Sometimes you have to think "Why"? I am referring to our clash with Senchalstown, the kingpins of ladies Gaelic in Meath at the moment. Having played them in the Championship this year and losing out by the smallest of margins in a thrilling encounter, I presumed both sides would be really looking forward to the clash. Senchalstown have walked away with the championship for the last three years, have been starved of stiff competition. A re-run of the last match with Dunsany could have been just what the doctor ordered. A "Match" in the true sense of the word.

But, the only phrase you could use to describe Senchalstown's attitude is a "cop-out". Maybe it is me being the old romantic, and dreaming of past days of glory when Dunsany could compete with any team in the county. Dreaming of a time when football was for fun and county board meetings didn't resemble a pirate ship with the gang plank in constant use.

When the matter of this match arose at the county board meeting, the following two things were pointed out to the officials from Senchalstown and the members of the county board:

1:That Dunsany would be without the services of: Colette O'Connell, AnneMarie (Skinny) Dennehy, Christine (O'Brien) Fagan, Ann Gorman, Aileen Donnelly, Deirdre Dixon and Joanne Cunnigham (these being only a few of the people who come to mind)

2:That we would struggle to even field a team.

But when the pirates are placing the blindfolds on you and pointing you towards the plank, you do what you can to meet the demands...and so the match was fixed, for a Friday night, under floodlights.

Dunsany fielded a team, some not seniors, some not willing and some not old enough to go to a PG film without their parents. So you've guessed the ending already: I would love to sit ,hear and draw a parallel with the Samson and Goliath story.I can't, unfortunatley Samson had just received the "short, back and sides".

Senchalstown went back with the points, Senchalstown remain untouchable, but then they can't genuinely have felt any sense of achievement. But what can you expect from a club that were happy to take home a championship cup when their opposition wouldn't field due to a funeral in the family of one of the members of the team? So to them I say, you have the victory but not the respect. And when you take a trip down memory lane in the years to come, when you have gained a sense of fair play and sportspersonship, photos and memories of your team holding a undeserved cup aloft will bring no sense of pride, of glory days past - just a feeling of embarrassment and shame.