The end is where we start from. TS Eliot's words, and precisely the intentions of Sean Boylan's Meath at the end of the roller-coaster football marathon of the year.

It had not been the most friendly of encounters - four sent off and numerous bookings - but Boylan expressed a clear-cut understanding both of the referee's lot and of the offending players who were sent to the line.

"They are amateur players giving their all. They want to win a Leinster championship match and qualify for a Leinster final. In the heat of battle anything can happen.

"There are times when things really go against you and you can get frustrated. There are things you do wrong yourself or maybe it's something a linesman or an umpire does that you were not happy about.

Getting in ahead of criticism of "dirty play" Boylan said: "If they [certain sections of the media]say it was a dirty match I can't do a thing about that. They have had a fair field-day for a long time but that's their job. Maybe, if I was in their position, I would be the same.

"All I know is our job and we are privileged people to be in this dressing-room with a great bunch of guys who give their all to our county football and it's a great honour for us to be out there".

"In defence of the referee, Pat O'Toole from Longford, he said: "When you're looking after one side you want every decision to go your way. The speed of the game is so incredible that it's very difficult for any referee to keep up with it, the referee kept up with the play today. I would not like his job, I would never have the guts to do it.

"I thought it was a phenomenal game. We were very purposeful," said Boylan.

Anything Boylan would like to see improve for the Offaly match? "I would like to have a full panel to pick from."

Colm Coyle said: "It was frantic out there. I don't know where anybody was playing. We lost our shape as a result of the reshuffling and players being sent off. We are happy to have it behind us. But we won at a cost. Almost our whole full-back line is gone for the final. Now we will just have to get on with what we have got."

He was referring to the dismissals of Mark O'Reilly and Darren Fay, both of whom, even with a two-week ban, will miss the final against Offaly. Graham Geraghty will also miss that game.

Second-half goal-hero Ollie Murphy earned unanimous praise in the Meath dressing room. "I am delighted for Ollie. He is a great footballer, a great team player, a most unassuming man. He had big shoes to fit into in Barry Callaghan's," said Boylan.

Murphy thought that Brendan Reilly, who was stretchered off unconscious after 16 minutes was "fearless in his work and especially when attempting to set me up with one pass".

Trevor Giles said that "Ollie came of age today. He was our best player, I probably wasn't great today but I tried hard. Nobody could have any doubts about how good Kildare are now. There was a perception of them been physically weak, not having `the bottle'. You couldn't say that about them now. They proved themselves over the three matches and will have more respect for themselves now. "It's not easy to hold onto your Leinster and All-Ireland titles. We might not be playing great but we are still there," Giles added.

Martin O'Connell was pleased. "We got our scores at the right time in the three games. The speed of the game now is far greater than in the 1991 marathon with Dublin. I hadn't time to feel worried at any stage and just kept concentrating on my own job."

Jody Devine was smiling. "It was great to get in again. The pattern was very tight for attackers at both ends. That's the sort of game it was."

Meath captain John McDermott said: "after the first two games people may have been expecting better than they got today but conditions were not good and players being sent off was upsetting.".