IN THE AFTERMATH of their gallant win over Kildare, Meath boss Seamus McEnaney praised his youthful team.
Banty has had a tough time off the field in recent months but put that to one side yesterday as the Royals booked their place in the Leinster SFC final.
“We are delighted to get to the Leinster final,” McEnaney said.
“I am delighted for the young players, our entire full-back line was under 21 today and we played six under-21s with maybe eight or nine of the lads under 23 and that is very important to us as a group. I was wild happy with what the young fellas brought to the table over the last five weeks.
They are putting the experienced players under pressure and they are coming up trumps for us.”
“Thankfully our subs contributed handsomely to our win. Some days they work for you and some days they don’t.”
Meath had been beaten in all of their last five meetings with the Lilywhites and suggestions have been made that complacency may have played a part in the poor showing from Kieran McGeeney’s men. McEnaney, however, insisted that the record was not talked about as he concentrated on his own team in the run-up to the tie.
“Kildare was never mentioned in the build-up. They were never mentioned in our dressing room. This was about Meath, this group of players within the four walls, prepared to die for each other on the field and the 30 training man panel we have.
Kieran McGeeney and Kildare have had the sword in my side and in Meath’s side for the last four or five years and I don’t think that Kieran will begrudge me this one.
“He has done a fantastic job over the last four or five years and surely be to god we are entitled to one out of the six.”
