Meath's O'Byrne Cup opener off

Meath's O'Byrne Cup clash with Wicklow which was scheduled to take place this Saturday in Bray Emmets is off.

Leinster Council confirmed this morning that the game would not go ahead as planned, but they did not offer an explanation as to why the game is postponed.

In this week's Meath Chronicle Meath manager Andy McEntee revealed that his panel haven't been hit too badly by the latest wave of Covid to immerse the country, but he also insisted that Meath would not play the O'Byrne Cup if 'it did not suit' them.

"We haven't been too badly hit by Covid and the restrictions in recent weeks. The lads are doing all they can do to stay safe, the medical team have been great, Dualtach (MacColgain, Meath team doctor) has been very good with instructions for the lads," McEntee told the Meath Chronicle.

"When we get together we all take our own antigen tests and post them to the doctor and if anyone has any symptoms they stay away.

"Out of the 35 lads we have training we only had four who were unavailable last week due to close contacts, which isn't too bad.

"From talking to other county managers I gather it's proving difficult all over the country.

"For all the talk about change, and everybody is keen for change, here we are back to where we were. Everything is the same and we are squashing in an O'Byrne Cup.

"Our aim is to try to get game time into as many lads as possible. If it suits us to play it we will play it, if it doesn't suit us we won't play," said the Meath boss.

Meath's game against Laois in Stradbally next Wednesday evening (7.30pm) is expected to go ahead. It's not clear if Wicklow's game against Wexford will take place.