Royal gains - Meath hurlers ready for Joe McDonagh test

Of the half a dozen teams competing in the Joe McDonagh Cup this year, there is no doubt that Meath enter this year's edition as rank outsiders.

The competition could probably, before a ball is thrown in at least, be split in two.

Antrim and Offaly are strong favourites to make the final – the McDonagh finalists will have home advantage in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals – with Kerry, Carlow, Down and Meath next in line.

Given Meath’s relegation from 2A in the league – and defeats to the Kingdom, Barrowsiders and the Mourne County along the way – the Royals have it all to do to ensure they are a competitive outfit over the next six weekends (there is a rest weekend between rounds 3 and 4).

First up is a home tie with Carlow next Saturday, a pivotal fixture for the Royals. It comes less than four weeks after a narrow defeat to the same opposition in the final league outing, a game that was in effect a shootout to remain in the division.

It would be an opportune moment to exact revenge of sorts.

In an inter-county career with the Meath hurlers that began in 1987 and a stint in charge as manager that saw the Royals claim the Christy Ring Cup and participation in the Leinster championship for the first time in 13 years, Martin Ennis has been involved in most of the high points in the county’s recent history.

Ennis was part of the Meath team that won the All-Ireland B title in 1993 and, theoretically at least, were just three games away from claiming Liam MacCarthy that summer as success in the secondary competition thrust them into an All-Ireland quarter-final tie against Antrim, where an 18-point defeat was their lot.

The 90s is fondly remembered by those within hurling circles in the county. As well as All-Ireland