A RIGHT ROYAL SEASON
Meath defender Mcgill admits it’s a pleasure to be part of winning panel as Division 1 beckons
CONOR MCGILL insists that the enjoyment factor is off the charts as Meath head for Division 1.
A dramatic win over Kildare on Sunday has placed the Royals on the brink of a long-awaited return to top flight football, with Clare (away) and Fermanagh (home) to come in their remaining games.
A win from either will be enough to ensure promotion for Andy Mcentee’s side, who have been in Division 2 for 10 out of the last 11 seasons.
It’s one of the few aspects in which they’ve been consistent over the past decade – until now.
Full-back Mcgill said: “It’s hard not to enjoy it when you are winning. The group of lads in there at the moment have a great chemistry.
“Obviously we’re enjoying winning but even going down to training is different, it’s a laugh. I think it’s showing on Saturdays and Sundays when you know what kind of Meath are going to show up.
“We’re starting to show that consistency which maybe we didn’t in other years. It’s my fifth year and it is enjoyable – people are feeding off each other and no one is afraid to put themselves in positions they wouldn’t normally be.
It’s starting to pay dividends.”
Meath were behind for the vast majority of Sunday’s game and Mcgill said the home crowd at Pairc
Tailteann was crucial as they roared them on to an old-fashioned smash-and-grab victory. “Yeah, 100%,” said Mcgill. “You’re definitely feeding off that. Not just the scores because we were hitting a few wides – more the turnovers, forwards tackling in their half.
“You could really feel the Meath fans and you can’t but get a lift from that.
“And I’m sure the Kildare boys could hear it as well, consciously or subconsciously, and they were thinking, ‘We need another score’ but they weren’t getting it. Eventually we got the winning score from t h e penalty.” The spot kick was Meath Fermanagh Donegal Kildare Armagh Clare
Cork Tipperary P 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 W DL 4 0 1 3 2 0 3 0 2 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 3 1 1 3 1 1 3 +/- 15 8 -2 6 -1 -3 -15 -8 Pts 8 8 6 5 4 3 3 3
won by Mcgill after he threw caution to the wind late on and committed himself to attack with Meath two points down in injury time.
Sub Barry Dardis rocketed it past Kildare replacement goalkeeper Aaron O’neill.
Mcgill explained: “We’re two points down and in my head I’m thinking, ‘If we lose by two points, we might as well lose by three – a loss is a loss’.
“So, I just go forward and it just happened that I saw Graham Reilly giving the call and he put the ball in and I happened to be there. There was space and I ran into it. I didn’t catch it but Shane Mcentee was there following up and we got the penalty.
“We were behind and we’d nothing to lose at that stage so I made the run forward and made the option. Luckily, it came our way.”
The defender has yet to register a score for Meath in his five seasons on the panel though he smiled: “I’m getting closer, maybe one day.” after which the full quarter-final line-up will be known.
The Laois-limerick quarter-final will be played in Portlaoise on Saturday and the remaining three ties will take place on St Patrick’s weekend with the semi-finals on March 23/24 – the weekend the final was initially due to take place.
The final will be played on the weekend of March 31, when the four divisional finals in football are also down for decision.
It’s the second year in succession that the weather has pushed the hurling final back, with last year’s Kilkenny-tipperary decider taking place two weeks later than had originally been planned.