McEntee sees the positives ahead of Sunday's clash with Clare

Andy McEntee has taken charge of Meath for 19 competitive games since his appointment as manager in late 2016, but never has be worn an expression of such frustration and anger following any of those games than after Sunday’s NFL Div 2 draw with Roscommon.

The manager was clearly fuming with the manner his side threw away a four-point lead deep into injury-time for the second game in succession.

While he tried to focus on many of the positives, the disappointment of the late collapse soured what can be regarded as a decent point secured away to one of the other leading promotion contenders.

While the penalty decision against Meath, which Donie Smith converted to rescue the draw for Roscommon, did seem slightly harsh, McEntee didn’t seem surprised that it had been awarded, but he was more disappointed with the manner in which play was allowed to develop and offer the hosts the chance to win a spot kick.

“Referees being referees, a penalty in injury-times equals the scores, so it was an easy decision for him to make. I was too far away to see the incident, but I’m not arguing with the referee, I’m arguing with the fact they got up there and into a position to win a penalty, that is the bit that pisses me off,” McEntee told the Meath Chronicle.
Less than 17 minutes before the late drama that saw Roscommon win the penalty Meath had looked forlorn and bereft of ideas.
They were trailing 1-6 to 1-11 and playing into the teeth of a stiff breeze, there appeared no earthly way back.
Even the popular Shannonside Radio commentator Willie Hegarty had declared that “Roscommon were the only home team to win on the opening weekend of the NFL Div 2 campaign” and few would have argued with him making that bold prediction with 13 minutes, plus injury-time, remaining.
However, the old Meath powers of recovery surfaced and in a pulsating 10-minute spell they hit 1-6 without response.
Roscommon seemed to capitulate under a welter of pressure from a Meath side that appeared to throw caution to the wind and play without fear or hindrance.
That abandon reaped a rich reward as Meath completed a nine-point swing to lead by four heading into the first of four minutes of announced injury-time.
Even when Brian Power took a black card for the team to deny Roscommon a goal chance and instead gift Finbar Cregg a simple free to pull a point back Meath still looked comfortable, but then they settled back into the style of play that got them very little reward in the first 57 minutes.
That was the reason for McEntee’s furrowed brow and angry eyes afterwards.
He fumed as he admitted it felt it was like a point lost in their bid for a quick start to their promotion bid, but there was also a sense of pride that the players had left everything they had out on the pitch.
“That was a point lost, without a shadow of a doubt. We showed great spirit and great heart to recover and go four points up in injury-time, but then we only draw the game, so that is a point lost. You can look at it anyway you want, but it was a point lost,” he said.
“We came down here to win this game. The lads put in a huge effort, but that is what we expect from them, that is what they are there to do, that is why we work as hard as we do, it goes with the territory, that’s their job.
“In all fairness to them they did exactly that, we turned the game around from being five points down to going four points up – a nine-point swing, but then we stopped doing what got us there and that is what’s disappointing.
“After we got the lead we started to go safe. We started to go sideways and backwards instead of going at them in the closing stages. Going at them is what got us there and what turned the game around.
“We showed a lot more adventure and we went for the game, but then I think, like a lot of teams when they see the winning line in sight, they started backing off and that possibly is what happened.
“I hope we don’t have to experience that type of game again. That is what happened against Longford when we were four points up and conceded two scores in injury-time.
“I don’t want to be too harsh. The truth of the matter is the lads put in a huge shift on a heavy pitch and against a strong wind, so to come from five down and go four up was a massive achievement, but you have to be able to see out games at that stage,” said McEntee.
As the initial feeling of disappointment dissipated, McEntee reflected on the positives from the game and he is hopeful the players can learn from their experiences and use those lessons to good effect, starting with next Sunday’s tricky home tie with Clare in Pairc Tailteann.
Particularly pleasing for the manager was the impact his bench made when introduced.
Brian Conlon added an extra bite at midfield while the threat and nuisance factor of Padraig McKeever, Sean Tobin and Eamon Wallace reaped rich dividends as they scored 1-5 between them.
“That is why you have a squad like that. You expect players to come on and make an impact and they absolutely did that and some lads really stood up there throughout the full course of the game,” said the Meath manager.
“There are definitely pleasing bits and some really good bits to take from the game into next week’s clash with Clare, but ultimately you can’t help but feel we have missed a trick here.
“The positives are that this bunch of Meath players don’t give up and will never give up. When you do as much work as these lads do, why would you give up?
“As long as there is an ounce of energy still left in the legs why wouldn’t you keep going and in all fairness to them that’s what they did, so I expect nothing less from them,” concluded McEntee.