Only a win will do as Meath face Down test

It might be a little premature to declare next Sunday's NFL Div 2 third round clash with Down at Pairc Tailteann a 'relegation four-pointer', but Meath's need for a victory is paramount if they are to harbour any realistic ambitions of staying in the promotion race.

The prospect of securing promotion is remote and off the back of the opening two performances when losing to Galway and Roscommon it looks impossible, but Meath are capable of producing a run that would drown out the critics.

As it stands the critics have every reason to be vocal. The performances in those opening two defeats in the league have simply not been good enough and while all the excuses in the world can be offered they only serve to paper over a malaise that has Meath football in a dire strait.

Yes, Meath have been hit hard by injuries with key men like Bryan Menton, Conor McGill and Ronan Jones missing for the opening two games and McGill and Menton likely to miss the entire campaign.

The ever-haunting spectre of Covid has also impacted the team, while freak injuries at training have also diminished manager Andy McEntee's options. However, those type of circumstances are part and parcel of the game and while Meath have been adversely and disproportionately affected there is enough talent there capable of winning games.

Last May Meath went to Armagh and were quite comfortable seven-point winners over Down, but a closer inspection of that result indicates just how crucial Cillian O'Sullivan's quickfire two-goal salvo was in securing the points.

Jordan Morris was another key man for the Royals in that victory kicking seven points and both he and O'Sullivan are likely to be the main focus of Meath's attack again next Sunday.

Shane Walsh is expected to recover from the bout of Covid that ruled him out of action on the morning of the loss to Roscommon, while Cathal Hickey's return from the same affliction will also be a welcome boost for Meath who will be without James McEntee after he picked up a red card in the closing stages of that defeat to Roscommon.

Meath and Down are two of the three teams, along with Offaly, who are without a point to their credit after the opening two rounds and victory is paramount to any aspirations of survival and avoiding the spectre of being relegated to the Tailteann Cup when the championship summer comes around.

Without their All-Ireland Club SFC winning Kilcoo contingent Down have struggled in their opening two games and lost 0-6 to 1-10 to Derry in their opening game and by 0-9 to 1-12 to Galway in Pairc Esler in round two.

Those Kilcoo players are unlikely to be back in time for consideration to play against Meath and that will be a welcome boost for the Royals, who need to pick up a win - and fast.

After their respective opening rounds Down are ahead of Meath in the table with a two-point better scoring difference, but James McCartan's men are struggling to find their feet and only managed three points from play when losing to Galway.

Meath fared little better when posting just five points from play when they lost to Galway, but they can take spirit in that those scores came in 35 minutes of football that was played in atrocious conditions.

Meath need a good start. They cannot afford to end up chasing the game as Down's defensive structure will prove difficult to break down.

Meath trailed by 12-points and nine-points at half-time of their last two games and did manage to close the gap, but they need a solid start to make in-roads against Down.

Discipline will also be huge and Meath will have to be on their best behaviour as any indiscretions will be punished by Barry O'Hagan and Andrew Gilmore.

Darren O'Hagan will be a major attacking threat for the Mourne men, while Caolan Mooney and Liam Kerr will also cause plenty of problems.

It is still only February, but already Meath are facing into one of their biggest games of the year - it's time they came out fighting. It’s time to stand up and be counted.