Sheridan says cheating claims wide of mark

MEATH SECRETARY Cyril Creavin will tell Sunday’s annual convention in Simonstown that the county was perfectly justified in not offering Louth a replay of their controversial Leinster football final last July – and instead blames Croke Park for not acting more decisively on the matter.

In the meantime, one of the players at the centre of the controversy, Meath’s Joe Sheridan, has spoken about his illegal goal which resulted in Louth’s narrow and late defeat, describing the situation as an “absolute nightmare” – but also defending the decision not to offer a replay.

“(It) may sound harsh, but the GAA cannot run its affairs on sentiment,” said Creavin, in his report to Sunday’s annual convention. “Claims that Meath cheated are all wide of the mark as Joe Sheridan clearly made an effort to kick the ball to the net.

“Should there have been a re-fixture? The GAA should have made it clear immediately after the game, the cup was presented, the game awarded to Meath, end of story. Refixing games because of incorrect decisions would totally undermine the GAA system. That statement should have been made Sunday evening, that as the present rules stand under no circumstances should a refixture be considered.”

Sheridan agrees that, while Louth were certainly hard done by, criticism of Meath for not offering a replay was unfair: “To be honest, it was just an absolute nightmare the way it finished up,” said Sheridan. “It was crazy. And all the attention after it.

“It was a big call, it was a big game, and there were a lot of emotions on different sides – the whole Louth/Meath thing, and Louth having not won it in over 50 years. But I think everyone has just tried to move on from it, and try to get on with it. Some people were jumping on board and saying we should do this and do that, but I don’t think there was much option other than not to give a replay.”

“There’s no point dwelling on it too much. It was one of those things that happen, and ,unfortunately, it was a massive thing, but we have to try and move on. We’re delighted to have won Leinster, it’s just hopefully we can do it next year and not be in the same situation.”

One thing certain is that Meath will defend that title next year under a new manager, with Séamus McEnaney recently taking over as the county’s first outside manager. Sheridan not only welcomes the appointment, but reckons McEnaney will bring new freshness to the county not experienced in a while.

“It was dragging on a wee bit, and everyone was getting a bit frustrated, everyone talking about Meath football, can’t get a manager and stuff like this . . . but we’re very happy with the appointment, and now it’s up to ourselves to just get on with it and try and do the business.

“He’s come with a very good CV, a good backroom staff, and a very professional set-up. It’s going to be a fresh approach and lads are going to be pushing for places, so it’s going to open up the whole panel, I think, and there’ll be a lot of competition there.

“Because with an outside manager coming in he has no loyalties to anyone. He’ll just see whatever the lads give him and he’ll be going on that.”