'It is about that next game' - Eoghan Frayne calls for Meath to bounce back against Cork

REMATCH: Meath's Eoghan Frayne and Cork's Mark Cronin. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor.

Meath captain Eoghan Frayne is hoping to draw on how the team reacted positively to setbacks last season as they can now prepare properly for their next championship game.

Drawn to face Cork away in Round 1 on May 23/24, Frayne obviously wants to park their Leinster SFC quarter-final loss to Westmeath.

“We had a few bumps in the road last year, too – Louth in the league and then Louth again in the Leinster final and we responded well. So, it is not new to us.

“The focus now has to be on us to bring our best attitude to training over the next few weeks. It is going to be difficult because it is a long stint without a competitive game.”

He continued: “Getting over the first game is the first target; just getting a win and a good performance. It is only two games to an All-Ireland quarter-final so putting in good solid performances… it has to be all about the next game. Everyone wants to get to a final. But for us it is about that next game.”

Frayne admits coming to terms with their reverse against Westmeath has been rough. “The few days after were tough and it got worse each day when we had time to look back at the defeat.

“But we have to get on with it now. We have to look forward to the next block of training and we hope to get through that alright and hope to be ready on the day.

“Westmeath were probably more up for it than us, which is hard to say, but we never really got going. We never got up to the pitch of the game.”

Frayne appreciates Meath have been conceding goals too easily. The five against Westmeath followed two in the Division 2 final win over Cork and harked back to the three they coughed up in last year’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final loss to Donegal.

Asked if it is a concern, Frayne accepts: “It probably is. You never want to be conceding goals and most teams will be coached to not concede goals.

“It is something we must try and improve on if we are to go far in the competition. Obviously, Westmeath did their homework and could see how they could get at us. And they scored some savage goals.

“Everyone has to take ownership in defence. It is not just your six defenders. Everyone has to do it. It is a collective effort that everyone is tuned in and on the same page when we are defending. It is something we can improve on and can definitely go after in training.”

Manager Robbie Brennan has hailed Frayne’s on-field tactical awareness but the player wants to be regarded more for his footballing.

“I don’t force it. It might come naturally enough. I just try and be myself on the pitch; I don’t try and be a coach on the pitch. It is just how I am.

“I would rather be known for being a better footballer than being a coach on the field. I definitely don’t try and force it. It is the way I go on.”