Meath clash brings back memories for legend McEniff

THE memories have come flooding back for Brian McEniff.

One of Donegal's outstanding footballers in recent times, he led them to their only All-Ireland success in 1992 and gained notoriety as the manager of the Irish team in the international series with Australia.

In 1990, he brought Donegal to Croke Park for an All-Ireland semi-final clash with Meath and they went home chastened following an eight-point defeat.

On Sunday the counties renew their Croker rivalry in the fourth round of the qualifier competition. A quarter-final slot against one of the provincial champions awaits the winners.

Thinking back to that game 12 years ago, McEniff has no doubt that while it delayed their breakthrough, it proved a valuable experience.

"Even though we were beaten by eight points, the game was much closer to that. We had battled very well. It was also a very physical game which we had not intended to make it."

His players had "just got stuck into the Meath lads".

"Colm O'Rourke would always talk about 'the match' with Donegal. John Cunningham was marking him and O'Rourke said he was never hit as hard.

"He would also say it was one of the reasons Cork got an easy run in the final because 'we hammered lumps' out of them. And that wouldn't have been our game.'' On the game itself, he has a clear recollection of an early goal scored by Meath.

'Keeper Gary Walsh went down to save a low ball from PJ Gillic and it went into the net off the back of his head. It was a 'horrid' goal to give away, he said.

Thanks to a Manus Boyle penalty they were level at half-time and, thanks largely to the dominance of Brian Murray and Anthony Molloy at midfield, remained strongly in contention until about 10 minutes from the end.

At this stage the more experienced Meath side took over and, aided by a Brian Stafford goal, won comfortably. "It was a wet drizzly day and it did not suit our half-forwards. They didn't fare well against the rugged Meath backs and we had to replace two of them if not all three.

"But, the experience stood to us. I would have to say the lessons learned from the game, and another against them in the League quarter-final earlier in the year, when we lost by a point, stood us in god stead. It was a learning process. While we came back to win the All-Ireland two years later, actually I thought we would have been successful in 1991. But, Down beat us in the Ulster final and went on to take the title. I would still think that we were good enough to have won at least two All-Irelands."

McEniff, who has recently expanded his hotel chain to Dublin and Waterford, agrees Donegal need to improve on their Ulster final performance against Armagh if they are to advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final.

"You would have to be impressed with Armagh's CV, with three championships in four years in Ulster. They knew how to win. They got good scores and showed a lot more economy on the ball than we did. After the early goal we were nearly always playing catch-up. We never headed them, even though we kicked 14 wides to Armagh's seven.''

He gives Donegal an even chance of winning, making the interesting observation that, win or lose, he sees them as a team for the future.