How Meath downed Dublin at the tenth attempt to end Leinster 15-in-a-row bid

Irish Daily Mirror

28-04-2025

A lot of factors go into an historic victory like Meath's Leinster semi-final triumph over Dublin at the weekend.
Doggedness, heart and having a gameplan, as referenced by Robbie Brennan after Meath's shock win, are vital.
But plenty of external factors combined with the planets aligning for Meath to inflict Dublin's first Leinster Championship defeat since 2010 - and end their bid for 15-in-a-row.
They include the new game dreamed up by the Football Review Committee, the worm turning at underage level, the Croke Park factor, Dublin's retirements and more.
We take a look at how Meath finally downed the Dubs in Championship football at their tenth attempt:
APPOINTMENT OF ROBBIE BRENNAN
Colm O'Rourke wanted another three years as Meath boss to go with the two he had already served.
But Meath chiefs took a bold and brave decision to cut a county legend with a newspaper column loose, knowing there would be a backlash from many quarters.
With Meath beaten by an average of almost 13 points per game in last year's All-Ireland round robin and averaging just under 12 points per game, something wasn't working in year two for O'Rourke.
They were also beaten in Leinster by 16 points by Dublin.
Brennan had led Kilmacud Crokes to a hat-trick of Dublin and Leinster titles, adding an All-Ireland (2023) and he started with a bang, as Meath won four of their first five games, including a hugely impressive victory over Roscommon.
But when coaches Martin Corey and Joe McMahon left the set-up - still unexplained - the pressure was on.
Perhaps this ultimately galvanized Meath to produce what they did in Portlaoise last Sunday. Brennan handled that situation particularly well.
DUBLIN RETIREMENTS
It was a trickle that turned to stream and then into a tidal wave as James McCarthy was followed out the door by fellow Dublin legends Brian Fenton, Jack McCaffrey, Paul Mannion and Michael Fitzsimons. That's over 40 All-Ireland medals.
Fenton in particular has proved a massive loss as he played every minute of every match, and would have been ideally suited to the new game.
The dogged determination and leadership of McCarthy and Fitzsimons has also been sorely missed.
Mannion would have been Dublin's best two point shooter and McCaffrey's pace to break lines is also a huge loss.
THE FOOTBALL REVIEW COMMITTEE (FRC)
The irony that six-time Dublin All-Ireland winning manager Jim Gavin headed up the committee that turned the game upside down - a game the capital side were very good at - won't be lost on a lot of Dublin fans.
And the double irony is that Dublin have struggled to hit two pointers all year. In the Gavin era shooting from those areas and with the outside of the foot was strictly forbidden. It just never happened.
The loss of Paul Mannion and Brian Fenton hasn't helped with two point shooting. Ciaran Kilkenny didn't look comfortable on the two pointers last Sunday, missing two, while Cormac Costello missed a routine enough 40 metre free with a strong breeze at his back.
Con O'Callaghan has added two pointers to his game, but not many others have.
On top of this, the more chaotic, less structured style of football in the new game certainly suits Meath, although saying that, they had no stupid shots into the breeze in the second half, with their game management after the break one of the keys to the win.
THE CROKE PARK FACTOR
The word is that Meath were given the chance to play Dublin at Navan in last year's Leinster quarter-final, but turned it down to go to Croke Park. What a bizarre decision and one they were hardly in a position to make.
Last Sunday was the first time they played Dublin in a Championship game outside Croke Park since 1980 - and they won, after nine successive Leinster defeats at GAA HQ since 2010.
The great Dublin team were well able to play out of Croke Park, but if Meath had encountered them at other Leinster venues, particularly Navan, over the past 15 years they might not bear the deep psychological scars of so many heavy beatings.
The Leinster Council will be happy today, but they have to take some responsibility for allowing this to happen to their biggest football competition.
This year Dublin won their Croke Park league games by an average of 6.33 points.
Outside Croke Park they lost by 9, 8 and 4 (against Tyrone, Armagh and Donegal). They beat Kerry by one on the road and struggled to beat Wicklow in Aughrim in the Leinster quarter-final, winning by five points in the end.
Would Meath have won this game if it was in Croke Park? Maybe not, but we'll never know - and although people will say it doesn't matter, it does. Lessons have to be learned by the GAA.
THE NET WIDENS
Robbie Brennan spread the net far and wide. Bryan Menton thought he was retired, but after a two year hiatus came back in at 33 to start every game this year.
Brennan's Dunboyne club mate Seamus Lavin spent three years in Canada, but after playing with his club last year returned to start for Meath again. His pace and physique makes him important to Meath for one on one defending.
Ratoath midfielder Jack Flynn returned after taking last year out, although he was injured for the weekend win.
These three big, powerful men have added to Meath's armoury, while Na Fianna's Sean Rafferty has been a huge addition as the type of dogged marking defender fans love.
Colm O'Rourke did blood the likes of captain and vice captain Eoghan Frayne and Ciaran Caulfield, the promising Ruairi Kinsella and Brian O'Halloran, and it's standing to Meath now.
FEEL GOOD UNDER-20S FACTOR
Don't underestimate the value of success at under-20 level. With two All-Irelands in the last three years, that's what makes Tyrone so dangerous this year - and even more so next season.
Cathal Ó Bric's Meath under 20s are the current Leinster champions and are back in another final, where they face Louth tomorrow night at Newbridge.
From last year's under-20 side Robbie Brennan brought Jack Kinlough and Conor Duke straight into the senior starting line-up.
That helped with Meath's depth. When this year's side finishes up, it would be no surprise if powerhouse forward Jamie Murphy comes in. It's a pity for Meath football that the outstanding Eamonn Armstrong is going to Australia and Conor Nash is already there.
With those two they'd be bang in business with the big sides.
Meath have some serious two point shooters coming at under-20 level if they can guide them through. On top of that, Louth have beaten Dublin in the Leinster semi-final in the last two years. The worm is turning at underage level - for a while at least.