McEntee hails workrate

MEATH boss Andy McEntee was philosophical at Cusack Park, Ennis, last Sunday after his side’s fate had been decided elsewhere.

‘I wouldn’t have minded another game next Sunday, especially in Croke Park, but Galway have more points than us, so we cannot complain,’ McEntee said.

‘It is significant progress, but we cannot ignore the poor performance against Down has ultimately cost us promotion to Division 1. It just goes to show, you have a bad day at the office and you get beaten in this group.

‘We are after getting seven of the eight points available to us in the last four games and there are very few counties in any division that can say that.

‘I was happy with most aspects of the game today. We started very well and we looked very lively, but then our intensity levels dropped and we allowed Clare back into the game.

‘But we regrouped at half-time and again we upped the pace of the game. I think when the pace was a little bit hotter it suited us better. We upped the tempo at the start of the second half and I suppose that short spell when we scored three goals finished the game as a contest.

‘Any day you score 3-19, most of which is from play, is very positive. It’s the attitude from the lads that is more pleasing than anything else. Their workrate is fantastic.

‘You see a number of lads going down with cramps during the game; that is not because they are not fit, it is because they are working so hard. Everybody’s attitude out there today was pretty good.’

Regarding Kildare resting some of their first-choice players in their match at Salthill, McEntee said he would have no problem with that whatsoever.

‘I’m sure Kildare put out 15 guys who wanted to play for Kildare and there was only a point in it at the end,’ he said. ‘Look, we’d have done the same. If I were in Kildare’s shoes and you have a big panel, why wouldn’t you rest players? I absolutely get that. I’ve no doubt that the guys that represented Kildare did their best.’

Meath will not have another competitive match now until they take on the winners of Carlow and Louth in a Leinster SFC quarter-final clash on Sunday June 4th, but McEntee said he was looking forward to preparing for the championship.

‘There are a few guys there with bumps and bruises and lads will go back to their clubs and have a break. Then we will get down to some hard work. I am kind of looking forward to working the lads hard and seeing where we can get this group to go.

‘One thing our lads have learned from this league campaign is, the harder you work the more you get out of the game.

‘When you look at our performance against Kildare and again against Down, you would have to say we didn’t work hard enough. Once that penny had dropped with the lads it is certainly a valuable lesson.’