Updated: Wednesday, 7th July, 2010 4:50pm

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Louth quietly waiting in the long grass

by Fergal Lynch

Meath manager Eamonn O'Brien.

Meath claimed the National Football League title in 1975 with an impressive 0-16 to 1-9 victory over the reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin and looked forward to taking the next step forward in the Leinster and All-Ireland championship.

Waiting in the long grass for the league champions and the new favourites for provincial honours were Louth. Little was expected from the Wee County and the 22nd June trip to Croke Park was expected to be a formality.

However, it didn't quite turn out like that. Louth ambushed Meath in the first round of the Leinster SFC and stunned the Mick O'Brien-managed side to win by 0-15 to 1-9.

Lining out at right-half-forward that day was current Meath boss Eamonn O'Brien. It was a chastening experience for the Walterstown star and not one he forgets too quickly.

O'Brien will certainly take nothing for granted ahead of next Sunday's Leinster SFC final against Louth and at last week's media night at Teach na Teamhrach the manager was at pains to say his side will not be complacent because of the big semi-final win over Dublin.

"The 1975 game will have no bearing on what happens next Sunday," the manager told the Meath Chronicle.

His expression betrayed a sentiment that has not gone away, O'Brien does not want to fall into that trap again.

"I don't see any reason why we should be complacent. We are playing a very good side. Louth have beaten Longford, who went on to defeat Mayo, they were brilliant against Kildare and were by far the better side than Westmeath.

"Things went our way against Dublin and they kept going our way. We know we had the rub of the green, but we shouldn't expect things to go our way again, if we sit back and expect that then we are in for a rude awakening.

"Hopefully the win over Dublin will help with the confidence, but I know things can go the other way as well. Referees decisions and breaking balls can go against you and you end up in a struggle or a battle, so we have to be ready for this.

"The media gave us no chance of a Leinster title or being All-Ireland contenders, but now because of one performance we are one of the favourites.

"I don't think anything has changed just because we beat Dublin. We are still the same team that played before the Dublin game, we are no better or worse than we were before that game," he added.

Not only is being in a Leinster final a new experience for O'Brien as a manager, it is also set to be a unique occasion for most of the players and it is something they are enjoying and looking forward to.

"It is good to be in the final and it is where we want to be. We have to wait and see how it goes. It is a new experience for us and for most of the players, but we are trying to treat it like any other game," said O'Brien.

"We have to prepare properly and try to perform to the best of our ability. We will approach the game the same way as we approached Laois, Offaly and Dublin.

"It is an important match for us because we haven't won a Leinster for nine years, but it is also very important for Louth. It is a game that we will go out to try to win, it just happens to be a final.

"I will help to prepare the team to the best of my ability and with the selectors will try to get them focused on the task. Our objective is to try to win.

"There are certain things we cannot control. We can't control how well Louth will play, so we will prepare to our best and hopefully we will perform on the day and win the game," said the manager.

While winning a Leinster title for the first time since 2001 is the main objective next Sunday, O'Brien is also glad to be avoiding the qualifier route.

It is a road that has been much travelled for Meath in recent years and not one he wants to go down again.

"There is no doubt that going the front door route is the best way to go about winning things and we are enjoying it at the moment.

"If you have to go down the qualifier route then it is a lottery. Last year the draw was kind to us, we got some momentum going and it helped us, but that doesn't happen all the time.

"I much prefer the direct route. I'd rather see winners winning an All-Ireland rather than a team coming through the back door.

"Hopefully the players know the buzz that is around. The players have to be ready and believe in themselves, primarily we are trying to play to the best of our ability and if we can make the people of Meath happy in the process, then we'll be delighted with that," concluded O'Brien.