KERRY AND Meath. The prospect of their meeting again represents such a titanic football collision that this paper yesterday reprinted the match report of the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final.
The one where Meath held their rivals to just five points, recording 2-14 for themselves so “the colour had gone from Páidí Ó Sé’s face”. Kerry players walked off the field in the same stunned fashion as Dublin players recently did.
An ugly day for those who dwell in the famed The Kingdom.
Mike McCarthy, Tom O’Sullivan and Darragh Ó Sé featured that day and return eight years later. They will not have forgotten. Noel Kennelly might even have a word in his younger brother Tadhg’s ear.
If they continue to emulate the route taken by Tyrone last year, a less than impressive performance is required before peaking come the final dance with Cork.
The piseogs might be dispensed with for this one though. Kerry know better than most that Meath in Croke Park are a rare breed. Even if only Nigel Crawford returns from the former blitzkrieg gang. This Meath outfit let down the famed jersey, and rock-hard reputation of the former team, by failing to put Wexford away and then losing to Limerick last season.
“We just wanted to put a bit of pride back into Meath football after last year,” said Joe Sheridan. “It was hard getting beaten by Wexford and the Limerick match was a nightmare for everyone. We just wanted to right a few wrongs. Get back to the basics and start winning games.”
Dublin made Meath look weak and average in June. Kerry made Dublin feel these two words in August.
Form suggests an easy Kerry victory despite Meath’s convalescence of downing Westmeath, Roscommon, Limerick and Mayo as they got back to basics and won some games. All soft touches, it might be said.
Sheridan and company are keenly aware of the embarrassment that will follow if McCarthy and O’Sullivan, men with axes to grind, are allowed to waltz upfield from deep and create.
The other O’Sullivans, Declan and Darren, must be smothered, the “Gooch” Cooper harassed. Even then, Sheridan concedes, some other Kerry man could rise and cause the damage.
Meath need to become Meath of old to stand any chance, this they know only too well. They must deny Kerry rhythm.
“Absolutely, plus we don’t get the start we got against Mayo. They’d love that. We just have to put pressure on them in the first 15, 20 minutes.
“Dublin didn’t really pressurise them. They let them run through from the back. If you let any team do that they’ll kick 1-7, 1-8 in those first 15 minutes.
“We’ve been working on it. Trying to concentrate on getting that first 15, 20 minutes out of the way. Having said that, it may be the last 15, 20 minutes that the game is won so . . .”
If Sheridan has a major say in this contest, Meath have a chance. If he drifts in to the square’s edge late on, Meath might just be in touching distance and seeking to create some havoc.
If the game is played at Kerry’s preferred swiftness the big, central forward may well become a passenger. The year 2001 proved to be an anomaly; Meath losing the final to Galway without much commotion. The Royals require another glitch in the system this Sunday.
MAYO(MFC v Down): M Schlingermann;
D Gavin, K Rogers, M Walsh; C Charlton,
S McDermott, Caolan Crowe; D Kirby,
A Walsh; A Farrell, D Coen, F Durkan;
D Herbert, C O’Connor, A Corduff.
