrow garnered a well crafted 2--1 from play and one can only wonder what he is capable of doing with a more intensive training regime.Jordan Martin and Coogan scored a minor apiece from play .
We were motoring well and but Keenan and Moran were slightly below par betimes and we did miss maybe two more scorable chances.
I award a star for each piece of action above and beyond the skill level I expect from players of the age group involved.Surprisingly Dempsey,O Shea ,Wright and Clarke,defenders all , topped my list for the first half.
The combination scored 9 points,,number 11 bagging four,number 10 bagging 3 and number 12 bagging two ,which tells its own story.
Their number 8 was marginally their best player.
Only once did the physicality of the hurling exceed acceptable levels and the fault was not ours.I hate to see anyone getting a red card uncles a vicious,unforgiving and thoroughly unsporting act is perpetrated .On balance, but much to our cost as it would later transpire ,the referee's brandishing of a yellow card was an adequate response.
At half time we rang the changes.Keenan and Lukie swapped positions as did Minogue and Moran.And it worked well,Moran going on to bag two fine minors from play,Keenan having a blinder in goals.Minogue exerting a greater input in matters and Lukie steadying up the ship.
We took marginal control for the next twenty minutes.,with bomber registering a minor and Jordan Mattin scoring three fine points.All other got through an amount of work with Carty running himself into the ground for the cause,But they kept in touch ,never losing hope despite going for goal with a few frees when taking a point would have been wiser.And they reaped their reward when they goaled ten from time to narrow the gap to achievable proportions.
The momentum stayed with them and with 90 seconds to go they drew level,The tension was palpable and I ,at least,thought that the ref should have blown the final whistle and brought it to a replay,as the light was fading rapidly.But no he kept going and they scored a point from play to forge ahead..We had one more chance but Jordan was under horrid pressure and hit wide of the posts.
And then the final whistle.
To the victors the spoils.They were gracious in victory.
We were fecking devastated,having snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.Felt pick pocketed.The lads were devastated and I did see some tears of frustration (players and nmentors ).Hard to blame them.Yet again the Gods had deserted us.
But we only scored 5 points since half time.They scored 1--6,number 12 bagging 1-3, ,number 8 bagging 0-2 and number 10 the winning point.
My star men the second half were Bomber,Jordan Martin,Moran,Wright and O Shea.,which seems strange considering we were outscored in the half,but there you go.
Their best in the half were number 7 and 8 again in my view.
I wouldn't pay too much attention to my ratings are they are just my opinion and like a..h..es everybody has one.
From a neutral' s point of view it was a classic,competitive game of the highest calibre that will long live in the memory of those at it,but this is poor consolation to our boys who will be overage for this competition next year.
The goal has to be the Inter.Championship next year.
Kilskere and Moylough win little enough separately so I for one don't begrudge them one.Enjoy.
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