Coyle’s Meath men aiming to restore Royal reputation

AS weeks go, the seven days spanning April 8th and 14th were about as depressing as any Meath supporter could remember.

It started on the Sunday in the south-east when Colm Coyle’s senior side was on the receiving end of a seven-point thumping in Wexford.

It ended six days later with their minor side relinquishing the county’s Leinster minor title with a defeat to Carlow in Dr Cullen Park.

Coyle’s side still qualified for the Division Two semi-finals thanks to a superior cumulative scoring difference and the Carlow boys had been making waves in Leinster since U14, but the damage to Meath’s morale, and their reputation, nullified any mitigating factors.

Ever since the last of their 20 senior provincial titles was won in 2001, the county’s stock has plummeted and, though the prospect of silverware lies just 140 minutes over the horizon, a black cloud hangs over the county.

“All you can do is assess where it went wrong against Wexford and try to make it right but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be right,” says veteran midfielder Anthony Moyles.

“The proof will be in the pudding (today) against Monaghan. We’ll see then if we’ve managed to pull up our socks up and react in a positive way.

“It was a joke against Wexford. We played like a team that knew it had a seven-point buffer going into it and we never got out of the blocks.”

The Wexford game was no isolated blip. Meath have stumbled rather than sauntered their way through the spring in a poor Division Two grouping.

Of particular concern is the fact that they picked up just one point from the games against their two main rivals, Cavan and Wexford.

Even the draw with Cavan, on an evening when the new floodlights were turned on in Navan for the first time, was a fortuitous one for the hosts.

With Kildare awaiting in the Leinster Championship, Moyles accepts that the report card needs to improve.

“It’s a worry, no doubt about it. We know how well Kildare are going and that our backs are to the wall to a certain degree. All we can do is keep plugging away at our own game and hope it comes right.

“The last couple of years we haven’t played to our standards individually. Collectively we have let ourselves down as well. All respect to the other teams in Division Two, but it is hard to gauge how well you are doing.

“You are racking up big scores and, motivation-wise, it isn’t the same as playing Dublin, Tyrone, Kerry or even Monaghan. This game is a big test and hopefully lads will react positively.”

Most people agree that the county’s best footballers are on the panel but the perception is they are not playing to their potential.

The half-back line is deemed particularly suspect and the forwards are under pressure to secure more scores.

Years of demoralising results may have taken their toll. Men like Moyles, Darren Fay and Graham Geraghty provide a tangible link to the glory days but most, even guys with five years’ service, have known nothing other than disappointment in a Meath jersey.

“There is plenty of experience there but a lot of these lads have seen a lot of bad times. There has been plenty of good times in Meath in the last 10, 15 years but there hasn’t been this past five years. Maybe the confidence is a bit low for some of the lads.

“Maybe they are wondering what the supporters are making of it. That affects players but you have to get over it. You have to stick your chest out and say ‘let’s get back to the essentials, lets get back to what made Meath teams great’. That will have to start on Saturday.”

They should not be found wanting for motivation. Not only is the game a chance to purge themselves of the Wexford debacle, it is an opportunity to avenge one of the most famous Croke Park defeats of recent times.

Two years ago, Meath led the Division Two final against Monaghan by two points when substitute Mark Ward punched a Paul Finlay free into the roof of his own net to hand victory to the Ulster side.

“From what I remember they got off to a great start,” recalls Moyles. “Tommy Freeman was in flying form and got two goals. We were under the cosh big time at the start before managing to claw our way back into it and get on top ourselves. It was nip and tuck the whole way.

“They had a few chances even before that goal to bring it back level. It was tough to lose it in the manner we did and it will be tough again this time because Monaghan have blazed a trail through their division this year.

“After that, missing out on a trophy in the last minute like we did, it would be great to win one, to get something into the cabinet.”

Allianz Division Two semi-finals: Meath v Monaghan, Croke Park, 6pm; Cavan v Roscommon, Croke Park, 7.45pm