Brendan Boylan: A tale of two journeys

Mention Colm O'Rourke, Sean Boylan and Kepak in close proximity to each other and thoughts of success naturally germinate. Yes, one could go back in time. The late Noel Keating had been a financial benefactor to Meath football long before the name of the meat processing business he opened in Clonee in 1980 was emblazoned across the jerseys.

Our family actually supplied some of if not the very first cattle put through Kepak. Ironically, black whitehead bullocks purchased in Kilfenora Co Clare. However, teams with the great Kilrush man's business scrolled across their chests have given far more value and levels of reward than the bullocks will have done for Noel.

When what still stands as the most bountiful period in Meath's football kicked off in 1986, Kepak were looking after our players at a time when few if any other teams were in receipt of such backing.

After Kepak took over as Meath sponsors for the third of the four games against Dublin in '91, Colm and Sean of course were both pivotal to the Leinster SFC win that same year and the National League victory of 1994.

Colm eventually hung the blue bandage up the following season but Sean, against all odds, guided the county to further Sam Maguire triumphs in 1996 and '99 and another Leinster title in 2001.

Now, anybody who takes on to sponsor any team - let alone a county - is to be applauded and earnestly appreciated. Meath have always been extremely fortunate to have great backers since Kepak culled their backing of our male footballers at the end of the 2005 season.

That said, I can't have been alone in feeling a little buzz of excitement when it emerged a couple of years ago that our lady footballers would have the beefy backing of the Keating family's famous agri-business.

Even the most romantically inclined amongst us couldn't have envisaged the meteoric rise of our lady footballers which has coincided with the return of the Clonee factory to the green and gold.

On several occasions, I have mentioned that it was felt any chance of Colm O'Rourke taking the Meath manager's job had passed. So when it emerged last July that he was in fact taking on the role, to say it was a pleasant surprise would be a major understatement.

As if that didn't stir a bit of excitement, when he immediately announced Sean would have a part to play in his entourage, it was impossible not to let yourself dream just a little. Then, when Noel and Valerie Moran came on board as sponsors under their Bective Stud, Tea Rooms & Apartments banner, the feeling we were onto a winner only strengthened.

That said, all the off-field positivity in the world guaranteed nothing once the white line was crossed. Though in fairness, the players backed up the vibes with two outstanding displays in their opening two league jousts against Cork and Clare respectively.

To his credit, upon taking the job, Colm was brutally honest that there were going to be bumps in the road. The rest of the National League was littered with them but what was originally a bemoaned draw against Limerick ended up the point which saved our bacon in Div 2.

Not that said reality did much to lift the gloom which had descended on things by then. Mind you, that gloom had developed into a fog worse than ever came down off a mountain when Offaly swatted us aside in the first round of the Leinster SFC.

It gives me no pleasure to relay that the first half display on my birthday in O'Connor Park was the worst witnessed in 33 years attending Meath matches. However, it is only recalled to give context to what transpired thereafter.

For reasons which far outweigh anything which happens on a football field, there has always been a need to accentuate whatever positivity can be derived from a given situation.

And yes, there were even some in the rubble of disappointment that day. Foremost among them the display of Ballinabrackey's Sean Coffey on his debut, Mathew Costello showing leadership which belied has age and fledgling experience, Padraic Harnan returning to full fitness for the first time in a cruel duration and Ronan Jones making a decent contribution when introduced.

In my view, the two greatest benefits available from being in the Tailteann Cup were (a) the opportunity to unleash some new faces with at least three outings guaranteed and (b) getting lads used to winning.

In all, between Leinster and the Tailteann Cup, 13 lads tasted Championship football for the first time this season and, to advance to Saturday's final, O'Rourke's charges had won five games on the spin.

Earlier in the year, some ill-qualified 'experts' accused the retired Principal of being "naïve" because of his desire for the team to not get hung up on defensive mindsets and to play long, direct football whenever possible.

It wasn't, but fair play to all concerned, they not only acknowledged adaptation was required at the back - they perfected it. All the while losing none of the potency up front which allowed them assert their status as the highest ranked team in the competition.

Doing so by producing their best performance of the entire season the day it mattered most. Meath teams have always been at their best when written off. Even allowing for that though, the oddsmakers evaluation of their Croke Park duel with Down was downright insulting.

Firstly because they were in a higher division of the National League than Conor Laverty's team and also they'd beaten them in the round robin stage. Still, this punter won't complain at getting 11/4 on Friday evening!

Meath's performance in Croker encapsulated the O'Rourke era to date. Physically imposing yet highly skilled footballers not afraid to back themselves, express themselves and utilise their ability with the long ball and kick scores the likes of which an mBainisteoir was famed for. Whilst at the same time buying into swarm defence and ferocious tackling that has the herbalist's imprint - and that of Paul Garrigan - all over it.

ROYAL LADIES FALL ON THEIR SHIELDS

The most exciting part is, gut feeling is their journey has only just begun. Sadly, on the other hand, for this term at least, the odyssey for our lady footballers has come to a halt.

If Colm’s maiden voyage with the lads was - mostly - enveloped in positive vibes, for our two time Queens of Ireland, the scenario couldn’t have been more polarised. Remember, within moments of Shauna Ennis being reunited with the Brendan Martin Cup on July 31st last, Eamonn Murray intimated that he would step down while it was known that Emma Troy, Aoibheann Leahy, Orlagh Lally and Vikki Wall were also departing.

In some ways, anybody taking over a team that has just won back to back All Irelands - as well as three consecutive National League titles - is on a hiding to nothing.

Now add to all the outlined upheaval the incoming Davy Nelson being short of Emma Duggan for chunks of the season, and Kelsey Nesbitt, Bridgetta Lynch and possibly others for all of it and perhaps it was no wonder the wheels came off the wagon.

Offsetting those factors, though, Vikki was back in the fold by March, Orlagh had linked up with the panel for the championship and they had, in fact, managed to dig out results against Donegal and Galway to preserve their top flight status in the league. As treble-chasing All Ireland champions, that’s all you’d want.

For whatever reason, they were never able to ignite the same spark as previous seasons. Mileage was a factor, absolutely. But things either led to or were not helped by Davy Nelson’s departure after the Leinster final. Great credit to Jenny Rispin, she once again stepped up to the plate to steady the ship. Guiding the girls through the round robin stages. They may have came up short at sodden Tralee, but collectively they went out on their sword. Thus, while in an overall sense, their journey is probably at a crossroads, in no way does it have to mean the end.

OVER AND OUT FOR THE LADIES

The most exciting part is, gut feeling is their journey has only just begun. Sadly, on the other hand, for this term at least, the odyssey for our lady footballers has come to a halt.

If Colm’s maiden voyage with the lads was - mostly - enveloped in positive vibes, for our two time Queens of Ireland, the scenario couldn’t have been more polarised. Remember, within moments of Shauna Ennis being reunited with the Brendan Martin Cup on July 31st last, Eamonn Murray intimated that he would step down while it was known that Emma Troy, Aoibheann Leahy, Orlagh Lally and Vikki Wall were also departing.

In some ways, anybody taking over a team that has just won back to back All Irelands - as well as three consecutive National League titles - is on a hiding to nothing.

Now add to all the outlined upheaval the incoming Davy Nelson being short of Emma Duggan for chunks of the season, and Kelsey Nesbitt, Bridgetta Lynch and possibly others for all of it and perhaps it was no wonder the wheels came off the wagon.

Offsetting those factors, though, Vikki was back in the fold by March, Orlagh had linked up with the panel for the championship and they had, in fact, managed to dig out results against Donegal and Galway to preserve their top flight status in the league. As treble-chasing All Ireland champions, that’s all you’d want.

For whatever reason, they were never able to ignite the same spark as previous seasons. Mileage was a factor, absolutely. But things either led to or were not helped by Davy Nelson’s departure after the Leinster Final.

Great credit to Jenny Rispin, she once again stepped up to the plate to steady the ship. Guiding the girls through the Round Robin stages. They may have came up short at sodden Tralee, but collectively they went out on their sword.

Thus, while in an overall sense, their journey is probably at a crossroads, in no way does it have to mean the end.