Meath set for Kerry test
Meath will venture into the Joe McDonagh Cup tomorrow in Tralee when they tackle Kerry in the opening round.
This will be the second campaign in the Joe McDonagh Cup for Meath after they earned that right by winning the 2019 Christy Ring Cup.
Continued improvement will be the primary focus as there is no relegation this year, but finding a win will be challenging for manager Nick Weir and his players.
Meath's first venture into the McDonagh Cup was under manager Nick Fitzgerald for the inaugural year of the newly-introduced Tier 2HC in 2018.
That was a chastening experience for the Royals as they finished bottom of a group that included Antrim, Carlow, Westmeath, Kerry and Laois.
Relegation to the Christy Ring Cup for 2019 was Meath's fate.
With Fitzgerald at the helm for a second year they bounced back to the Tier 2 HC at the first attempt with an impressive run to the Tier 3 HC title.
That was Meath’s second success in the Christy Ring Cup in three years.
Last year’s campaign started with a win against London by 2-23 to 0-13 in the first round of the Christy Ring Cup and followed that with a 2-27 to 1-13 victory against Kildare.
A third round win against Roscommon (0-23 to 0-19) got them to the semi-final where they beat Derry by 3-24 to 2-18 and in June 2019 they defeated Down by 4-19 to 2-15.
The quality of the opposition in the Joe McDonagh Cup will be a higher standard and Meath will be the lowest ranked team in the five-team group that includes a Carlow side relegtaed from the 2019 Leinster SHC.
Also vying for the title will be be last year's beaten finalist Westmeath along with Antrim and Kerry.
The Westmeath men have the unique distinction of losing two finals in-a-row, they lost last year to Laois (1-21 to 3-26) and in 2018 they lost to Carlow (1-24 to 2-26).
Winning the title would be too much to expect of a Meath team that has already lost to Offaly, Antrim and Kerry in the NHL Div 2A this year.
Antrim defeated Kerry in the delayed NHL Div 2A final last Sunday at O'Connor Park, Tullamore and the benefit of the competitive outing will be a major boost for the Munster men as they prepare to welcome Meath to Tralee
Meath panel: Gavin McGowan Jack McGowan, Darragh Kelly, Daithi McGowan, Ben McGowan, Cian Kelly, Cian Rogers, Padraig O’Hanrahan (all Ratoath), Alan Douglas James Toher, Charlie Ennis, Ger Dwane, Mark Molloy (all Trim), Mark McCormack, Nicky Potterton, Paddy Conneely, Patrick Potterton (all Kildalkey), Cathal McCabe , James Kelly, Jack Regan (all Kiltale), Adam Gannon, Keith Keoghan, Jacob Ryan (all Killyon), Damien Healy, Mickey Burke (both Longwood), Eamon O Donnchadha (Clann na nGael), Ger Murphy (Dunboyne), Jack Walsh (Navan O’Mahonys), Peter Slevin (Na Fianna), Sean Geraghty (Kilskyre/Moylagh), Shane Brennan (Kilmessan), Simon Ennis (Rathmolyon), Stephen Morris (Blackhall Gaels).