LEINSTER SFC FIRST ROUND:IT'S JUST over a month since Meath manager Séamus McEnaney survived an attempt to depose him at a meeting of the county committee.
This weekend he sends out his team against a Wicklow side, buoyant after winning both promotion and the Division Four title, defeating Peter Canavan’s previously unbeaten Fermanagh.
It’s a sign of the crisis of confidence within and without the county that so many Meath people appear anxious about the trip to Dr Cullen Park despite a long history of success against their opponents. The less-easily spooked world of bookmaking still has McEnaney’s team odds on to win.
In a way the move against the manager, ‘inspired’ by a free-falling league campaign that went from momentarily topping the table after two matches on to a run of five straight defeats, leading to relegation, ended up clearing the air.
Despite losing the vote 31-43 the former Monaghan manager held on because the margin was short of the two thirds majority needed. In a way, it has taken the edge out of the situation.
The clumsy attempt to get rid of McEnaney by waving the name of legendary former manager Seán Boylan at the meeting has left Meath ready to start the championship under the cover of silence once the turbulence subsided.
“Well, we hadn’t it that quiet not so long ago,” McEnaney observes. Things have picked up after the attempted coup with the return of Joe Sheridan after a short-lived exile in the US and the opportunity to prepare away from the spotlight.
“We’ve been fully focused on Wicklow for the past four weeks,” according to the manager. “There were a couple of weekends of club football, but since then both the players and the management are very committed for the coming championship.”
Championship hasn’t been a happy experience for the county who once dominated Leinster.
The provincial title of two years ago was so irradiated with controversy that the players themselves seem to have felt contaminated. This summer’s blank page opens on Sunday.
“Wicklow are on a high and have been really impressive,” says McEnaney. “They’ve won their last six matches in the league including the final (Division Four); we’re after losing our last five in the league. Harry Murphy’s done a serious job with them. They’re very strong in midfield and have good forwards.
“I went to see them play Clare and Fermanagh and they’ll be a huge challenge for us.”
He says that the controversy of last month hasn’t had any impact on preparations.
“We came back together four weeks ago and there was only one thing mentioned in that dressingroom and that was Wicklow. It’s all about championship. The league’s forgotten.
“Mark Ward and Shane O’Rourke are long-term injuries for the summer. Gary O’Brien and Cormac McGuinness are on the road to recovery and we’ll give Paddy Gilsenan’s hamstring a bit longer. We’d hope to name the team on Thursday.”
