I know we have to be better for longer, warns McEntee

Meath manager Andy McEntee admitted there was a touch of Groundhog Day about his team’s latest nine-point defeat in the Super 8s.

The beaten Leinster finalists led Mayo by a point at the three-quarter mark, only to finish nine behind - curiously the same scenario that played out in their Phase 1 loss to Donegal.

“It was very similar, although I would say in Ballybofey we didn’t miss as many chances as we did today,” said McEntee. “We probably had more of the ball today than we had last week. At vital stages we just didn’t execute properly.”

The scoreline perhaps flattered Mayo though McEntee didn’t care much for that suggestion.

“Whether it did (flatter them) or didn’t, the truth of the matter is they finished the game stronger than we did,” he said.

“Five points, six points, eight points, nine points, ultimately for us it doesn’t make a whole pile of difference.

We needed to get a win against one of the bigger teams and we didn’t do it. We put ourselves in a position to do it and we just didn’t do it. It’s frustrating for the lads, I really feel for them, they have put in a huge amount of work.

We’ve made progress but it’s a pretty tough learning place. We just have to go and get better.”

If Meath lose to Kerry on Saturday week, they would end the season with four losses from their last five games though it would still be a breakthrough year given their progress up to then.

McEntee partially agreed with the suggestion that the next stage of their development is a serious improvement in attack against the top teams.

“I think that’s one part of it,” he said. “And maybe it’s experience. There’s a lot of young fellas on that team, a lot of guys who are sub-24. Maybe you have to go through this learning experience to get out the far side of it. I don’t know.

"What I do know is we have to be better for longer.”

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