Mixed emotions for Gerry McEntee

 

Amidst all the celebrations at Parnell Park on Saturday following the Royal County's Leinster MFC quarter-final victory over Dublin, there was one Meath man who was very disappointed and that was Dublin coach Gerry McEntee.

The Nobber native ruled midfield for the Royal County under Sean Boylan as two-in-a-row All-Ireland titles were won in the '80s.

On Saturday, McEntee patrolled the sideline and Boylan was an interested spectator in the stand.

Defeat and victory generate emotions from opposite ends of the scale and that was evident when referee Paul Kneel ended a gripping contest shortly before 5.0 on Saturday evening. On this occasion the spoils belonged to the Royal County and McEntee admitted that he would have been very proud of Meath's display had he not been the Dublin manager.

“We knew Meath could play like that, we knew they could play when they are facing adversity, we were three points up and we had an extra man and we lost the game,” he commented after he had visited the winning dressing room.

“We didn't score for about 20 minutes in the second-half, we had plenty of chances, we had goal chances and we didn't put them away, we also kicked some bad wides,” he added.

Questioned about the likely mixture of emotions, which a former Meath player managing a Dublin team might feel, McEntee was frank in his response.

“I tried not to think about it, but I knew that this was a good Meath team, I still thought that we could beat them, we prepared hard for this game,” he stated.

“If we had taken some of the chances that we created when we had a three-point advantage, we would have won the game, but we didn't do it and we paid the price.

“Obviously, everyone is very disappointed, but we can have no complaints, in extra-time the best team won, Meath were also the best team for the last 10 minutes of normal time.

McEntee also received the best of attention when he visited the Royal County dressing room where he was accorded a huge round of applause from players, mentors and officials.

“I told them what I thought of them, and I meant it, they are a very good team and I'd love to see them go on to achieve some success this year and in the future,” he concluded.