Captain Kelly takes over from injured Geraghty

In the absence of long term injured Sean Geraghty Ratoath's Darragh Kelly will captain Meath when they take on Mayo in their NHL Div 2A first round tie in Toureen on Sunday, 2pm.
Kilskyre/Moylagh man Geraghty picked up an injury in last week's challenge match against Derry and needed hospital treatment after suffering damage to his spleen.
Geraghty could face up to three months on the sidelines and he faces a race against time to be fit for the Christy Ring cup campaign which.

The Meath team to face Mayo in Toureen on Sunday is - Shane McGann; Ger Murphy, Shane Brennan, Stephen Morris; Keith Keoghan, Shane Whitty, James Kelly; Joe Keena, Seán Quigley; Damien Healy, Padraig O'Hanrahan, Darragh Kelly; Alan Douglas, Steffan Kelly, Kevin Keena. Subs - Colm O'Riordan, John O'Sullivan, Martin Healy, Fionn Ferguson, Jack McGowan, Michael O'Grady, Jack Regan, Alan Nestor, Dylan Regan, Barry Slevin, Eamon Ó Donnchadha.

 

NHL DIV 2A PREVIEW

JIMMY GEOGHEGAN

A good start, they say, is half the work.

Certainly Meath manager Nick Fitzgeral is fully appreciative of just how important it is to get out of the traps and into a stride ASAP in the NHL Div 2A opener on Sunday when the Royal County take on Mayo at Toureen, 2pm. 
Following Meath’s Kehoe Cup semi-final defeat (1-13 to 1-25) by Westmeath Fitzgerald spoke about the importance of building up a head of steam in the league from the get-go. “Making a good start in the NHL is vitally important,” he said. 
No doubt the Waterford man - who is going into his second league campaign as Meath manager - is thinking of last year when Meath made a bright beginning to their campaign and subsequently reaped the dividends. 
In their first outing Meath travelled to Newbridge and returned home with full points after a 1-16 to 0-16 victory. That win was followed up by another away game - and another victory - this time over London, 1-24 to 1-14. 
Then it all started to go a little awry for Fitzgerald and his charges as they lost their subsequent three games to Westmeath, Kerry and Carlow. Yet those two wins were enough to stave off the threat of relegation and consolidate their place in Div 2A. 
Apart from the confidence that could can be derived from chalking up a victory on the opening day there is the fact that with two points in the bag Meath at least have a cushion under them to absorb some of the shocks that are, if the evidence of last year is anything to go by, invariably coming down the line. 
After Mayo on Sunday Meath will host Antrim. Then it’s London at home, then Westmeath, who invariably seem to have a edge on Meath these days.
Then there is a trip to Kerry in March and that won’t be a pleasant, sight-seeing tour to the picturesque Kingdom.
Last year Meath sustained a right old trouncing (1-9 to 3-19), a performance that still mystifies Fitzgerald. As events turned out it was just as well that bright start was made. 
Fitzgerald has to cut his initial panel of 40 or so down to 35 for the forthcoming campaign and 26 for each game.
In recent weeks he has been using the Kehoe Cup and a series of challenges against the likes of Cushendall and Dublin u-20s as well as another one last Sunday to give players the opportunity to show what they can do. 
Meath still have some players to bounce back from injuries including James Toher who is “on course at the minute” to be back for round three of the league.
Fitness concerns also surround Jack Regan, Chris Lynch and James Kelly, but the good news is that goalkeeper Shane McGann is back fit again, Padraig Hanrahan is available also. 
New faces in the extended panel include Johnny O’Sullivan, Calum O’Sullivan, Jack McGowan, Colm O’Riordan, Ger Murphy, Ger Foley, Martin Healy and Dylan Regan. 
Fitzgerald has talked about building Meath’s “reputation once again” as a hurling county to be feared and one of the essential steps in that ambition is to retain their status in Div 2A at the very least. 
“We are trying to build Meath’s reputation once again, we have to cement our place in 2A, that is the first priority, then build confidence going into the Christy Ring Cup again,” he said. 
Experienced, talented players like Alan Douglas, Darragh Kelly, Sean Geraghty, who is the captain this year, Damien Healy, Stephen Morris and Kevin Keena form the basis of a team that is well capable of sustaining their place in the division at least, although again, the prospect of doing that will receive a major hit if they lose to Mayo on Sunday. 
“Realistically, when you look at the league Antrim, Westmeath and Kerry would be saying we are going to beat Meath, London and Mayo and looking at each other to see who’ll make a league final. We will travel to Mayo hopeful, our whole focus is on Mayo and if we come out of Ballina with a one-point win I’ll be happy,” asserted Fitzgerald. 
Among the players likely to feature prominently for Meath this year is Barry Slevin. 
The talented Na Fianna man has returned to the inter-county fold after a few years away and will be a big help in garnering scores. 
In their Kehoe Cup campaign Meath made a piece of history when they took part in a penalty shoot-out against Kildare - the first time it was used in hurling - after the sides finished level (1-15 apiece). However, as the defeat by Westmeath in the semi-final suggested Meath have still some way to go to match the top sides at this level. 
“Sunday’s game against Mayo is massive,” said Fitzgerald and he meant every syllable.