Meath to pile more misery on Cork
HOW the mighty have fallen! Meath and Cork, two of the traditional GAA strongholds, have endured lean times of late and arguably both have a long way to go to regain the glory days of old.
The counties lock horns in an NFL Division 2 clash this Saturday (7pm) in Pairc Ui Rinn, with the outcome crucial as both attempt to make progress on the steep climb back to respectability.
They are at the opposite ends of the group, but with such fine margins in Division 2 anything is still possible for the eight counties involved.
For the Leesiders it has been a particularly bad year so far and indications are that it might not get better any time soon. Ronan McCarthy’s side drew their opening-round match with Fermanagh 1-5 to 0-8 but had nothing to show for their efforts against Kildare and Clare in subsequent outings.
The nine-point defeat to Munster neighbours Clare was a particularly hard pill to swallow, leaving them firmly rooted to the foot of the table and with a relegation battle on the cards.
Cork’s problems, though, haven’t been confined solely to performances. The Pairc Ui Chaoimh saga has also brought more than its fair share of unwanted publicity. The huge overspend on the redevelopment of the stadium has taken up plenty of column inches in the national press, and then the state of the playing surface - which cut up badly during the NHL tie against Wexford - brought further adverse scrutiny.
So instead of showcasing their new €95.8m stadium, Cork County Board have been forced to switch their remaining Allianz League fixtures to Pairc Ui Rinn.
If Meath supporters making the long journey are hoping for an open, free-flowing encounter, they can forget about it. So far in the campaign Cork have stuck to a defence-orientated set-up, though it has yet to win them a game.
The defensive strategy worked to an extent against Fermanagh - they conceded just eight points - and Kildare (1-10), but it caved in against the Banner County when they were hit for 3-13. However, manager McCarthy said following the Clare defeat they ‘weren’t for turning’ in that regard.
So far in the campaign Meath have produced performances capable of what it takes to be in the promotion mix, though caution is advised as consistency hasn’t been their strongest trait and it could be argued that in the wins over Tipperary and Armagh both counties were short some of their best players.
Meath, though, have shown far more than over the past few seasons, seem to be attacking with more purpose and intent than previously, and on current form it is one that Andy McEntee’s side are capable of overcoming to strengthen their grip on promotion. FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22 Football A League at 8.0
Football B League at 8.0 SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23 Football B League at 4.15 SUNDAY FEBRUARY 24 Football A League at 3.0
LEINSTER GAA