Preparations well underway for start of NFL campaign
Information about the make of the Meath senior football panel and the playing of challenge matches ahead of the start of NFL Div 2 against Cork on Saturday 25th January has been scarce.
At the launch of the new Meath jersey and the announcement of Bective Stud's renewal of their sponsorship of Meath football new Meath manager RobbieBrennan did reveal that Bryan Menton and Padraic Harnan had returned to the panel and that several players who had impressed in the Regional FC and for the Meath u-20s in 2024 had also been handed an opportunity.
It was believed that a panel of up to 50 players were used in recent challenge matches against Fermanagh (before Christmas) and last Sunday against Tyrone in UCD and that that panel has now been trimmed to 40.
Meath edged out Fermanagh by a point or two in a highscoring encounter before Christmas, but last Sunday Tyrone proved too strong, winning out by eight points in difficult conditions.
The returning Menton and Ratoath's Jack Flynn formed the midfield pairing for the game against Tyrone, while the inside forward line comprised of Shane Walsh, Mathew Costello and Jordan Morris.
St Peter's pair Seamus Lavin and Shane McEntee has also returned to the panel as had Boardsmill's Danny Dixon, while Donal Keogan shows no sign of taking time off as he also featured in the challenge match against Tyrone.
Dunshaughlin's Conor Duke and Charlie O'Connor have graduated from the Meath u-20 panel and are part of Brennan's plans, but it is believed that Meath Hill's Gary Breslin has opted out of the equation as he recovers from an injury he sustained in the latter part of his club's successful IFC campaign.
Trim's Conor Quigley is another who has made a significant impact and might have a dilemma on his hands as he has also been part of Johnny Greville's early season plans with the Meath hurlers.
Brennan's footballers are expected to play Kerry in another challenge match this weekend, but there is no definite word of a date or venue just yet.
With the start of NFL Div 2 just around the corner Brennan will have one eye on the start of the Sigerson Cup this week with several of his panel involved in the third-level colleges compeition.
The Meath players involved in Sigerson Cup action are: DCU - Ciaran Caulfield (Trim), Jamie Browne (Don/Ash), Liam Kelly (Ratoath), Niall Devlin (Navan O'Mahonys); Maynooth University - Conor Duke (Dunshaughlin), Eoghan Frayne (Summerhill), Sean O'Hare (Rathkenny), Ruairi Kinsella (Dunshaughlin), Conor Gray (Dunshaughlin), Brian O'Halloran (Ballivor), Sean Emmanuel (St Patrick's), Charlie O'Connor (Dunshaughlin); TU Dublin - Cian McBride (St Ultan's), Jordan Morris (Kingscourt Stars), Oisin McDermott (Ballinlough); TUS Midlands - Daragh McVann (Summerhill), Simon Finn (Ballinabrackey); UCD - Aaron Lynch (Trim), Diarmuid Moriarty (Curraha), David McEntee (St Peter's); University of Galway - Cormac Browne (St Brigid's); University of Limerick - Billy Hogan (Longwood).