By Mark Jones
Cork 0-6, Meath 0-3
Even the much-maligned National Football League should be better than this.
Given that Sunday was a semifinal day at Croke Park featuring two longstanding rivals, one would have expected a few sparks to fly. In the end, though, Meath flopped and Cork had little difficulty in controlling a bloodless game.
Meath even went as far as introducing Trevor Giles and Tommy Dowd for much of the second half, yet their shooting remained atrocious. Nimble and accurate in the quarterfinal against Kerry, last Sunday the ball went in every direction but over the bar.
None of the Leinster county’s starting forwards managed to score, with the paltry total coming from Paddy Reynolds, Jimmy McGuinness and substitute Evan Kelly. Meath lacked the necessary passion and appetite to turn this into a genuine contest.
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Manager Sean Boylan preferred to talk up the Cork defense rather than denigrate his own attack. "You have to consider the performance of the Cork backs," Boylan said. "They really left us very little room. They didn’t allow us to play, they deserved it."
Even though the Boylan perspective had its merits, Cork never had to hit top gear to reach the final for the first time since Kerry beat them in 1997.
The fullback line of Michael O’Donovan, Sean Og O hAilpin and Anthony Lynch were in imperious form as they closed down the Meath attack, but the winners were still unable to supply full forward Mark O’Sullivan with any sort of meaningful ball.
Tracked conscientiously by Darren Fay throughout, O’Sullivan’s lack of influence was partly responsible for the meager winning total of six points.
Like their opponents, Cork also squandered several chances, with Joe Kavanagh’s penalty attempt rebounding off the crossbar back into play, Philip Clifford shooting just past the post, and Fay clearing off the line.
Manager Larry Tompkins wasn’t in the mood to comment on his team’s success, but the impressive O hAilpin was upbeat about Cork’s performance.
"We’re one step away from a national title and that means a lot," he said. "It’s similar to a championship situation and we’re going to treat it as such."
As Meath toted up 14 wides, 10 of which came after the interval, Cork were able to pick off their points as Podsie O’Mahony and Kavanagh worked hard to make up for O’Sullivan’s eclipse.
Dublin 0-11, Armagh 0-11
Cork will have to wait to see who they meet in the final following a tame enough draw in the second semifinal at Croke Park. In fact, the first half of this phony war actually made the fare served up earlier by Cork and Meath look good. Thankfully, there was value for money after the changeover.
Armagh had trailed by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break, but from then on, the Ulster side concocted some excellent football and when their best player, Oisin McConville, hit an equalizing point two minutes from time, no one was saying a draw wasn’t a fair result.
McConville, who like Dublin’s Jim Gavin finished with six points from frees, was delighted to get a second chance.
"The more games you get the better," McConville said. "Coming down here is definitely better than running around playing some challenge match on a back pitch in county Tyrone or somewhere. This is as close to championship action as you can get."
Dublin had by far the better of a dull opening period as Dessie Farrell emerged as a central figure. Sharp and hard-working in attack, he beat Gerard Reid to the ball time and time again and set up several chances for Gavin.
Ciaran Whelan and Enda Sheehy were also running the show at midfield with customary support from Paul Curran, who wasn’t in the slightest bit fazed by playing out position at center back. But for all their possession, Dublin contrived to shoot five wides and Armagh weren’t too worried at being just three in arrears at halftime.
They came out in much more positive mood, helping themselves to five unanswered points from McConville (3), Paul McGrane and Peter Loughran and suddenly Dublin were looking shaky at the back. However, Curran steadied the ship and as the pace quickened Sheehy and Gavin leveled the game again.
"We’re happy to play another game," said Dublin’s manager, Tom Carr. "It’s much better than training, anyone worth their salt knows that. Everyday you go out and learn that bit more about yourselves." Both teams will have the opportunity for some more self-evaluation at Croke Park on Sunday.