What a difference two weeks makes…a fortnight ago teams were scrambling around the county searching for indoor or astro pitches to train on ahead of the first round Championship games due to the horrendous weather. Fast forward two short weeks and a spell of fine weather later, grass was cut, the ground was hard, fades looked that bit fresher and some lads even had new boots on display!

This was a big weekend for most clubs knowing they might not taste another round of Championship for another three months. Effectively, the Meath Championship is broken into two stages with the first now completed. Whilst there weren't a whole heap of shocks in the opening round, that was chalk and cheese to the second round with upsets everywhere you looked.

From my own perspective, it was a dark day for my own club going down to a heavy defeat to Ballivor. Win, lose or draw, Ballivor is always a special game for me personally as my Grandfather, Pat Rispin was wing back for 1948 Intermediate Championship winning Ballivor team. The medal sits proudly with my Junior medal from 2014 and still looks just as new. Since the result last Friday night though, I have been avoiding him like the plague.

Ballivor are a very good side and when they have everyone available are a strong Intermediate side, let alone a Junior team. A wise man once said to me that "Ballivor are the only football team in Meath made up of two hurling teams." It's hard to argue with it but it's also hard to argue that Ballivor will take serious beating in the Junior Championship with the McKeown brothers, Adam Gannon, Keith Keoghan and Martin Healy all exceptional players at this level.

I will reflect on the games I attended this weekend which included three Senior games, a Junior and Intermediate game whilst also reflecting on last week's classic between Kilmainham and Meath Hill in Carlanstown.

Kilmainham v Meath Hill

Wow…what an unbelievable game of football this was. Although it's over a week ago and I stupidly didn't take any notes, I remember this as fondly as any game I seen last weekend. In fact, you'll do very well to see a better game for the rest of the year. I talked about admission prices and reduced prices my previous blog but I happily would have paid a score into this game had I known what drama was to ensue.    

Kilmainham are seasoned campaigners in the Intermediate championship and are now in their fifth season in the grade and it showed in the opening exchanges. They were electrifying at times and no one summed this up more than former county star, Mickey Newman. The stylish Newman was unmarkable on the night and notched a remarkable 2-08. His two goals were outstanding and he even nonchalantly tapped down a long delivery into the path of his younger brother Mark who riffled home for Kilmainham's third.

At this stage, last year's quarter-finalists were six points in front with 15 minutes remaining and it looked a case of how many they would win by. Step forward the Junior Champions and Meath Hill rallied, kicking an astonishing 7 points on the trot, with Pierce McGrath leading the charge for Davy Cahill's men. Kilmainham looked beaten and devoid of any ideas but up stepped Michael Newman. He reminded everyone that he is still arguably the top forward in the county with a 50 metre free from the hands eight minutes into injury time with the last kick of the game. Over the black spot, points shared, class is permanent.

Ballinabrackey v St Michael's

One would imagine in an open Intermediate Championship that these will be two of the protagonists in the 2018 Championship. The Micks just fell short in last year's decider against deserved winners Curraha whilst the Bracks have been fighting it out at the latter end of the Championship for a number of years.

The Bracks have been accused in recent years of being overly defensive but on the evidence of Saturday's showing they have a lot more to offer and can play a far more expansive, attacking game. It was a fabulous open game of football under the glorious evening sunshine in Pairc Tailteann with the ice-cream man under as much pressure as both of the teams on show. Pairc Tailteann was in immaculate condition and Meath PRO Ciaran Flynn even played tribute to the late Avicii and Big Tom during the half time interval with back-to-back songs from the pair who sadly passed away in the past week.

Ballinabrackey were good value for their win in truth and bossed the majority of the first half with Derek Flynn and the enigmatic Andrew Munnelly notching tremendous first half goals. The deficit was a lot shorter than it ought to have been with the Micks getting back into it courtesy of a fortuitous goal for Davy Lynch after a Shane McDonnell effort had deflected off the upright. Former county man Juicy, Chris O'Connor did a brilliant job on Micks danger man Ciaran Lynch it has to be said and this certainly had a major influence on the outcome.

Micks, despite an edgy start to the Championship are far from finished one would think and if Peter O'Connell can continue to find the Illusive Oran Meehan as regularly as he did on Saturday evening, then Ciaran Conlon's men could yet have a say in the destination of this year's Mattie McDonnell Cup.

Ballinabrackey are real contenders though with some experienced campaigners in the form of O'Connor, Nicky Judge, Damien Carroll and the old pair of warhorses - John Curry and Trevor Bannon. Danny Quinn started out centre forward and was rather ineffective during the first period; however, he was put in full forward second half where I believe he is at his best. The big full forward gave an exhibition of point-taking from all angles and was ultimately the difference between the two sides.

Gaeil Colmcille v Na Fianna

I hate to use the term twice in the same article but my God what a difference two weeks makes! Coming into their respective dressing rooms after their first-round encounters with Summerhill and Navan O'Mahony's, the moods could not possibly have been anymore contrasting. Kells comfortably dispatched of last year's beaten finalists Summerhill and were tipped by many to go one step further than their previous last three semi-final defeats. I'm not saying they won't but they ran into a determined and spirited Enfield/Baconstown side who suffered a heavy defeat to O'Mahony's in the opening round.

Anyone who felt that rank underdogs Na Fianna were going to roll over and have their tummies tickled by their opponents who were quoted as short as 1/10 with the bookmakers, were greatly mistaken. Without the services of talismanic figures like Dalton McDonagh, Jamie Queeney and fan favourite Ollie Lewis, it seems Sean O'Dea's men have uncovered a new star in the form of Ethan Devine. What a player the former Meath minor star is, he was outstanding and took the game by the you know what from the first minute to the last showing maturity far beyond his years.

Despite leading for the vast majority of the contest, you always felt Kells were there for the taking despite holding a handsome half time lead. In the same breathe, you also felt like they could flick the switch and go through the gears and blow away their opponents. This never materialised and Gaeil Colmcille manager Lar Wall, a Na Fianna man at heart will be scratching his head as to what happened.

Beano Hanlon and Martin Barrett kicked some outstanding scores to keep the town team in front whilst Paulie Tormay and Barry Smith defended stoutly and had it not been for them and a couple of unbelievable saves from Justin Carry Lynch, Na Fianna could have easily had a couple of goals. Immense credit too must go to their backline who after their capitulation against O'Mahony's tightened the ship with Anthony Neary and the terrier-like veteran James Geaghan impressing. Geaghan might be small in stature but he has the heart of a lion and epitomises exactly what Na Fianna are all about. Right them off at your peril.

Clonard v St Brigids

This game went as I expected and was not as tight as the final score. St Brigids should have won this by a lot more than a solitary point. They were seven points in front going into injury time when Clonard manager Damien Griffin took a seat under the dug-out for the first time in the hour looking resigned to his team's fate when suddenly they started to rally. Brigids lost the plot, nearly undoing all off their good work in the hour and a series of frees and a penalty converted by Gary Raleigh got hearts flickering only for the sound of the final whistle to save Brigids' blushes.

Full credit to the Ballinacree men though, it's well documented that they have suffered on and off the field in recent years. They lost several key players to Cavan clubs in the past year, most notably current Cavan Senior footballer Oísin Kiernan but they have picked themselves off the canvas and regrouped to win their first two group games for the first time in a few years and for that they deserve a pat on the back.

Clonard are finding things a bit tougher than last year when they probably overachieved in reaching the last four of the Junior Championship for the first time since 2014. Like many clubs at this level, they lack real scoring forwards and that told for long periods of the second half despite having a gale force breeze behind them. One aspect of the game they are strong at is midfield with county man Adam Flanagan and his compatriot James Dowdall. They were matched all the way though by their opponents and young Kevin Gilsenan was unplayable all afternoon. He has everything…pace, power, precision, accuracy and who said you can't put an old head on young shoulders!

Speaking of an old head and old shoulders, that brings me to the evergreen AJ Gilsenan. Once the prolific, free scoring spirit in the Brigid's side, he has evolved and is now the commander and uses his experience expertly around the middle of the field picking up ball and picking passes. Meath Junior star Mickey Flood is a rock at centre back and really makes Brigid's tick with his trademark runs up the field and the way in which he carries the ball reminds me of a young Donal Keoghan.

Their game management was impressive too; they drew fouls from the Clonard backline and corner forward Joe Blake gave an absolute exhibition of place-kicking from the ground. It was a delight to behold with a similar type technique to Meath great Brian Stafford. For the duration of the game, the normally animated and popular publican George Plunkett who is a selector for the Ballinacree men could not be seen. I was almost worried I hadn't seen George on the line but he appeared from the dug-out for the final moments as Brigid's clung onto a vital and merited two points.

St Colmcille's v Wolfe Tones

Arguably the most eagerly awaited game of the weekend in HQ last week as many people's tip for this year's Keegan Cup took on many people's dark horses for the Championship. How much did we learn about Wolfe Tones during their first round win against Moynalvey? Not a whole pile to be honest considering the margin of victory and poor performance from Darren Fay's side at the time. How much did we learn about Cilles after their win against Rathkenny? Well we learned that they were not afraid to stand up to a hardened team like Rathkenny when the going got tough. Make no mistake they were in a game and a scrap but came out the right side of it. I'd suggest 12 months previously they might have just fell short. They now have the experience of senior football and have learned from their shortcomings.

There were two of the more experienced managers I think it's fair to say on the sideline for the respective sides. Tony Kearney over the Wolfe Tones in his trademark red boots and the silver fox Des Lane in his skinny bottoms. I suppose this just shows that the game is evolving all the time and the gaffers are clearly eager to move with the times as well!

It was the former Rathkenny manager who got the better of this tight tussle with a tactical masterclass. The Cilles would normally be associated with nice swashbuckling football but it would be rather naïve to play that type of game against a side with the considerable firepower of that of the Tones. Instead, Cilles flooded out the middle third and swamped the Tones full forward line limiting the Ward brothers and Thomas O'Reilly to little or no time or space on the ball.

Niall O'Reilly was one beneficiary of the blanket as he kicked four excellent scores, several from 45 plus metres to keep Tones in the contest. Cilles left danger man James 'Banty' Conlon in the full forward line and my word did he do damage. How or why the Tones left him isolated in there for so long is another question but take nothing away from the Banty. County men Ben Brennan and Biggy Reilly with the aid of the breeze were pumping ball into the illusive Conlon who was giving Dan O'Neill a torrid time of it. His low centre of gravity and electric pace off the mark is freakish and he is accurate to boot also.  

I had the pleasure of playing a bit of football with Brennan and Conlon during the winter with DIT and let me tell you it was a pleasure. With Brennan, you point where you want the ball and he'll put it on a plate for you and with Conlon you just try to make space for him and he'll do the rest. Just like Joe Blake in the previous game, Brennan showed that the art of free-taking from the ground is alive and well kicking the winner under vocal pressure on and off the field…cool as the breeze that was playing into his face.

It's testament to the Cilles that star man Reilly had somewhat of an off day and yet the men in blue still came out the right side of the result. You often hear the seasiders get branded as "a one-man team," let me tell you they are anything but. They will cause plenty of teams problems in this year's Championship, believe me.

For Tones, this is a blip, I wouldn't be sending out the SOS calls or anything like that. Several of their key men just didn't perform to the level they have previously and will no doubt perform to again. One man who never fails to perform is the old warhorse Stephen Corrigan. What a warrior he is, loves rolling up the sleeves and getting stuck in on the football pitch, just like he does in Tara Mines! Would I be still expecting them to be fighting it out at the business end of the Championship? Oh, I would yeah!

Skyrne v Summerhill

This game was billed as do or die for Summerhill having gone down to comprehensive defeat at the hands of Gaeil Colmcille two weeks ago. Their league form wasn't what you might call inspiring and after losing Brian Ennis to Castlerahan during the off-season and with last year's captain Richie Hatton deciding to hang up the boots, one might have been forgiven for thinking that the Hill were going downhill.

I'm sure in the build up to the game, manager John Lyons will have used this as a fillet for his side. The former Keegan Cup kingpins are made of stern stuff but their character was tested to the hilt in the opening quarter of an hour. The in-form Tara men made a blistering start with man-mountain Paddy O'Rourke rocketing over four points along with a stunning finish from hot prospect Daragh Campion.

The Hill never panicked though and soon found their grove and incredibly kicked a magnificent seven scores in a row. Their patient build-up at times tested the patience of full forward Barry Dardis but he along with Larkin, Conor Lyons and the inspirational John Keane slowly began to swing the pendulum back in favour of the boys in blue and yellow.

A long, typical delivery into the goalmouth looked like it would be comfortably collected by Skryne keeper Ian Gillett, but he, along with the massive crowd in Bohermeen didn't see Conor Freyne storming in. As brave as a lion, like a train in the night, he applied the most delicate of touches to find the back of the net and stun the 2010 Keegan Cup champions.

The Hill continued to work in the second period against a strong breeze and defended like beavers with Padraig Geraghty, Caolan Young and the Ryan twins defending valiantly. Skryne did have their moments with O'Rourke and Battersby who buzzed around for the hour pointing to keep them in touch.

The outcome was right in the balance up until the brilliant Dardis was hauled down inside the area and full back Willie Ryan slotted home the penalty into the bottom corner like a seasoned corner forward. When substitute Liam Shaw blasted to the net, it was the signal to run to the car to beat the traffic as it was all over bar the shouting and referee Cormac Reilly soon blew for full time.

This was a high-class encounter between two of Meath's heavyweights and it didn't disappoint. The dual between Dardis and talented full back Eoghan Greene was intriguing throughout and he'll give plenty more full forwards food for thought during the remainder of the year.

The day belonged to the Hill though, a marvellous act of footballing defiance which epitomizes their sponsor on the front of their jerseys 'Gordon Elliot Racing.' Elliot has suffered many setbacks but he uses these set-backs and comes back stronger from then each time. It must be something in the Summerhill air because John Lyons' men are no different and they are not finished, not in the slightest.    

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