Brendan Boylan Column: Brennan completes unique treble for Dunboyne

New Meath manager follows in footsteps of Sean Boylan and Andy McEntee

From as far back as when I was in Primary school, my powers of recall were often a topic of discussion. Especially if the subject matter was either sport or farming related. Even though to some of the assembled audience, mention of either would constitute fountains of useless information.

Be that as it may, I think it was in second class that at least one footballer and hurler from every county in Ireland. This was circa 1992 and the football list was as follows: Antrim - Sean McGreevey; Armagh - John Grimley; Carlow - Garvan Ware; Cavan - Stephen King; Clare - Seamus Clancy; Cork - Larry Tompkins; Derry - Joe Brolly; Donegal - Manus Boyle; Down - Mickey Linden; Dublin - John O'Leary; Kildare - Martin Lynch; Kerry - Connie Murphy; Fermanagh - Collie Curran; Galway - Val Daly; Laois - Colm Maher (RIP); Leitrim - Mickey Quinn; Limerick - John Quane; Longford - Dessie Barry; Louth - Stephen Melia (RIP); Mayo - Willie Joe Padden; Meath - Colm O'Rourke; Monaghan - Ray McCarron; Offaly - Peter Brady; Roscommon - Tony McManus; Tipperary - Peter Lambert; Tyrone - Plunkett Donaghy; Waterford - Gary Hurney; Wexford - Billy Dodds; Westmeath - Tom Ormsby; Wicklow - Pat O'Byrne.

Fast forward a couple of years and we arrive at that oft recalled winter of 1994 following the exploits of Seneschalstown in the Leinster Club Championship. When, after he was 'done' against Sarsfields of Kildare in an earlier round, it meant the Yellow Furze outfit were without Graham Geraghty for a two game epic semi final against St Joseph's of Laois and the Leinster Club SFC Final against Kilmacud Crokes. Which they would lose by a point.

Not surprisingly, even then it was a stacked Crokes side which contained the Mick Pender, Mick Dillon, John Costello and several others with fairly glossy CVs. Whether or not a young R. Brennan was among the subs that day or not I can't recall.

But he was definitely at full forward four years later when my own St Peter's, Dunboyne took on another star studded Crokes crew. And, just as was the case with Seneschalstown a few years beforehand, our lads performed utterly heroically only to be beaten a short head at the line.

From the viewpoint of a supporter, that day remains one of the toughest days endured near a football field. Particularly as it was one that got away. Especially in the context of how our two meetings with the Stillorgan club which followed.

Back in '98, though, Robbie Brennan was just another name on an opposition team list. However, like a lot of things in my life, that changed one night in Brady's of Dunboyne. Very much for the better.

It was the early summer of 2001 and I was just slowly, very slowly, edging out of a particularly horrendous chapter of my life story. At my own expense, it will be openly admitted that if there was ever a stage when one leaned on porter a little too much as a painkiller, it was then.

To the extent that, light heartedly among the wonderful and wide circle of friends I was blessed with, Brady's became known as my Office. Anyway, one summer evening that year, I happened to bump into Andy McEntee who introduced the chap in his company by saying "This is Robbie Brennan, he's coming over to Dunboyne to play for us. You might remember him from 1998".

At which point both their jaws dropped when the response was "Indeed I do, he played full forward on Moe Finn and kicked two points, one off either boot"!

If anyone ever wondered why I hold Andy in the highest regard and will forever do so, consider the following. On the night after we won our first Keegan Cup in 1998, during a quiet moment in the midst of all the chaos in Mulvany's, he simply said to me "I know how much it means to you". He did. He and his family still do.

For a lot of the time, it's Dunboyne and/or Meath teams doing well that keep these wheels turning. For that reason, I would have no problem pinpointing the 11 years spent as PRO/Asst. PRO of St Peter's GAA Club as the most important of my life.

Yes, mention has been made voraciously of the years of how farming always has been, remains and eternally will be one of the central tenets which make life livable.

But, due to circumstances more than anything else, agricultural adventures have come and gone off the agenda over the years. GAA, though, has always and will always be there. In some shape or form. Maybe not in the capacity it is wished or desired, but there all the same.

Which might explain why Andy introduced me to Robbie as "The heart and soul of the club". Now, while it was uber flattery at the time, it most certainly wouldn't carry much credence today. Change happens, I get that.

Time waits for no man, woman or beast. Sure didn't we scandalously discover that just a few weeks ago. With the defenestration of Colm O'Rourke - make no mistake, that's exactly what's happened here, no matter how some might try and dress it up - which promulgated cause to keyboard what you are reading.

Robbie may have got the standard Dunboyne initiation, but when he joined our fold, but, we, as a club and community, received so much more in return. His arrival really changed people's lives. In fact, it was I who informed his late father-in-law Paddy that the new full forward and his daughter, Liz, were an 'item'.

Which was all grand until it came to the happy couple's wedding day when my dear, departed and desperately missed old friend from Ardara told all assembled that it was (his) "dear friend the Drainpipe Reporter who solved the mystery of the extra pair of boots in the house"!

Whether the following was down to the fact that Liz's brother David (Gallagher) and I are so close we may as well be brothers I'm not sure, but Robbie and I just clicked immediately and, even though due to my personal circumstances changing nearly a decade ago we haven't been able to meet up half as much as it is wished was the case, that may be gloriously about to change.

I think what brought us closer was when Robbie's dad Pat fell ill the night before one of our championship matches, but I had no idea until Robbie came out of the dressing room after the match in tears.

From a playing perspective, his career with us was an emotional rollercoaster. From that maiden outing against Dunderry, to losing a championship semi final against Trim. Then, two years later, winning the Feis Cup before one of the most (in) famous days in our club's history.

That being the occasion during which our big full forward was sent for an early shower yet despite that we looked to have Navan O'Mahonys beaten only a point from the great Niall McKeigue deep into stoppage time the hoops to extra time.

What there is absolute clarity about is that, when he eventually succumbed to a cacophony of injuries, he got straight into being a team mentor with Dunboyne.

When somebody does so as quickly as was the case here, you know that, not only do they have the best of intentions for those with whom they are involved, they are also driven towards going places in their new capacity. Whether that be with entities close to home or further afield.

That said, from the perspective of furthering his managerial career, returning to Kilmacud Crokes - via a short stint with St Sylvester's in Malahide - proved a masterstroke.

Anyway, having built up such an impressive managerial resume - pretty quickly too - opportunities, or at least offers, to graduate to inter county management became an inevitability.

At least two 'outside' counties were mentioned, but once, scandalously, there was a vacancy for the Meath job, of those that were touted he was the standout candidate. That said, we must remember the famous utterance that the only three certainties in the world - Life, death and taxes.

Thursday, September 19th, saw Robbie Brennan become the eighth different Meath senior football manager since Sean Boylan abdicated his throne 19 years ago.

At this juncture, I must admit to knowing absolutely nothing about Martin Corey who has come aboard as a coach/selector, but the acquisition of the services of somebody of the calibre and nous of Joe McMahon must be regarded as something of a coup.

No doubt there will be some regard Robbie as an 'outside' appointment but nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from the fact he has played for, managed and resides in Dunboyne, he was also part of Bernard Flynn's Meath U-20 management team before the feisty former forward jumped ship.

Long before any of that though, the now Meath manager stood out for wearing the Royal County jersey at Kilmacud training. Indeed, there should be no doubt about where his loyalties ever lay after his sister Jean - based in Australia for many years - posted a photo of her younger brother - in what I'm guessing was circa 1986 in Colm O'Rourke Sports with the owner thereof.

Jean captioned the shot thus: “Congratulations to my little brother on becoming Meath senior football manager. It’s not often in life you get to succeed your heroes”. An onerous task, but a thoroughly deserved honour and opportunity.