Cork, Meath and the rest must accept reputations don't count for much anymore

BACK in the day, there was an old saying ‘that a team was too good to go down’ though it didn’t prevent a powerhouse like Man Utd or one-time giants Leeds Utd from being relegated from the then First Division.

It was a solar plexus punch to the body for all those devotees of the English game and their fanatical support of the major clubs, their pride severely wounded and the source of the butt of many a joke from their buddies.

On the same theme in Gaelic football, you’d imagine the Meath faithful have been on the receiving end all week after they were dumped into the Tailteann Cup following Offaly’s shock win in the Leinster championship.

The Royals would have fitted smugly into the above-mentioned category given their history and tradition, but you know there’s trouble ahead when Offaly can hold you scoreless for the opening 20-odd minutes and sweep 1-4 ahead.

DESERVE

New manager Colm O’Rourke, one of the true greats ever to wear the famous green jersey, didn’t try to avoid the obvious when responding.

“We are where we deserve to be. We’re not going to make any excuses. Just because we had great teams in the past doesn’t give us any right to be in the championship this year,” he said.

The club scene reflects the general malaise despite some recent minor success. Next year the Meath champions will attempt to become the first team in 20 years to qualify for the Leinster Club final, a shocking indictment indeed.

And this is the same Meath team who scored three goals against Cork in the opening Division 2 league game at Pairc Ui Chaoimh and then went one better a week later at home to Clare before the wheels started to come off the wagon.

Yet, once Meath have swallowed their pride, take a step back and look at the bigger picture they should see the Tailteann Cup as an opportunity to rebuild for next season.

They will be one of the favourites to succeed Westmeath, who will be in the draw for the All-Ireland group stage on Tuesday, though with the likes of Cavan still around, there’s no guarantee for O’Rourke and company.

Offaly’s win did help to quieten the usual noise around provincial championships though one-sided games continue to question their importance, like Dublin putting 27 points on Wicklow and Kerry dishing out a 20-point drubbing on Tipperary.

Sligo, who play Galway in the Connacht final, overwhelmed London and New York by 14 and 16 points respectively while Derry had 12 points to spare from Fermanagh up north.

As with the league, the top counties are only warming up for the main event, especially now as it could take another five or six games to lift Sam with the new format.

How much will the Dubs beat Kildare by tomorrow at Croke Park? Take your pick really. I’ll go for a dozen.

HURDLE

Meanwhile, three of the four provincial U20 football champions successfully defended their titles with All-Ireland champions Tyrone the exception after they fell at the first hurdle against Down up north and so surrendered their national and Ulster crowns.

Sligo impressed in retaining their Connacht championship, hitting the closing three points to ward off Galway in a 0-14 to 0-13 nailbiter and that slice of history in becoming the first team from the county to make it back-to-back titles should stand to them against Munster champions Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final next Saturday.

Kerry, who lost to Tyrone in last season’s semi-final, easily hung on to their provincial title with a double-score win over Cork on Monday, winning by 2-12 to 1-6, but it was much closer in the following evening’s Leinster final.

There, Kildare needed extra time to get the better of Dublin before coming out the right side of a 0-16 to 0-13 triumph and they now meet Down who defeated Derry by 2-11 to 0-9 in the Ulster final on Wednesday night. Down, who play Armagh in the senior championship tomorrow, scored 2-5 without reply in the closing 20 minutes.

In 2022, Kildare defeated Sligo by five points but lost to Tyrone by 1-20 to 1-14 in the final and are looking to go one better this term.