The good news for Meath players and supporters heading into tomorrows Leinster SFC semi final tie with Dublin in Portlaoise (4.00pm throw in) is that the Dubs are nothing like the force of recent vintage as shown by their struggle to beat Wicklow after a less than impressive league series. The bad news is they’ll almost certainly get better and anyway while Meath were excellent in the second half of their win over Offaly they were abysmal in the opening 35 minutes of that game.
That poor period saw a marked reluctance to try for two pointers whilst the second half saw them raise six orange flags some from very awkward angles. Full forward Matthew Costello’s performance that day was a mirror image of the teams, absent in the first half brilliant the second.
Costello is a big powerful man capable of terrorising any defender when running directly at them and him delivering a 70 minute show rather than a cameo is imperative if Meath are to advance.
It’s all well and good turning a ten point half time deficit into a seven point winning margin against Offaly but if Dublin are permitted such a lead they’ll not alone likely keep it but are capable of doubling it and then some.
Costello, pictured above, and Eoghan Frayne will get scores at one end the problem lies at the other end where Sean Bugler and Con O’Callaghan may get even more. The optimist in me says Meath can win, the realist suggests they won’t.
It’ll perhaps be closer than recent clashes but the end result should still be a Dubs win.
