O’Dowd: We can step up

Mick O’Dowd doesn’t want your applause.

Not for the Meath manager the cold comfort of a country grateful his side could rustle up something more than a decent contest after a build-up in which Meath were dismissed as little more than a nuisance to be swatted away by the Dubs.

He could have easily talked his day up, waxed lyrical about how his lads put it up to Dublin after a spring and summer spent sparring with sides who, like themselves, have eked out a living far away from the higher ranks of the football food chain.