AFTER SEEING HIS Meath players clinch promotion last Sunday and triumph on league final day this afternoon, Robbie Brennan’s delight was understandable.
Factor in their slip-up at this venue on final day in Leinster last May and this represented a breakthrough for their setup.
“You have to hope it’s another little step on the way,” reflected Brennan.
“As we’ve said, it’s not our stop-off point at all here today. We still have other plans we want to try and get after. We’re kind of getting to the stage where it’s not necessarily about belief anymore. The lads should understand now that they’re at that level and they’re more than capable of holding their own and beating good teams. Now it’s into being able to maintain those standards across 70 minutes, which we still probably haven’t done yet. We’re still chasing that.”
“Overall, the overriding feeling just delight for the lads to pick up a bit of silverware. We started well and then kind of came off it a little bit. It’s been a bit of a theme, probably through the league.
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Meath's Bryan Menton with his daughter Meabh after the game. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
“At half-time we were quite fortunate only to be two behind at that stage. I thought we scrambled well at times, it was just the onus on the lads then to see could they come out and put a good 35 together and, just really encouraging for them the way they finished the game out.
“The lads should enjoy that, for those that want to go and celebrate it.”
Brennan hailed the depth of the Meath panel, exemplified by the brilliant display of James Conlon as he struck 0-4 after being introduced, and their range of attacking options.
James Conlon celebrates scoring a point for Meath. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“We had our team meeting earlier before we came down, and we highlighted the 10, 12 guys plus the two reserves that were there. We just looked at them and said, ‘My God, they’d be in any squad in the country.’
“That’s a sign of how strong we are. There’s other guys that are injured that would add to that too. The impact off the bench is really good.
“Meath have always had good forwards, and I think we’ve an exceptional bunch at the minute. I sound like Aidan O’Brien with the horses – ‘an exceptional bunch’. But exceptional crop of forwards there, and I think I’ve said before they’re all a little bit different, and that can bring challenges for opposition. The main thing is we encourage them to play and to do their thing, and they’re all accurate – most of the time.”
Meath captain Eoghan Frayne savoured the feeling of lifting a trophy in the Hogan Stand.
“Ah it’s great, there’s no denying it. Like, you do definitely dream of it, and there’s only a few lads fortunate enough to get that opportunity. So look, I’m so grateful for the chance to captain a great Meath team. I’ll be forever in debt to Robbie and the management for making me the captain.
“But look, we know there’s hopefully bigger days ahead now. We won’t get too ahead of ourselves, but any time you win a trophy in Croke Park is a good day, so we’ll enjoy this. We know we can mix it with the top teams in the country.”
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Meath boss Robbie Brennan: 'Just delight for the lads to pick up a bit of silverware'
AFTER SEEING HIS Meath players clinch promotion last Sunday and triumph on league final day this afternoon, Robbie Brennan’s delight was understandable.
Factor in their slip-up at this venue on final day in Leinster last May and this represented a breakthrough for their setup.
“You have to hope it’s another little step on the way,” reflected Brennan.
“As we’ve said, it’s not our stop-off point at all here today. We still have other plans we want to try and get after. We’re kind of getting to the stage where it’s not necessarily about belief anymore. The lads should understand now that they’re at that level and they’re more than capable of holding their own and beating good teams. Now it’s into being able to maintain those standards across 70 minutes, which we still probably haven’t done yet. We’re still chasing that.”
“Overall, the overriding feeling just delight for the lads to pick up a bit of silverware. We started well and then kind of came off it a little bit. It’s been a bit of a theme, probably through the league.
“At half-time we were quite fortunate only to be two behind at that stage. I thought we scrambled well at times, it was just the onus on the lads then to see could they come out and put a good 35 together and, just really encouraging for them the way they finished the game out.
“The lads should enjoy that, for those that want to go and celebrate it.”
Brennan hailed the depth of the Meath panel, exemplified by the brilliant display of James Conlon as he struck 0-4 after being introduced, and their range of attacking options.
“We had our team meeting earlier before we came down, and we highlighted the 10, 12 guys plus the two reserves that were there. We just looked at them and said, ‘My God, they’d be in any squad in the country.’
“That’s a sign of how strong we are. There’s other guys that are injured that would add to that too. The impact off the bench is really good.
“Meath have always had good forwards, and I think we’ve an exceptional bunch at the minute. I sound like Aidan O’Brien with the horses – ‘an exceptional bunch’. But exceptional crop of forwards there, and I think I’ve said before they’re all a little bit different, and that can bring challenges for opposition. The main thing is we encourage them to play and to do their thing, and they’re all accurate – most of the time.”
Meath captain Eoghan Frayne savoured the feeling of lifting a trophy in the Hogan Stand.
“Ah it’s great, there’s no denying it. Like, you do definitely dream of it, and there’s only a few lads fortunate enough to get that opportunity. So look, I’m so grateful for the chance to captain a great Meath team. I’ll be forever in debt to Robbie and the management for making me the captain.
“But look, we know there’s hopefully bigger days ahead now. We won’t get too ahead of ourselves, but any time you win a trophy in Croke Park is a good day, so we’ll enjoy this. We know we can mix it with the top teams in the country.”
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Cork GAA John Cleary Meath Reaction Robbie Brennan