PREVIEW: Victory must be achieved against Wicklow

NHL DIV 2A Preview

While it didn't end with a victory, the quality of the second-half performance against Offaly will give Meath plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading into the Div 2A second-round clash with Wicklow at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday, 12.30pm.  

If they are to retain their status Meath will need to defeat the Garden County - this is a game the management team will have targeted to win - and they should do just that. 

The game is the curtainraiser of an attractive double header with the Meath, Donegal NFL Div 1 clash to follow - and manager Nick Weir will be certainly hoping supporters in the Royal County will arrive early at the venue to get behind his team. He feels it's crucial to his side's development that the local GAA public support his players.

"I'd love it to see a big crowd in Pairc Tailteann to support us," he said. The sides met in the Kehoe Cup in December and ended level (1-21 to 0-24) and while the personnel on both teams is likely to be a lot different on Sunday, the scoreline must surely give some indication of Wicklow's capabilities.

 A reason for Meath to be cautious can be seen in Wicklow's spirited display against Antrim in their opening NHL Div 2A clash last Sunday. Narrowly defeated by Offaly in the Kehoe Cup final, Antrim might have been expected to defeat Wicklow by a big score at Arklow. 

They did win, 0-20 to 0-11, but at the break the Saffrons led by only a point, 0-8 to 0-7. Granted the Ulster side did pull away in the second-half, but they clearly needed to dig deep; perhaps deeper than they would have expected. It's an indication that complacency is something Meath certainly cannot afford. There is also pressure on Meath to win which is another variable for them to deal with. 

Under the guidance of Eamonn Scallan, who won an All-Ireland SHC medal with Wexford in 1996, Wicklow have some excellent players including Andy O'Brien who is one of their top marksmen and, if playing, is sure to prove a real threat. Others such as Martin O'Brien and Jack Doyle could make it difficult for Meath. 

This week Weir and his management team will be looking at the fall-out of the bruising Offaly game in terms of knocks to players. One man who must be considered extremely doubtful is Mikie Mullen who picked up a injury early in the Birr game to be replaced by Darragh Kelly. 

At times Meath struggled to convert opportunities into scores against Offaly but they did get the only goal of the game and went close to finding the net on two other occasions. Surely Meath will have too much firepower for the visitors on Sunday.