Meath clubs have rowed in behind football boss Mick O’Dowd and reappointed him for a further two-years.

Mick O’Dowd entered the press room with the glazed expression of a soldier who has just witnessed terrible things at war.

Those who partitioned Meath from Westmeath around 500 years ago didn’t do the Lake County any favours, not in Gaelic football terms at least.

Martin McHugh’s infamous ‘two-trick pony’ gibe regarding Colm Cooper has been turned back on him by Meath manager Mick O’Dowd who has labelled the Donegal man a ‘one-trick analyst’.

Mick O’Dowd has ruled former skipper Kevin Reilly out of Meath’s Leinster championship opener with Wicklow and admitted it’ll be a ‘bonus’ if the stricken defender does return at some point in the campaign.