REVIEW OF THE YEAR: Heartbreak for Royal camogie warriors
AUGUST REVIEW
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After winning the Open Amatuer status Bettystown & Laytown golfer Alex Maguire qualifed for The Open in Hoylake and enjoyed an excellent opening round.Image 2 of 8
Na Fianna’s Ronan Byrne felt the heat of battle in the ongoing SHC. David MullenImage 3 of 8
Olivia O’Halloran gathers possession for Meath in awful conditions at Croke Park during the drawn All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie final. David MullenImage 4 of 8
Colin Keane, Ger Lyons, Rory and Barry Mahon after Zarinsk had won The Romanised Minstrel Stakes at Leopardstown. CAROLINE NORRISImage 5 of 8
Ash Tree Meadow ridden by Danny Gilligan winning The Tote Galway Plate from Authorized Art ridden by Danny Mullins. CAROLINE NORRISImage 6 of 8
Trainer Ger Keane and his son Colin after winning the 1m handicap with Laughifuwant at Galway. Patrick McCannImage 7 of 8
Eoin Feldman closes in on Cavan’s Fiachra Brady during the Gerry Reilly Cup final. David MullenImage 8 of 8
Emma O’Connell is surrounded by jubilant Derry players after Meath lost out in the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie final at Clones. Gerry ShanahanThe ability to battle back from seemingly hopeless situations is a wonderful ability for any team, or individual, to hone and evolve. Meath camogie players showed plenty of that kind of grit and rescourcefulness when they drew with Derry in the All-Ireland Camogie final at Croke Park.
Let’s look at how it all unfolded. At halt-time Brendan Skehan's side trailed 1-1 to 1-8. They were right out of things and when Derry scored the opening point of the second-half half well, it looked all over. Then, in their darkest hour, Meath started to play and eat through Derry's lead. With 59 minutes played Aoife Minogue popped over an equalising point and went close to getting a winning score soon after. When all the action was over the scoreline read: Meath 2-6, Derry 1-9.
One of Meath's goals was scored by Ciara Foley, the neice of former Meath player Kevin Foley. Ciara got her goal at the Hill 16 end, the same goals Kevin found the net in during the fourth and final game of the famous Dublin v Meath saga of 1991. It was a case of history repeating itself. Kinda.
And so was onto the camogie replay in Clones the following week. Meath had every reason to hope, to believe but the re-match turned out to be washout as far as the Royals were concerned. They lost 1-9 to 1-17. This time there was no comeback. Minogue finished up with 1-5. "The girls gave everything," commented Skehan afterwards. "I'm very proud of them."
The various hurling and football championship group games continued to be played out. In the SHC one of the big games was the clash of Trim and Kildalkey which the latter won. Who can halt Trim we wondered? In the SFC St Colmcille's chalked up a sensational victory when they defeated Ratoath 2-10 to 0-10.
News also emerged of a big change in the Meath GAA camp. Meath senior football manager Colm O'Rourke found himself on the look-out for a new football coach and head of strength and conditioning following the news that Paul Garrigan and Eugene Eivers had left their roles with the management team.
It was a mixed bag in terms of results for Meath trainers at the famous Galway festival. Ash Tree Meadow (with Danny Gilligan up) saw off 22 rivals to give Gordon Elliott his fourth success in the biggest race at the festival, the Galway Plate. Meath jockeys delivered wins for their various connections on seven occasions across the week. Colin Keane, for example, rode winners for four different trainers across the seven days. Among the trainers Colin rode for was his father Gerry Keane. The horse Gerry trained, Laughifyouwant and half owned by Colin's mother, Esther, not only ran well but won. One of the most heart warming stories from the week concerned 18-year-old Meath jockey Jack Kearney who chalked up his first winner in the Galway Festival. Romance still lives in the Sport of Kings.