Footballers prepare for early trip to Dundalk

Meath senior football manager Eamonn O'Brien will have an early start to 2010 when he takes his team to Dundalk on Sunday, 3rd January for a challenge game against Louth, 2.30. That will assist the selectors in assessing the experimental rules and in finalising a team for the first round of the O'Byrne Cup the following Sunday. Although the GAA's inter-county collective training ban is still in force, O'Brien has a squad selected and involved in individual activities in preparation for the opening round of the O'Byrne Cup against Longford at Pearse Park on Sunday, 10th January, 2.0. Prior to that test O'Brien will get a chance to have a look some new faces when Meath take on Louth in a senior football challenge at the Geraldine's, Dundalk on Sunday, 3rd January. That will be the first opportunity for the management team along with new trainer Sean Kelly to have a look at the panel since last August's All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat by Kerry. While there may be many new faces involved in both games, one old face is likely to make a return with Trim's Brendan Murphy back on board to boost O'Brien's goalkeeping reserves along with current custodian Paddy O'Rourke and Seneschalstown net minder David Lyons. O'Brien is pleased with the way the trial matches went at Dunganny earlier this month and he is looking forward to getting back into action. With the experimental rules to be applied in the O'Byrne Cup, O'Brien does have his reservations about them and he wants to take a 'wait and see' attitude before passing judgement. "We will be using the O'Byrne Cup to test players and try a few different things. We have had a couple of trial matches and have seen a few matches towards the end of the championship. We have up to 40 players doing a bit of training on their own for the last couple of weeks. "We won't have a few lads. Brian Farrell and Caoimhin King are away, Kevin Reilly is injured, Shane McAnarney is getting married, there is also a few of the established players away for the first couple of weeks and some of the panel are tied up with their college teams. "We will be using a lot of the players that impressed in the trial matches and we will be mixing them with players that are on the panel already. "It is hard to know how the experimental rules will work until you see them in action. "I don't know how the mark will work. If you catch the ball cleanly and win the mark, can you not continue on? Or do you have to wait and take a free? Also the square ball rule change is not going to give a goalkeeper much protection. "I'm looking forward to the new year. It is a long time since last August. We all want to be playing football, that is what it is all about. We want to be able sustain what we did last year and maybe do a bit better," concluded O'Brien. Another topic which will be of interest to Meath supporters will be the sponsor of the team. Menolly Homes are no longer on board and the Co Committee are actively involved in a search for a new sponsor. That matter will be high on the agenda at the next Co Committee meeting which will take place on Monday, 4th January at Simonstown GAA centre.