Inside Track: Valentine’s Day massacre avoided – just a heartache instead

If this wasn’t Navan 2002 and Croke Park 2010 rolled into one, it wasn’t too far from it. On each of those occasions, it was a very late goal that denied Louth in a championship match against Meath.

This time it was a two-pointer with practically the last kick of the ball that unravelled Louth’s latest challenge in a set-to with their Boyneside rivals.

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Valuable Division Two league points were on offer at Croke Park last Saturday night, February 14th, and after coming from eleven points down, Louth, it seemed, had pulled off a famous victory when Craig Lennon pointed from about thirty yards to leave his team in front for the first time, just minutes from the final whistle.

It wasn’t the final act, however. Meath made one last attack, and with the clock reading 69 minutes and a few seconds, John Flynn gathered the ball and, in rugby terms, moved into the zone.

There was only one thing on his mind, just as there had been when he found himself in the same situation a fortnight earlier in the game with Cavan.

Flynn and no other Meath player had attempted a two-pointer in the second half; but knowing there was nothing else worth trying this time, the big midfielder steadied himself before kicking the ball high and over.

Heartbreak for Louth, the narrowest of escapes for Meath. It was a win the Royals hardly deserved, having failed miserably in the second half to match what they had offered before the break. Maybe they thought they had won, leading by 1-15 to 0-7.

The situation looked dire for Louth, and there surely would have been some among the good-sized support who thought of going home. Even those willing to sit it out could have been thinking of nothing else but a rout.

A St Valentine’s Day massacre, perhaps? No, what came was a St Valentine’s heartache, a result that wasn’t deserved. A draw would have been some consolation.

Yet, when it comes to analysing the game, the contribution Louth made to their own downfall can’t be ignored.

When did Sam Mulroy last miss from the penalty spot? When was the ball given away from a sideline-kick so cheaply, this error leading to the Meath goal? Why was a late tackle executed on a Meath forward after the thumped the ball wide. Taking a point from the resulting free, Meath had only their third score of the second half up until Flynn claimed the winner. It proved vital in the end.

Mulroy finished the day with nine points. Four two-pointers were included, these the backbone in Louth’s tremendous comeback. He got the bird every time he stepped up from the Meath supporters. But let’s face it, they had little else to cheer about in the second half ahead of the winning score.

The conversions were straight from the Mulroy handbook; yet, the team captain will have his regrets. Aside from his penalty miss, he wasn’t at his best in open play, a point best illustrated by the time he lost possession out near the corner. There’s no one better at sidestepping an opponent, doing it at speed. This time, he didn’t take it on.

It’s open to question how badly Mulroy might have been affected by being black-carded seconds into the match. Two from each side – Ciaran Downey, the other Louth player – were sent packing after what is known as a ‘getting to know you’ exchange, which, you’d have to say, is commonplace in games, All-Ireland finals included, but rarely, if ever, punished with a card.

That’s one for Kerry official, Brendan Griffin, to explain – and he can tell us, too, why he called out Louth goalie, Niall McDonnell, for delaying a kick-out, the free which followed giving Meath a point.

This is always a big call for a referee, but the question Griffin needs to answer: Why was the Meath 'keeper not issued with the same fine when he took his time about getting the ball upfield? In a game that ended so close, small margins were a decider.

It was a good day for the other Louthman on the All-Stars honours list. Craig Lennon was, like the other defenders, under serious pressure from a wind-assisted attack in the opening half, but as his team gathered momentum after the break, he was on the thick of things, and once again showed his prowess when faced with a scoring chance.

Memories of the one the St Mochta’s player scored late on in the Leinster final were conjured up when he gave Louth the lead for the first time, but, sadly, weren’t given much time to blossom.

Louth got more out of midfield than in previous matches, Conor Early repaying the faith Gavin Devlin has put in him, and as always, Conor Grimes was full of energy in the time he spent on the field. His sojourn should, perhaps, have lasted longer.

Still, his and the other replacements had an impact, Conal McKeever in particular playing a big part in the revival.

Another player being backed by Devlin is Padraic Tinnelly. As in the Cork game, the No 2 more than paid his way, as did the experienced Donal McKenny. Peter Lynch was a loss after going off injured in the first half.

Ryan Burns is capable of better, but Ciarán Downey has only to repeat for the 70 minutes what he displayed after the break to trouble the Tyrone defence at Ardee next Sunday.