2010 criticism still bothers Reilly

GRAHAM REILLY doesn’t bother trying to tip-toe around the elephant in the room. For the Meath footballer who hails 10 minutes from Drogheda and plays his club football with St Colmcille’s in Bettystown, right on the Louth border, there is nobody more aware of the repercussions of the 2010 Leinster final.

Turns out the RTÉ Six O’Clock News was the first he knew that a provincial final had gone national. Even though the teams meet for the second summer in a row, that famous day and all the drama surrounding Joe Sheridan’s disputed winning ‘goal’ remains a touchstone.

‘It was hard to take for Louth. Personally, I would have given them a replay, played them the following week. I don’t know, we had a meeting about it, I won’t go into that. Personally, I would have liked to give them a replay because, you know, we were very average that day, and I just think it would have been the right thing to do.

‘It’s hard for them to take but that’s in the past now. I’d say Joe Sheridan would tell you the same. It’s seven years ago at this stage. It’s still hurtful for a lot of them, but I’d say there’s only one or two from their squad that are still playing, probably only one or two from both squads that are still playing.’

And yet there are times, given the border rivalry, the slagging gets under Relly’s (below) skin.

‘It can do. Some people joke with me, saying “Sure you don’t really have a Leinster medal. Give us that one.” A couple of lads I know from Drogheda would say that to me, messing.

‘Ah look, in a way they have a point. I have a couple of years to get another one, that’s in the back of my head. Why not get one this year, why not get one next year? Just put the doubt out of the system. But as far as I’m concerned, if anyone asks me I have a Leinster medal. I wouldn’t read too much into it. Most people only joke about it.’ Then there’s the further twist of Louth manager Colin Kelly and his selector Colm Nally both doing stints in charge of St Colmcille’s. If anyone understands the nature of this fierce Leinster rivalry, and what’s at stake at Parnell Park this afternoon, it’s Reilly.