Mick O’Dowd happy with Meath progress

O’Byrne Cup final - Meath 1-17 Longford 1-11: They may be more serfs than royals of Leinster but Mick O’Dowd envisages Meath’s senior footballers are now coming of age.

After yesterday annexing a first O’Byrne Cup title in 10 years, Meath will begin their Division 2 campaign against Armagh in Navan on Sunday confident they can make the jump to the top flight for the first time in nine years.

In front of almost 5,000 in Páirc Tailteann, they were only troubled by a 19-minute barren spell in the first-half but were untouchable after a 45th minute goal by Cillian O’Sullivan. After two years out with a back injury, O’Sullivan, along with six-point man of the match Graham Reilly, Mickey Newman and Harry Rooney were again heavy contributors in another satisfying win.