Sideline eruption as pressure increases

Meath manager Seamus McEnaney and his Kildare counterpart Kieran McGeeney literally went head-to-head on Sunday as Meath slumped to the foot of the NFL Div 2 and closer to the relegation trap door. After a tempestuous finish to an exciting game the managers squared up over a difference of opinion on some of the late calls made by Sligo referee Marty Duffy. The confrontation was over as quickly as it started and both managers were ushered away by their respective backroom teams. There were signs of resilience, pride and honour from the Meath team. The passion and over-exuberance shown by McEnaney towards McGeeney at the final whistle epitomised his frustration. McEnaney was aggrieved at several decisions that went against his men in the tense closing stages of Sunday's exciting NFL Div 2 encounter. The Kildare boss felt that McEnaney was blowing it all out of proportion and for a moment the pair looked set to throw down arms. Instead, the storm blew over quickly, calm was restored and as the cold light of day settled McEnaney referred to the incident as little more than handbags, McGeeney described it as "a tickling of bellies." It may be a bit late in the month for McEnaney to be wary of the ides of March, but plenty of contenders for national honours lined up during the last few weeks to plunge knives into the wounded heart of Meath football. Last Sunday's 1-12 to 1-14 reversal against Kildare in Newbridge was Meath's seventh successive NFL Div 2 defeat on the road and stretched their miserable record away from Pairc Tailteann to just one win from their last 13. Such form is hardly inspiring ahead of next month's trip to Derry while the visit of Tyrone for the final game will also test the strength of the Royal resistance. McEnaney was focused on the improved performance his charges had produced on Sunday. "This was Meath's first good performance of the year. We would be very happy with the performance, we put a serious bit of fight into it," he told the Meath Chronicle. McEnaney is expected to welcome Kevin Reilly, Graham Reilly and David Bray back to training this week. However, Stephen Bray will not return from his three-month honeymoon until Friday 1st April. The next few weeks will be crucial in terms of survival for Meath. McEnaney will aim to avoid the dreaded drop with at least one win needed to retain second tier football for 2012.