Ger Brennan: 'There is a very healthy hatred between Meath and Louth'

Meath manager Robbie Brennan and captain Eoghan Frayne, left, with Louth captain Sam Mulroy and manager Ger Brennan. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Ger Brennan’s description of Louth’s rivalry with Meath is an oxymoron but three meetings in 13 months with the old enemy have given him a great insight into the tensions.

“Between my time in Louth this year and last year, what I have come to appreciate is that there is a very healthy hatred between Meath and Louth,” he says. “Similar to what it was with Dublin in the 90s and that four-in-a-row back then (1991) and even as far as 2000 between Dublin and Meath.

“It has kind of softened over the last five years with Dublin dominance. Now there is a real kind of healthy hatred between both counties, so it is something I am feeding off myself and I am enjoying.”

The U20s Brennan has as part of his team were in short pants when Joe Sheridan did what he did 15 years ago. “I don’t know how much 2010 actually does come into it for both sets of players,” feels the St Vincent’s man. “I think for the supporters, that’s a different conversation, I would say. There’s no love lost there.”

Brennan can truly look forward to this final. Facing his native county Dublin last year was unusual. 

“Last year I felt a bit weird because I obviously played with them Dublin for so long and it was a funny situation to be in albeit I kept my thoughts to myself in the build-up to the game last year.”

Before Louth were rather unjustly put to the sword by Meath in 2010, he and Dublin felt the end of it in the Leinster semi-final. “I think myself, Barry Cahill and Bryan Cullen were in the half-back line. I think possibly a draw at half-time. We couldn’t get a handle on them. And then there was a period of maybe 10 to 15 minutes where Meath just blitzed us and scored three goals.”

Under his management, Louth last season claimed their first championship victory over Meath in 49 years. Brennan doesn’t underplay the significance of that All-Ireland group win in Inniskeen last year.

“Getting results against teams that you hadn’t beaten for decades… and even back to my own playing time with Dublin, beating Kerry in the National League down in Fitzgerald Stadium in 2009 and then we beat them two years later in the All-Ireland final. So it probably does help when you break the hoodoo.

“I think going into this game here it will be fairly evenly-matched. Both groups of players know each other quite well. But again that bit of confidence certainly helps. It is probably better than losing but I think the Leinster final itself will probably take on a world of its own. I think there will be so much at stake for both counties.”

Louth have already landed a provincial final blow on Meath in the form of last week’s U20 victory. 

“I hope it puts a bit of pressure on them,” Brennan smiles. “It should inspire them and also a bit of pressure is usually good.”

It was on the team bus back from beating Kildare in Tullamore that Brennan, Louth chairman Seán McClean and his group took in Meath’s win over Dublin. While the manager kept schtum, some of the Louth players were hoping their neighbours would pull off a heist and prevent a third consecutive Leinster final meeting with Dessie Farrell’s side.

“I think there have been bigger shocks in Gaelic games,” suggest Brennan about Meath’s four-point success. “I think we’d all agree that the gap has closed between the chasing pack in Leinster, the Louths and Meaths of this world, and Dublin.

“That outrageous talent that began to come as I was finishing up, are those same fellas coming through? They’re not and the gap has closed. To be fair to Robbie Brennan, the way he got the lads playing against Dublin the last day, they were worthy winners. Certainly the start that they got and the way they were able to defend against the wind too.

“It wasn’t as big of a shock. I think it was probably maybe a surprise would be a fair statement for most people, more so than a shock."