The scoreboard does not lie, and in Strand Road today it told a stark truth. This was a chastening defeat, one that exposed a lack of sharpness and left too many regrets to count. For long stretches, Gneeveguilla were in control, rarely challenged, while our own efforts fell flat.

Three times in the first half we broke forward with promise, only to squander possession — misplaced passes, overcarrying, wrong options at the wrong time. Each mistake drained momentum, each turnover feeding Gneeveguilla’s confidence. At the other end, we simply failed to cope with the power and influence of Paudie O’Leary and the relentless work-rate of Padraig Doyle, who dictated the rhythm and punished our hesitancy. Ronan Collins and Paul & John O'Leary were dominant forces also. 

By the break, the legs already looked heavy, the spark absent, the contest slipping away. The second half brought little reprieve, the scoreboard steadily ticking out a reminder of a day when nothing seemed to click.

And yet, as sobering as the result is, it does not define us. It cannot. There remains one final shot at redemption next weekend when we will travel to table toppers Beaufort — one last chance to prove that this performance was an aberration rather than a pattern. The question now is simple: can we bounce back, rediscover our bite, and show who we really are?

The scoreboard will give its answer soon enough.