McEnaney hails quality

SEAMUS McENANEY has claimed this season’s Allianz League Division Two is the “most competitive in 20 years”.

The Monaghan native takes charge of Meath for the first time in the secondary competition when he brings them to Portlaoise next Saturday evening. But while he aspires to earn promotion, he is assured the quality of Division Two will have his team in fine fettle for the Leinster SFC.

“I think for any team in Ireland, it’s been proven over the last 10 years that the best place to play your football is in Division One,” noted McEnaney.

“There’s no doubt about that, but this Allianz League Division Two football is the most competitive I have seen in 20 years. Some of the top teams in the country are in it. It’s very, very competitive.”

However, McEnaney has said the Royals will have to improve their away form if they are to make a decent stab at gaining promotion.

“Our record on the road has been dismal in the last couple of years. It’s a challenge on its own, our away record, but we wouldn’t be looking beyond Justin McNulty’s Laois on Saturday. That’s going to be a very tough start.”

McEnaney is even more excited about the prospect of leading Meath into a competition which won’t be affected by rule changes.

“One of the best statements I have heard was from Christy Cooney at the end of Congress last year — ‘that’s the end of the rule changes for the next five years’. To me, that can only be good for our game.”

McEnaney, who has convinced Jamie Queeney to make himself available for selection, prefers the league in its current place on the calendar. But he has called on the GAA to cut the inter-county training ban by a month.

“The ban needs to be lifted for December. We’re the only sport in the world that hasn’t a five-week run into our competitions. It needs to change.”