Football season needs a long Meath run

Sideline Cut: The crowd spilling out of Portlaoise after last Saturday's evening derby between Meath and Westmeath demonstrated how radically the GAA's constituency has changed in the last 10 years.

It has been a long time since the association has been the province of men in peaked hats. But even so, it was remarkable how family orientated and pleasant was the atmosphere, as if it were the gathering of the local musical society.

It is amusing, though, to think of the footballers of Meath as being family entertainment. No football county divides or at least generates such heated opinion as the Royals. Love them or hate them, they are probably the most interesting football team in Gaelic games at present.

Watching the systematic way in which they denuded poor Westmeath of their confidence probably made for a soporific evening in front of the television but it was in a way compelling stuff at close quarters. There was something genuinely chilling about Graham Geraghty's raised salute as he departed the field in the ebbing moments and the raucous response to it. Not a hint of pity for the turmoil the vanquished were suffering before the whistle even sounded.

Because Meath had not simply won a replay. Something deeper occurred in that their boldness and self-expression grew in direct proportion to the disappearance of Westmeath's verve and belief and will. Meath's remorselessness and cold, unflinching thirst for more tackles, more ball and more scores long after the threat of the opposition had receded was something to behold. It may be true that they do not actually know how to ease off.

As a match, it will be remembered only for Dessie Dolan's penalty miss. When analysing the game that night, Westmeath manager Luke Dempsey refused to lay out soft pronouncements for print that might make life easier for his forward. He refused to pity him and dissected his performance as he would do any other top forward. It was the right thing to do because if and when Dolan recovers from this personal nightmare - and do not be surprised if he redeems himself this very weekend - the last thing he needs is sympathy from the one figure of authority that matters.

It was the immediate aftermath of Dolan's penalty miss that stood out as much as the timid kick. All eyes were on the dazed full forward as he trotted in after the parried shot and then boom, a shoulder from Paddy Reynolds that compounded what will surely be the most miserable 10 seconds of Dolan's sporting career. It has been said the penalty ought to have been retaken because of Reynolds intervention. Under the letter of the law, this is probably so. But given the climate of abuse and pressure GAA referees operate under, it is not surprising they choose to miss the peripheral indiscretions.

Meath, as always, played the rules right to the edge and not only cleared the ball, they had the temerity to break away and score.

There can be few other teams that would have the capacity - the sharpness of mind and the heartlessness - to execute such a volte face. In most cases when a penalty is saved, floods of relief wash over the team, they bundle the ball to safety and then retreat to congratulate the goalkeeper, who of course begins to bellow frantic directions in a bid to deflect this unaccustomed show of attention. Not Meath. Once again they showed if you fail to punish them they will certainly punish you for that failure.

Later on, outside the dressing-room, manager Seán Boylan was as engaging as ever. For the past two decades the herbalist has been perhaps the most courteous, open and engaging figure in GAA management but even though his life story has been told there remains a dimension of inscrutability to his character. Even former Meath players can't, or simply decline to, reveal what he possesses that has made two, going on three, generations of players respond to him in such a uniform and effective way. Under Boylan, ordinary players have become devastating and talented players sublime. So it was the last day.

His teams are teak tough and often volatile. The engagement between Geraghty and one of the linesmen throughout the game was some sight. There were times when the forward looked apoplectic with rage over some missed call or perceived slight and seconds later he was back playing the game with his customary coolness. Away from the field, Geraghty is a polite and subdued figure in his public engagements, a personality utterly at odds with the lean figure constantly agitating with whatever official is close at hand.

Personally, I think nine times out of 10, Geraghty is worth the admission price alone. Along with the unfathomable and serene Trevor Giles, he seems to embody most - or at least some - of what Meath stands for. It is no secret his profile, from the blond hair to the bored manner he adopts when the ball is up the far end - infuriates opposition fans and frequently he is at the receiving end of their vocal displeasure. If it ever bothered him, it has long since ceased to.

The point is the football season needs a long Meath run. Although they have objected to it, there is a perception out there that Meath are the baddest asses in the championship. Every competition needs an element of notoriety and exaggerated history and Meath's own refusal to compromise has seen them cast in that shadowy role.

Thing is, it is better to be bad than bland. There are a lot of decent and moderate teams out there who, if taken out of their county colours, would be virtually indistinguishable. Send Meath out disguised in Santa suits and it would soon become apparent which county was playing.

The consensus seems to be that Boylan, for all his wizardry, no longer has the depth of players to enable him to magic another All-Ireland season out of his county. But already they have put some voodoo in the summer and another win this evening will truly throw the cat among the pigeons.

Boylan's longevity gives the impression Meath are an eternal force. But one fine day Boylan will prefer to tend his herbs than manage his county and one by one the marquee names will disappear and Westmeath will finally kill off Meath.

It may take the county some time to recover then. In fact, their potency may vanish with Boylan. And the long championship road will be all the safer and duller for it.