No excuses as manager laments moments that got away from Meath

Red card a huge blow to Royal ambitions

By the time Robbie Brennan had made his way up to the Dr Michael Loftus room on level one of the stand in Castlebar he had regained composure following a frantic near 80 minutes of championship action which was followed by a strike to the his back by a Mayo supporters after the final whistle.

The incident incensed Brennan on the field as the 'supporter' tried to make his escape, but the quick intervention of one of the Meath backroom team Paul Dermody and the Co Board secretary Ciaran Flynn apprehended the offender who was escorted under the stand by a Garda and a couple of stewards.

In typical Brennan fashion, he wasn't too frustered by what had just happened when he spoke to the local media and admitted that supporters coming on to the field after games has been one of the few joys of this year's championship.

"In championship football there's always a bit of heat in that. I was in the middle of trying to have a nice discussion with Paul Faloon, and I got a little dunt in the back or something, but it's nothing to be too worried about.

"Everybody goes home happy. I just wish Andy (Moran) and Mayo all the best now going forward for the championship.

"The support we get is massive. The first kid up after the game today, even though he lost, was asking for a jersey to be signed straight away.

"I think you have to come on and celebrate it. I wish Andy and the lads all the best. They're a nice group and a nice few lads in that Mayo team as well. So I wish them the best for the future.”

No charges are expected to be pressed following the incident, but Mayo GAA are likely to launch their own investigation, a week on after Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke was struck by a bottle thrown from the stands following the Ulster side's round 2A victory over Mayo. It is expected that the supporter who struck Brennan will be banned from attending games in McHale Park Castlebar in the future.

Reflecting on the game Brennan was delighted with the opening half performance that saw his side build up a 10-point lead before that advantage was cut to seven by half-time.

Jack O'Connor and James Conlon extended that lead out to nine points within five minutes of the restart, but then things started to go very wrong for Meath as they were outscored for the remainder by 0-15 to 0-3.

Turnovers, poor shot selection and execution, some decision making, a dip in intensity and a harsh red card for Ronan Jones shifted momentum very firmly in Mayo's favour and in the new game turning the tide back in your favour is very difficult, especially for a side down to 14 men.

"It's incredibly difficult to seize momentum back. It's become the buzzword, hasn't it? Momentum. If it goes against you, it's hard.

"Everyone says just get your hands on the ball, but it's not easy. The crowd gets up and that's really the momentum behind it.

"The key is not give the ball away, but then again, there's so much space out there, it can be hard because you want to try things. So it's finding the right balance between it. It's a hard thing to do.

"I still think we left a bit behind us in the first-half. If you really want to be ruthless at that level you've got to take those chances and then there was a couple of poor decisions down the stretch at the end of the first half.

"They got back into it a little bit more, but overall I'm probably still happy with the performance the lads put into that. It's similar feeling to the game against Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn where you have to go out then and back that up, but as I say, certainly the red card has an impact then from there on in.

"Jonesy (Ronan Jones) was obviously hugely disappointed with the red card. He's a Dunboyne man, so I'd have extra feelings for him there. I'm sure he's hurting. I don't know what it was, I didn't get a chance to ask Sean Hurson or Paul Faloon what the reason was.

"I think he put him down for striking, so we'll have to check all of that, but all the lads will feel everything we do, we do together, whether it's win or lose. So we'll be sticking together for sure."

Brennan also elaborated on some of the poor decisions that cost his team.

"Just sometimes the shot clock and game management and things like that need to be better, but it's not exactly fully fresh in the head, I'll have to unfortunately watch it back at some stage.

"Overall I'm massively proud of the lads. We've been on the road now since before Christmas and this is our 20th game between challenge games and everything.

"There has been huge mileage put up by the players and supporters. So, overall I’m very, very proud of the effort that the boys have put in this year."

Another major factor in Meath falling short was that they never got their two-point shooting game going and really only had one attempt at a deuce when a Sean Brennan first-half free sailed wide.

Meath and Mayo are the two highest two-point kickers in the country, but only Mayo managed to find the range on Saturday and ultimately that proved decisive.

"I'll give Mayo credit for that (limiting Meath's two-point threat) first off, but Ruairi Kinsella he's a huge loss in that regard for us, whether it's either creating a bit of space or setting it up for us.

“You are asking guys to do different roles when he's not there, so you're obviously plugging a few things. He's a big loss for us. He's an incredible footballer and I hope for him and the country's sake he gets back playing because he's a joy to watch.

"Then when you're with the wind in the first half, in particular, you're trying to find that balance and not be going for twos all the time. So it's a hard thing to do."

Reflecting on the year, the championship chapter has certainly been hugely underwhelming compared to Brennan's first year in charge.

In 2025 Meath played nine championship games, winning six, drawing once and losing to just Louth and Donegal while picking up memorable victories over Dublin, Kerry and Galway.

This year Meath played just four championship games and picked up just that excellent win over Derry, but it has been a difficult campaign.

Four away days with the supporters travelling almost 1600km to follow the team to Tullamore, Cork, Derry and then Castlebar. Despite the disappointment of not emulating the achievements of last year, Brennan reflected on a 'glass half full' year and is already looking forward to life in NFL Div 1 from the end of next January.

"The league obviously was really encouraging and the way we were able to get a handle on that on good, that was a really strong division too. There were no easy games in that. So overall, that was good.

"There's probably lessons, maybe coming out of that and maybe the toll that took on us heading into the Leinster Championship. There's probably some learning in that.

"Leinster was disappointing. There's no hiding away from that, particularly going out as early as we did. Albeit Westmeath have proven they're a really good side.

"Then the All-Ireland series. I still would stand over that some of the stuff we did against Cork was really good. Travelling away. Close game. Kept fighting.

"The big learning there (against Cork) was the red card (for Colm O'Callaghan). We didn't handle it. Then ironically today it goes the other way against us.

"The year has gone very quick. I find it incredible how quick this whole season goes by at intercounty compared to maybe the club stuff.

"Hopefully I'll get away with the family at some stage maybe for a week or two. Then we'll get back into it.

"There's no hiding place, you can see Mayo are a good Div 1 team. So that's what we'll be up against consistently now over a seven, eight week basis when the league starts up.

"We'll have no choice but just to be ready. So we'll go again.

"I certainly hope to keep going and that includes the management as well and the background team and every player, we want to stick with this and go again. Obviously, if someone has different ideas, that's fine too, but I certainly would want to stick with the lads now,” concluded the Meath boss with a positive air following a disappointing day out west.