Meath Books Place In Quarters

All Ireland SFC Qualifiers
Meath 2-14
Galway 1-14

By Dermot Kavanagh

It was like old times at Portlaoise on Saturday, as Meath, drawing on the county's hard-earned reputation of dogged championship campaigners booked their place in the quarter-finals following their fully-merited three-point win over a Galway team that now appears in need of a complete overhaul.

This game showed Meath as we have come to know them in recent years, particularly during the Sean Boylan era.

Their no-nonsense approach from the first minute enabled them to settle more quickly and they never allowed Galway the time or space to display their undoubted talents.  They matched Galway in and around the crucial midfield area, thereby giving their lively forwards sufficient good balls to cause the Galway defence some their very anxious moments. 

Meath were full value for the halftime lead of 2-6 to 0-6, the goals coming from the quick feet and alert football brain of corner forward Stephen Bray.

Meath should in fact have had a third goal when, after a brilliant bout of forward exchanges between Moyles, O'Rourke, Farrell and Bray, the ball was worked through to wing forward Byrne who slipped on the wet surface with an open goal in front of him.

The Galway management rang the changes at half-time to good effect.  With the quality of the football now reaching a very high standard, both sets of supporters, in the capacity crowd, now got behind their teams to create a brilliant atmosphere.  Points were exchanged before the momentum of the game swung Galway's way.

In the 50th minute, with five points between the teams, Galway were awarded a very dubious penalty, which Michael Meehan blasted to the net. 

With three minutes the scores were level after two excellent points from Meehan and Armstrong.

Meath then played their ace card by introducing controversial playmaker Graham Geraghty. 

Apart from scoring one typically cleverly taken point, Geraghty's presence alone seemed to galvanise the team to such an extent that almost as quickly as they had lost their lead they suddenly built up four points as the clock ticked towards the 70th minute.  The introduction of Geraghty also allowed Meath the luxury of positioning team captain Anthony Moyles into his more natural defensive position of centre back.

Together with Darren Fay and Cromhin King, Moyles provided an impenetrable block to all of Galway's attempts at a comeback. 

With midfielders Cian Ward and Nigel Crawford untouchable under the high ball, Meehan and Nicky Joyce, Galway's two hard players, were starved of any possession to attempt to save the game.

Meath marched on, and it is this observer's view that none of the other remaining contenders will relish meeting them at their second home, Croke Park where all the quarter-finals will be played.

This defeat is likely to see the end of Peter Ford's reign as Galway manager.  Also likely to depart the scene are Padraigh Joyce and Ja Fallon, two players who have a adored the game since they first hit the inter-county scene back in the glory days of 1998. Both players will be almost irreplaceable.  Galway may face some dark days ahead.