Meath GAA Results

Meath manager Seamus McEnaney refused to blame referee Syl Doyle after two controversial decisions cost the Royals dearly in the defeat to Kildare in the Leinster Football quarter-final at Croke Park on Sunday.




Doyle sent off Meath's Brian Farrell for hitting out at Emmet Bolton in the second half, despite Farrell appearing to make little contact with Bolton.



Then Graham Geraghty had a goal ruled out because of a square ball after a Joe Sheridan pass.



It was a marginal call and the Royals may have had reason to feel aggrieved.





They never really recovered from that blow and the Lilywhites pulled away to secure the win.



McEnaney said: 'The feeling is that the two decisions went wrongly against Meath on this occasion. But we're not in the business of crying about decisions. We need to get on with this and pick ourselves up for three weeks time and that is what we'll have to do.



'We intended on getting ready for a Leinster semi-final but unfortunately that is not the case. I have no doubt there is a great resolve in this group of lads, there is a great spirit in the dressing room and we'll work and drive it on from here on.'



Speaking further about the disallowed goal, the former Monaghan manager believes it was turning point in the match and felt his side could have gone on to win the game if it had been awarded.



'It was a crucial time in the game with 10 or 11 minutes to go. We would have brought the scoreline back to within a point and it would have put Meath on the front foot where it could have been a different result.



'But at the end of the day, Kildare with the extra man used the sweeper system and they punished us in the last 10 minutes.'



'We were well in control of the game at half-time but coughed up a couple of scores in the early stages of the second half that cost us dearly and maybe our work rate wasn't up to as much as we'd like.



'But we fired everything at it. We dropped to 14-men at a crucial part of the game. The goal disallowed was another crucial part.



'At the end of the day these decisions will go for you some days and go against you others. Unfortunately for us, they went against us today.'



McEnaney paid tribute to his players for their effort in the run-up to this game, believing they gave everything in the bid to defend their Leinster crown.



'I'm immensely proud of this group of lads. They have worked tremendously hard.



'They have worked the shirts off their backs for five nights a week for the last four or five months. I can't pay enough tribute to the lads.



'You can't ask for any more. We give it everything. We emptied the bench but unfortunately we didn't get the result we would have liked.'