Meath manager Martin Ennis relishing the challenge in Leinster

Now in his third year at the helm, Meath senior hurling manager Martin Ennis could reflect on a successful tenure with last year's Christy Ring Cup earning a ticket back to the Leinster SHC and a NHL Div 2B title already in the bag this year.

However, that's not the Ennis way of doing things. Those achievements are all in the past at this stage for the man who was part of the 1993 All-Ireland SHC B-winning Meath team almost a quarter of a century ago.

Meath had campaigned for many frustrating years in an effort to win the elusive B title and that 1993 success paved the way, eventually, to a place in the NHL Div 1 some seven years later under the same manager, John Davis.

During that period Ennis was a regular starter in the corner-back position and featured in one of the morale-boosting outings in the Leinster SHC when Meath faced Offaly in a 1996 Leinster SHC quarter-final at Croke Park for a double-header that also featured Wexford against Kilkenny.

Meath faced Offaly that day only a week after negotiating Westmeath in a preliminary tie at Castletown Geoghegan (2-11 to 1-5) and they gave Offaly a real scare before losing by six points 2-12 to 2-18.

Morale-boosting performances are not included in the Ennis book of tactics.
Since he took the Royal reins for the 2015 campaign there has been a steady rate of progress after some disappointing early performances.

The real Meath steel and grit became evident last June in a tough Christy Ring Cup campaign and following on from that it was anticipated that a NHL Div 2B would be delivered this year - it was.

Ennis took time out to talk about next Sunday's return to the provincial championship at a media evening in Dunganny.

'It's great to be back in the Leinster championship, it was the first thing that crossed my mind when we eventually won the Christy Ring Cup against Antrim last June,' he commented.

'At this stage we are really looking forward to the first game against Kerry next Sunday.

'The players are in good shape and I wouldn't consider us being too far behind any of the three teams, Kerry, Laois or Westmeath.

'We beat Antrim last June in that Christy Ring Cup final and they have now achieved promotion to Div 1B while Kerry lost the relegation play-off against Laois and will be in 2A next year with us.

'We played Kerry in the Christy Ring Cup in Tralee a few years ago and we ran them close, they went on to win the Christy Ring that year and I certainly wouldn't fear them, but we will have to be at our best to get anything out of the game,' he added.

Ennis is well aware of the commitment and effort that is required to make an impact in top level hurling and he feels that the current group of players have the ability to make progress this year in the championship.

'Our players have put in huge effort to get to where we are at the moment, but we know we will have to improve even more to have any chance of qualifying from the group,' he suggested.

'Kerry and Laois went to extra-time in the NHL Div 1A relegation play-off a couple of weeks ago at O'Moore Park, there was nothing in it really.

'We watched that game and we are well aware of what is required next Sunday.
'There is no question about who the underdog will be for Sunday, but hopefully we will be able to hang in for as long as it takes and then push for the win in the final 10 minutes or so.

'In the 2B final against Wicklow we struggled in the opening half, but we pulled away after that, we won't have that luxury against Kerry.

'We will have to be on our game from the first minute to the 70th minute.
'We will have to close down Kerry's goal opportunities and see how things go, but we will not fear any of the teams and it would be great to get off to a good start.

'We will be treating every game like a final starting with Kerry this weekend, I'm not looking any further than that at the moment.

'The panel is as good as injury-free, we have played challenge games against Kildare and London and they were very useful, we will be concentrating on our preparations this week, but we have a strong panel and that should stand to us.

'I was always of the view that there was plenty of talent in Meath and all we had to do was get the players together and working as a unit, it was also vital that we got a commitment, there is a huge commitment required for inter-county hurling.

'We have a good management team in place, Mick McCullough and Pat Clancy have been big additions to the backroom team and the players are making a huge effort also, everyone is doing what is required.

'If we can play the way we know we can then we won't fear Kerry.

'It's likely that Laois will probably be the favourites to win the group and they have to come to Navan on Sunday week.

'Every player will be looking forward to the trip to Mullingar to play Westmeath, it will be a test for the players, the fixture schedule has been kind to us with two home games.

'The initial target is to get a win against Kerry, hopefully we will get a good crowd in Navan for the return of Leinster championship hurling to Páirc Táilteann,' he concluded.