Reilly not prepared to accept watching brief

Graham Reilly is not happy with his watching brief for the last couple of weeks, but he is prepared to fight to win his place back as Meath prepare to take on Armagh in a crunch NFL Div 2 game at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.
Reilly was one of the more heavily used players in the O'Byrne Cup, playing against Longford and then starting the Sean Cox fundraising game the next day against Dublin.
The St Colmcille's man made an impact as an early blood sub in the O'Byrne Cup semi-finaln against Dublin and after suffering a virus in the week after that game Reilly was left off the team to start against Tipperary.
However when introduced against the Premier men Reilly helped steady the foundering Meath ship, but despite being named to start against Donegal last week he was replaced before the throw-in and only brought on late in the contest.
"I don't know what Andy's plans are for this weekend, but it can be frustrating because I have been used to be playing week in-week out, but the lads who are playing at the moment are playing good football so it is up to me to get back into the 15," said Reilly.
"I'm not the only lad in that position. I'm sure Cillian (O'Sullivan) and the other lads who were regulars who are getting much game time at the moment are eager to get back in.
"If Meath are performing well, like we did against Donegal last Saturday night, and we are winning games then I'm happy enough to just make an impact, but I won't accept that for the whole league, I want to play football. I'm 29 years old now, so I don't have many years left.
"The lads performed well against Tip[perary, so if you are playing well you are going to keep your jersey, that's pretty much Andy's motto.
"I'm sure I will get my opportunity and I'll have to take it. It is one thing Meath haven't really had over the years is a strong enoyugh bench that can change a game, so you could see against Tipperary when myself and Cillian came on we probably offered a little bit more.
When you look at Dublin, they can empty the bench any time they want, so that is something that can work. It is obviously a situation that I don't want to be sitting on the bench for the rest of the year, but it is good that we have strength in depth this year."
Looking ahead to Sunday's game with Armagh Reilly believes it is a much win game for both teams, but he is also pragmatic in his view that you can probably afford to lose two games and still get promoted.
"It's a four-pointer for both teams. If we win on Sunday it puts right back in the promotion picture, if we lose then it could go the other way and would leave the Cork game like a relegation clash, so it's a massive game for both teams," he said.
"Armagh will fancy their chances of coming down here to get a result so it is going to be a good game.
"Every team in Div 2 wants to be in Div 1, so I believe that Div 2 is the most competitive division of them all because it is so hard to get out of. I've played for Meath for 12 years and almost all that time has been in Div 2, we have finished third on nine points maybe seven or eight times in that spell, 10 points seems to be the magic number.
"In a way you can nearly afford to lose two games and still get promoted. Obviously it's not ideal to be losing two games, but every game is very competitive and they're all must win.
"Over the years Meath football has been really inconsistent and that is something Andy (McEntee) has really tried to change. We can't afford not to work hard or have our workrate at 100 per cent because we are not good enough to beat team if we don't," concluded Reilly.
Armagh defender Mark Shields is of the same opinion as Reilly and he believes Sunday's clash with Meath is the very definition of a four-pointer.
“We’re both on two points. If you lose you’re fighting against relegation, if you win you’re pushing for promotion,” said Shields.

“I expect a physical game (against Meath). They have been going well, they put it up to Donegal only for that goalkeeping error. I expect Meath to come fast and try and hit us hard but it’s a matter of riding the storm and putting our own principals into play and hopefully we’ll get over the line,” he said.