Brendan Boylan: Ronan Keating was right!

How often have you seen a player excel at Minor level and be earmarked, as Michael O’Leary once said people were making Samcro out to be “The next coming of Jesus Christ” only for their careers to dissipate disappointingly before, in essence, they had even begun?

Now, there’s often a very valid reason for such being the case. Whether it be through injury or emigration or, as has been the case too many times from a Meath perspective, talented individuals getting lured away to other sports.

Going back as far as Hugh Carolan at the start of the 1990s. The Kells native was one of the standout performers on the Royal County amalgam which won the All Ireland MFC 1990. So much so that Sean called him - and Ballivor's Terry Connor - straight into the Senior panel.

Alas, we never got to see how that potential would've panned out due to a combination of the oval ball and injuries. Although it might seem unlikely, the same story cropped up again a couple of years thereafter.

Ironically, with another Kells man, John Lacey. Also like Hugh, he was a centre forward, on an U-18 combination circa 1993/'94 before he embarked on a quite successful rugby career with Shannon RFC in the All Ireland League at a time when those who numbered Alan Quinlan and the late, great Anthony Foley in their rank were the best club team in the country.

For younger readers, these were the days prior to professionalism and the Heineken Cup and/or the United Rugby Championship.

Of course, after that, there was the prospect of Graham Geraghty being lost to Arsenal hovering for a brief period before he too tried his hand at rugby with Buccaneers in the AIL. Mind you, my late father was of the opinion the mercurial one could've excelled at any sport he chose, having seen him win an under-10 Long Jump in the Mardyke in Cork the year I was born, despite him having another two years at the grade.

From there, as far as I can remember, the next Meath player linked with foreign shores was Shane O'Rourke but Brisbane's loss was very much Meath's gain - albeit for all too brief a period.

Somewhat unbelievably, the next time a Meath player flew the nest was another Simonstown Gaels clubman, Conor Nash, set off to carve out what has turned into a quite a commendable career with Hawthorn in the Australian Football League.

Whereafter Cian McBride, Orlagh Lally and Vikki Wall both took up offers to explore life at the other end of the world. Now, before anyone mounts any high horses, I do not, in any way, begrudge those given the opportunity to give professional sport a go. Disappointment felt is purely down to the loss the players concerned will be to club and county.

There are those, however, who, for whatever reason, don't attract the same profile with the 'outside world' as some of their comrades.

To a certain extent, I believe Mat Costello began his career somewhat under the radar. From there, however, the prodigiously talented Dunshaughlin clubman has become one of the pivotal components of what is, hopefully, a Meath team on the up.

A fact recognised by the selection of citog forward not only on the Tailteann Cup Team Of The Year but, even more significantly, as the overall outstanding individual performer therein.

Indeed, Friday evening last was very memorable one for Meath GAA as, between the Christy Ring Cup winning hurlers and victorious Tailteann Cup footballers, 13 of our players were selected on the teams announced on the night while both Mat and Jack Regan collected Player Of The Year accolades.

In anybody's language, that has to represent a highly successful season for the county. On that level alone, without considering what GAA-related awards may be doled out before the year's end.

But here's the thing, much of what was achieved during the season played out somewhat under the radar. There are probably a multiplicity of reasons for that, but, there's no harm in it either. I cannot believe I'm about to utter the following, but, Ronan Keating was right, sometimes the biggest statements are made when nothing is said at all.

Then again, sometimes there's no need to say anything. During the past week, long held and treasured connections in Dunshaughlin sent me on promotional material related to a fundraiser the club are running. It took the form of a narrated video documenting some of the most significant happenings in the history of our neighbouring club.

Therein were a lot of familiar faces and easily recalled memories. And then, onto the screen, flashes an image which freezes me in my seat. Of course I knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any easier to digest. Even though I'd seen it a dozen times or more.

Six of the seven Kealy brothers, Pat being based overseas. All togged out in black and amber, in Dunshaughlin's clubhouse, on the Thursday night before the 2000 SFC final.

In which Eamonn Barry's charges produced one of the great displays when dispatching Kilmainhamwood with ease which defied logic at the time. As we know now, however, that was only the start of an incredible journey for the Dunshaughlin club which ended up yielding three county championships in a row and a Leinster Club Championship.

To look at the photo of the six lads now is to be left shaken and in disbelief when considering the tragedy which has befallen the Kealy family and, by extension, the Dunshaughlin community over the past year.

Having firstly lost Maria after an elongated battle with cancer last December and then devastated again at the untimely passing of Denis in a tragic accident four months ago.

When something like that hits a community - never mind it doing so twice - a different force takes over. Sport might in some ways seem trivial, but it's anything but. When it is such a central tenet of a community as was the situation in this case, GAA actually becomes a huge part of the healing process.

Perhaps most pointedly, as teams to which the deceased were connected to become poignantly inspired. You are probably noticing that, in part at least, this offering is very similar to one which appeared here not so long ago. And you'd be right, but it wasn't planned and features again for slightly different reasons.

Sometimes, there's no need to say anything. Occurrences such Dunshaughlin/Royal Gaels capturing the Ladies SFC for the first time underline as such.

Yet, again, I am drawn back to Costello. The full forward turned in a Player Of The Match display in the Tailteann Cup semi final against Antrim, just hours after news of Denis' death emerged. And then spoke emotionally yet eloquently thereafter. In both cases, displaying maturity belying his age and fledgling experience. A quiet leader.