Sligo captain Neil Ewing didn't waste any energy on speculating who they were going to get in the All-Ireland SFC Round 2A draw.

As far as he was concerned, they had held up their end of the bargain by making sure their name was in the hat last Monday morning week. The draw was something that was out of their hands.

"After we won on the Saturday evening you are probably in limbo until the draw on the Monday morning which can be a bit frustrating at times," he said at a media event ahead of this Saturday's clash with Meath in Pairc Tailteann. "It's human nature you really want to know what the next challenge is.

"My honest thoughts on it were that I wasn't really bothered who we got in the draw because it wasn't something we could effect. Whoever the draw threw up we were happy to take on the challenge.

"Obviously, some of the bigger teams were in the draw so we knew it was going to be a tough game no matter where we were heading. We're looking forward to the challenge of coming up to Navan to take on Meath."

The Yeats County bounced back from their Connacht SFC exit at the hands of Mayo when recording a 0-22 to 3-7 opening round qualifier win over 14-man Antrim on home soil last time out.

"There were elements of the performance that we were happy with but obviously we conceded three goals. That's an area that we would have highlighted, when you look at the result it's the one thing that stands out.

"From a defensive point of view that's frustrating, from an attacking point of view, in the second-half, the lads cut loose when Antrim went down to 14 men. There was probably a bit more space there. We were obviously happy to kick a score like 22 points and probably 15 of that in the second-half if I remember correctly.

"No more than any game, there are areas we picked out to work on and try to improve and maintain some of the positives from an attacking point of view."

The Drumcliffe/Rosses Point clubman isn't reading too much into Round 2A opponent Meath's lack-lustre Leinster SFC semi-final showing against Kildare.

"It's something I always think about GAA matches. You can play the same game 10 times and you're not going to get the same winner or the same margin of victory for either team. It is very much on the day.

"You probably look at the season more so in totality than a one off game. Meath were just a point away from getting promoted to Division 1 in the league. Kildare played a second string team the last day against Galway when Meath needed them to win to get a result.

"In reality, that's probably where Meath are at. They are pushing for the top division nationally. For us that's a reflection where they are at as opposed to the Kildare game. Obviously, there was a change of management in Meath this year. From what you see in the media, there seems to be increased expectations from the Meath squad themselves, from management and Meath supporters.

"Probably the expectation going into the game is what led to the level of disappointment after the game. I'm sure there is a bit of pressure on Meath going into this Saturday's game against Sligo, who would be perceived to be a weaker county, at home in Navan to put on a performance."

Ewing concluded: "In terms of what effect our win over Antrim and Meath's defeat to Kildare is going to have on the game, I don't think, in terms of players individual preparations or how they perform on the day, it's going to have a massive effect."

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