Brennan delighted with the progression of his side

If nothing else these new rules enhancements have certainly brought the fun back to Gaelic Football and Meath are living their best life as they made it two wins from three with victory over Down at Newry on Saturday night.

It's not all riotous laughter and great craic for managers, players or referees, but for supporters the new game is almost thrill-a-minute with two-point scores, huge jeopardy for dissent, ferocious contests at nearly every kickout and more pace to the game with the solo-and-go.

Saturday night's game in Pairc Esler pretty much had it all. Plenty of two-pointers, goal chances, aerial battles, confusion on the pitch, confusion off it, black cards, super scores and all round huge entertainment.

However in the midst of all the fun are two teams going hell for leather to try and win a football match and Meath manager Robbie Brennan admitted that all the goings-on that are now part and parcel of the new game can be a distraction to the goal of the game.

"It can be distracting on the sideline. Myself and Conor Laverty were laughing there because he was convinced when we were down a man because of the black card that Keogie (Donal Keogan) couldn't come up field, whereas we were convinced he could come up because you only had to keep two up when you're down a man," admitted Brennan when he was pulled away from the excited Meath supporters on the Pairc Esler pitch to talk to the Meath Chronicle.

"I always check with Conor Gillespie because he is the encyclopaedia, so if Conor says yes then it's yes, so we were screaming at Keogie to go, but then the fourth official was saying he can't go, then we're screaming at him to go back.

"So yes it can be chaotic on the sideline, but I suppose that all adds to the excitement of the spectacle.

"We had a mark in the very first play when it looked like the ball was kicked in from outside 45 metres, but we didn't get the mark.

"It is very difficult to tell. Even now as we are standing on the pitch you can't see where the arc is. It is difficult for us, and I'm sure it is just as hard for the officials."

All the confusion and controversy over a couple of calls by Tipperary referee Sean Lonergan didn't detract from the game and Brennan was pleased with how Meath controlled the game after Ronan Jones picked up a black card but admitted that the closing stages were nervous.

Brennan also admitted that he was pleased with the progression his side are making, but he is refusing to look any further than next week's game against Roscommon.

"When they closed the gap back to two points late on and they were looking for two-pointers it was a nervous time," said the Meath boss.

"It was similar enough to their last game (against Cork) when they were behind, but obviously came back to win, I feared that might happen again.

"To be fair to the lads, they got a grip of it around the middle, won a couple of vital, vital balls and finished out strongly, so I'm delighted with the win.

"If you look at the course of the three games, obviously Cork was a bit of a stepping stone, we improved a wee bit against Cavan and it was probably an improvement again today. Particularly where we controlled the game when we were down to 14 with the black card.

"We are getting better and that is what we are trying to do. Each time we train or meet up we just want to try to get better and we did it again today.

"However, that game is parked now and it is on to Roscommon next week, that will be a cracker hopefully.

"Obviously you'd always be looking (at the bigger picture) and trying to tempt yourself, but the reality is that we have the best team in the division coming to Navan next weekend, so we have to focus on what we did this week and see how the bodies are after today and how we are fixed for the weekend.

"We were hoping to limit teams to around the 1-14 mark if we are stingy enough. Obviously they kicked a couple of super scores there towards the end, so that brought their tally up a bit for them.

"We have been doing a bit over the last couple of weeks on our defensive stuff, while also working on our attacking game as well. There is so much going on in a training session it's crazy, but we have brilliant coaches and they have been a big part of how we are going so far."

Meath's win in Down was just their third on the road in the last 12 attempts and it was also Down's first home defeat in Pairc Esler under Conor Laverty, stretching back 25 game.

"Down pride themselves on their record here. It is a tight pitch and as Conor Deegan used to say it plays even tighter because the crowd are on top of you and there is not much room there," said Brennan.

"It (Down's record) is not something we had looked at to be honest. It was just the next game, whether they are home or away we just take them one at a time.

"We felt we could have got something down in Cork and we thought well if we can do that then we could come here and put in a performance then we'd see where it would take us.

"Turns out it was just about good enough to get us over the line, and it can only give the lads a boost heading back down the road."

Once again the Meath supporters came out in force to get behind Brennan's side and the manager is delighted with the buzz surrounding the team.

He also heaped praise on his players and reserved special praise for Ciaran Caulfield, who played the full 78 minutes just 72 hours after leading DCU to Sigerson Cup glory, and Jordan Morris who turned in a magnificent display. Brennan also gave an injury update on Mathew Costello and Eoin Harkin.

"I remember Conor O'Donoghue saying to me early doors that Ciaran (Caulfield) is a little bit special and he certainly showed that again today.

"He has had a mad week, travelling to Bekan and back on the same night for the Sigerson final and then back in with us on Thursday. He didn't train on Thursday, but just the mental bit of that is huge.

"He is vice-captain of the team, that is what he brings and that's what he does. It's not a bad thing for him to be mentioned in the same breath as Gerry McEntee as a Meath man to lift the Sigerson Cup, he's a real good one for Meath to have.

"He (Jordan Morris) is something else. Sometimes he just does stuff in training and I don't even know how he does it to be honest. He is a very gifted, unique footballer and we want to get the best out of him as much as we possibly can. Jordy certainly has that star quality in abundance.

"We met in Simonstown before we came up the road and that was one of the key things we looked at. There is a little bit of momentum in the county and people are getting behind us, so it is up to us to keep delivering performances.

"We are not going to win every day, but if we give those type of performances and we are there or thereabouts, if I was a supporter sitting in the stands as I was last year, I'd be happy enough.

"We are watching him (Mathew Costello) every week and we are scanning him all the time. He is getting there, just looking at bis numbers this morning and he is getting better and better, so it just a case of whether he beats the clock or calendar to get back in time.

"He may not be back for next week, but if he does it would be a massive boost. When you see how well the lads are going he will have to work to get back into that team.

"Eoin Harkin is gone on a bit of the break, well deserved after the run he had with Dunsany. He picked up a little knock at the tail end of last week, so the rest will be good for him.

"He was out of county football for a while, then he came back in off the back of the run with Dunsany, so the rest will do him the world of good," concluded Brennan.