O'Brien concedes 'we were too predictable'

A FEW statistics jump off the page (well, something was needed after such a boring game to liven up the reaction). Meath hit 40 long kicks, most of them aimlessly into a hardly-soaring full-forward line, to Kerry’s 19. The masters opted to keep it simple with 149 hand passes to Meath’s 80, and 74 solo runs to Meath’s 46.

No statistic can mask the simple fact that the football championship has been atrocious in 2009, leaving it in desperate need of a thrilling All-Ireland final.

There was a depressing air of inevitability once Darren O’Sullivan’s poorly-struck penalty – he slipped on contact – found its way past Paddy O’Rourke.

There was three minutes on the clock.

The same number of counties can make a genuine claim at attaining the Sam Maguire Chalice in the current climate – Kerry, Cork and Tyrone come next year. The rest seem miles behind on any given Sunday.

“Look it, we were poor,” admitted Meath forward Brian Farrell. “They were probably eight points the better team. We gifted them two goals.”

Meath beat the Connacht champions Mayo by utilising yesterday’s hit-and-hope tactics – granted, it was a dry day – but inaccurate long balls into small forwards, that is until Joe Sheridan went inside, was never going to derail Kerry’s championship.

When Sheridan moved on to the square’s edge he was double-jobbed, making his presence almost irrelevant. There was one clean take in injury-time that led to Cian Ward’s window-dressing goal.

Kerry manager Jack O’Connor had a stat of his own afterwards. He noted the 15 breaks Meath took off Mayo. Kerry analysed their opponents’ main strength and ensured it was neutralised.

Anthony Moyles is a respected veteran on the intercounty scene and had done a decent job at full back for Meath this summer. He struggled on Colm Cooper for the first ball that dropped in and conceded a penalty that would be worth some debate if Meath put up a genuine challenge thereafter.

However, to leave him exposed on Tommy Walsh in the second half is a lesson that should be well known by now.

Kerry required 55 seconds to find the young footballer of the year with an aerial ball that he gathered and planted in the Meath net. Walsh made a renewed claim for a starting berth come the All-Ireland final (against those big, strong Cork boys) with a neat point three minutes later.

Manager Eamonn O’Brien spoke afterwards with “Meath eyes and maybe that’s a little bit biased” when explaining the goals were the crucial moments in deciding the contest. Without the use of Meath eyes, it was more apparent they simply lacked the quality to even remotely trouble Kerry in any facet of play.

The standard of delivery into Meath’s full-forward line was duly queried. “Right through the game I thought we were too predictable in what we were doing. We wanted direct ball. We said at half-time that Kerry were dropping their half-backs back so we needed to play through hands a little bit more.”

Here’s another statistic – of the eight Meath wides in the opening 35 minutes, five of them were attempted passes into the forwards.

“They matched anything we had in terms of determination or battling qualities,” added O’Brien. “Particularly in the first half we tried to hit angled ball in, but before we knew where it went it was gone out wide or towards the sideline because it was skidding off the ground. That was the same for Kerry as it was for us. I think Kerry’s style of play dealt better with it than ours.”

Not only was it a bad day for Meath football, but Gaelic football in general. There have been several this summer and that is the way of it right now. “We got to the last four twice in the last three years,” added Farrell in search of positives. “That’s a reflection of the team. I’m not going to say we can’t get beyond that. Of course we can. We just have to build on that. Look up to teams like Kerry and Cork that are doing that the whole time. We’ll get there eventually. Some day.”

To the pitch. Considering it was re-laid after the U2 concert it has come under increased scrutiny. With so many players struggling to maintain their balance yesterday more questions will be asked.

“I wouldn’t like to comment on it,” said O’Brien. “I know that we played games in wet conditions on other pitches and when the ball hits the ground it slides away. That’s what happens.”