Brian Fenton’s suspension wasn’t contested by Dublin in advance of their match against Meath. Had the game taken place later in the season or against tougher competition, they might have challenged it. However, they accepted the decision and played without him. It was an opportunity to see what a championship game might look like without Fenton.
The initial results were not particularly promising. Ciarán Kilkenny filled in alongside Tom Lahiff in the middle, and while one can’t pin the loss of six kick-outs by Stephen Cluxton before half-time solely on him, it’s plausible that this would not have occurred under Fenton’s watchful eye. Later in the game, Brian Howard took over, with Peadar Ó Cofiagh Byrne given some playtime towards the conclusion.
Without Fenton, the Dublin midfield seemed somewhat disorganised. Meath devised a clever strategy for Dublin’s kick-out, with their forwards ready for the majority of the restarts in the early stages. Forced to go long more often than he would have preferred, Cluxton appeared to have difficulties without Fenton to rely on.
Ultimately, the outcome didn’t change. Dublin was significantly superior and bested Meath in every aspect. Yet, it’s worth noting for future games. Farrell would certainly prefer not to step into many summer games without his star player. – Malachy Clerkin
GAA Weekend Insights: Dublins’s rare game without Fenton revealed a lot
Living Low
Excitement for potential upsets in provincial championships tumbled after Saturday evening. If a shock result is thought of as a team defeating higher league opponents, the match between Laois and Offaly seemed an ideal case.
Laois, the frontrunner of Division Four, had achieved promotion and won the divisional title, whilst Offaly sat just above the relegation zone in Division Three. There was negligible difference in their standings for next year, though they had been in separate divisions this season.
Ultimately, Offaly emerged victorious with relative ease. This happened against old rival Laois, who hadn’t suffered defeat at their home ground or in the championship to Offaly since 2002 – making history. This outcome offered a new perspective on Division Four teams, highlighting that all, barring Waterford, are now out of the provincial championships.
Currently being the lowest ranked team, Waterford not only won their first Munster championship in 14 years, but also overcame Tipperary for the first time since the late 80s. Interestingly though, there wasn’t a drastic difference in their standings on the Division Four table, hence the win wasn’t too surprising. Their next challenge is a showdown against Clare in the semi-final. Clare has been performing competently during the current transition period in Division Three.
Meanwhile, the sole Division Four team to clinch a championship match was Wexford – achieving a record score against a weaker Carlow. However, their winning spree was halted in Portlaoise when they took a defeat by second division county, Louth.
Comparatively, last year only saw four victories in provincial championship matches derived from lower division counties – two of which were the achievements of Ulster champions Derry. They have now secured a promotion to Division One in 2024 and already bagged victories against Monaghan and Armagh.
Speaking of surprises, Division Three’s Offaly emerged triumphant over Division Two’s Meath, despite the latter ending up as Tailteann Cup champions. Furthermore, Division Three’s Down victorious in their encounter with Donegal, who had just completed a rather bitter season in Division One.
A noteworthy event was Dublin’s expected dominance over Meath in Croke Park, which sparked the age-old debate over the relevance of the Leinster Championship. Both Dessie Farrell and Colm O’Rourke voiced concerns about the championship’s current state.
Yesterday introduced a fresh twist. Stephen Cluxton, with nearly 23 years of championship experience, made his anticipated appearance for the current season amid sleepy cheers from the audience at Croke Park. The loudest cheer, however, emanated from the Hill shortly before the game started. Mick Fitzsimons also received a humble and fitting applause during his welcome. The second half witnessed a fervent shout-out for James McCarthy, who after a three-month hiatus made a comeback.
Dublin, indeed, are privileged to host such talent. Despite appearing only once earlier in the league, McCarthy took the field. Similarly, after the All-Ireland final last year, this was Cluxton and Fitzsimons’ maiden performance. Their manager, Farrell could easily test their skills in the Leinster Championship without the worry of any serious commitment till the commencement of the All-Ireland series.
This peculiarity, however, questions the current championship structure where teams use the season’s lull, after the league’s excitement, as a second pre-season. Farrell stated, “We would obviously turn this to our advantage.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Feely left Kildare in high spirits. The Athy resident, repositioned as an attacker, once again topped Kildare’s score chart with 0-7 (0-5 from frees). Not a first-time occurrence for him, as he was also their leading scorer against Armagh and Cork in the league. Known as one of the best midfielders who can cover a significant amount of ground, due to his robust and airbourne game style, Feely continues to impress. Despite recurring injuries over the years, including a severe Achilles tendon rupture, the ex-midfield all-star nominee has consistently proved his worth.
Operating within the more fluid forward role, Feely brings a potent threat to Kildare’s attack, due to his ability to deftly kick with either foot. In the game against Wicklow, he was particularly effective – registering 0-4 with his left foot and scoring 0-3 again with his left. His composed presence tempers the potentially tumultuous and unpredictable nature of Kildare’s offensive gameplay. Alongside this, Feely possesses an adept retrieval skillset, which equips Kildare with the choice of a straightforward attack. This has broadened Feely’s and Kildare’s offensive arsenal. With eight attempts at goal in the previous game, he scored seven, with his one misfire occurring in the final moments – yet it fortuitously ended up in Niall Kelly’s hands, who passed it to Jack Sargent to score the winning point. Despite Kelly’s ‘man of the match’ title, Feely’s contribution was integral to Kildare’s victory in Portlaoise. His importance to the team was evidenced in their victory, which would’ve been unattainable without his presence.
Now, the Lilyhwhites are tantalisingly close to a spot in the Leinster final, and consequentially, the All-Ireland SFC. However, Kevin Flynn’s expulsion may pose a problem for Glenn Ryan and his management team. Flynn’s dismissal means he’ll be absent from the provincial semi-final against Louth. Could this lead to Kildare recalibrating Feely’s position back to the midfield for the crucial game of their season?
In another game, Armagh demonstrated their offensive prowess, signalling a serious intent. In a remarkable change of fortunes for Kieran McGeeney, Armagh’s hunger for goals has invigorated the team. In the recent years, McGeeney’s team have often found themselves impaired by an unusual restraint in significant matches.
The Ulster final of the previous year saw them lose on penalties with zero goals in regular and extra time. Similarly, they faced a penalty defeat in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Monaghan with no goals on board from either regular or extra time. In the Division Two final just a couple of weeks ago, they lost by one point to Donegal, failing to prompt the green flag umpire to action.
In the recent match against Fermanagh, they displayed an unquenchable appetite for goals. They capitalised on the dismissal of Ultan Kelm due to a black card, pressurising their opponents from the outset. Managing to secure three goals against a team whom they previously failed to score against in the league, unquestionably shows their determined ambition. — Malachy Clerkin