Bray on the injured list

There continues to be some cause for concern for Meath ahead of their All-Ireland SFC qualifier on Saturday, 4th July about the availability of captain Stephen Bray who sat out Navan O"Mahonys SFC win over Duleek / Bellewstown with a thigh injury. The injury is the same one that forced Bray to exit the Meath team during last week"s Leinster SFC quarter-final defeat by Dublin. It has since transpired that the 2007 Allstar suffered a minor tear close to the top of his thigh muscle during Meath training on the Thursday prior to the Dublin game, but he still lined out at centre-forward. It is expected that, with rest, Bray will be back in time for the qualifiers, but he will have to be treated carefully and such an injury could effect his kicking action as it is currently causing him considerable discomfort. Bray"s loss would be a huge blow to Eamonn O"Brien as he attempts to plot Meath"s course through the qualifiers. Apart from Bray, all the players came through the Dublin game unscathed and all appear to have avoided injury in last weekend"s club action. On a more encouraging note for O"Brien, was the form of Joe Sheridan during Seneschalstown"s draw with Simonstown at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday. Sheridan was a late impact-substitute against Dublin, but indicated by kicking four superb points on Sunday that he was ready for a start. Sheridan"s good form could see him fill the full-forward role with Caoimhin King reverting to the half-back line, where he performed so impressively for Dunshaughlin in their narrow win over Trim. Nigel Crawford, Brian Meade and Brian Farrell all had the weekend off from championship action with their clubs and that is sure to benefit them while others staked a major place for a return to the starting 15 with good displays. Peadar Byrne was in fine form for Ballinlough during their IFC loss to Cortown, but the flying half-forward was sent-off for a second yellow card in a game in which he contributed four points. Brian Sheridan is another who did his prospects of earning a starting spot with a fine display for Seneschalstown and with several other players on the Meath panel also getting vital game time under their belts Meath are in a decent position ahead of the qualifiers. The final line-up for the first-round of qualifier was revealed on Sunday evening with Antrim beating Donegal, Laois overcoming Louth and Westmeath defeating Wicklow. The draw will take place at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick following next Sunday"s Munster SHC game between Tipperary and Clare. The 16 teams in the draw for the first round, to be played on Saturday, 4th July, are Meath, Carlow, Louth, Offaly, Wexford, Longford, Wicklow, Down, Donegal, Monaghan, Armagh, Fermanagh, London, Leitrim, Tipperary and Waterford. The first drawn team will be at home, unless that team played away against their opponents last year.