Outstanding young defender Caoimhin King was an ever-present for Meath during their five-game 2006 SFC odyssey. While the Dunshaughlin clubman was delighted to get five senior championship matches under his belt, he was left ultimately disappointed by the Royals' untimely exit from the premier competition. By Gerry Robinson. For Meath football, 2006 represented a new beginning. The departure from the helm of legendary leader Sean Boylan ushered in a new era for the Royal County, and the erstwhile Leinster kingpins appeared very much as a team in transition. Caoimhin King was one of those who experienced the learning curve first hand. Ups and downs were encountered under the new management regime. Some of the low points included the Leinster semi-final defeat to Wexford, suffering relegation to Division Two and losing a titanic Round Three qualifier to Laois in Navan. On the plus side, there was a stunning league victory over Armagh, the second-half Leinster SFC performance against Louth, emphatic qualifier wins against both Carlow and Roscommon, and the assured displays of some emerging young talent. King was one of the players who really caught the eye, making a massive impact in his second year with the county seniors. Captain of the Meath U21s also in '06, King excelled at centre half back against Louth, Wexford and Carlow and at corner back in the games against Roscommon and Laois. In addition to his diligent defending, the Dunshaughlin man also demonstrated an uncanny knack for sneaking scores, finding the target in four of those matches including the only goal (from the full back line) in the 1-19 to 0-9 crushing of Roscommon at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday July 1. Meath had opened their championship account with a 1-15 to 0-10 defeat of neighbours Louth at HQ on Sunday May 14 ('winning' the second half by 1-9 to no score) but surprisingly fell to Wexford at the provincial semi-final stage a fortnight later (1-19 to 1-13). The qualifier programme began at Dr Cullen Park, where Carlow were beaten by 1-17 to 0-12 on June 17 but ended in Navan on July 15 when Ross Munnelly's two goals inside six second-half minutes consigned the hosts to a 2-12 to 0-13 defeat. It was a sickening end to Meath's year as they had bossed much of that Round Three qualifier but were floored by two suckerpunches. Despondency in the camp wasn't alleviated by the fact that, despite managing three victories, Meath had also been relegated from Division 1B of the national football league (on scoring averages). All in all, the year had promised more than it delivered. What is Caoimhin King's mood looking back on the events of '06? "It is one of disappointment. To get relegated from Division One was a big blow, especially for a team in the process of rebuilding. It was a disaster to go down. The positive side is that Division Two could act as a stepping stone for some of the new players coming in next year, but everybody knows that Division One is the place to be." And what of the championship? "We had good days and bad days. We played well in the second half against Louth but were awful against Wexford. Meath are a lot better than we showed that day. In the qualifiers, we started to find some form and we could have beaten Laois if we'd shown a bit more composure on the night. "I think we played some real quality football against Carlow and Roscommon and we were very confident going in against Laois. We had no fear of them whatsoever but they got the two breakaway goals and that was the difference in the end. Munnelly took the goals well, but a more experienced team than Meath would have held out for victory. If we'd got past Laois, we'd have been really confident of going a lot further…" What was Meath's target at the start of the year? "An All-Ireland quarter-final. We had the perceived easy draw in Leinster and we were aware of it ourselves. We thought we could get to the final at least but we had a man sent off against Wexford and nothing went right for us that day. Wexford played well and deserved to win, but we felt that we left it behind. "The run in the qualifiers was good and we built up considerable momentum so we didn't fear anyone. If you look at the Laois game, we actually dominated midfield and kicked it away in the second half. After we went ahead we had a couple of chances and the result would have been different if we'd taken those. Instead, they got a break down the field, found themselves with an extra man and showed a bit of class." It was a heartbreaking experience for Meath, but can they learn from it? "Of course we can. It's still a young team. Apart from the experienced lads like Graham [Geraghty] and Anthony [Moyles], there are a lot of young fellas in the squad and we are learning all the time. A lot of people will point to the fact that we haven't won a lot at minor or U21 level recently but I'm convinced that we have the talent to make a major breakthrough and those five games will give us vital experience. "We have to get out of Division Two immediately, though. That's our No.1 priority and we really have to do it. Division Two is no place for Meath. We shouldn't be there and we have to win promotion." Do the Meath players come under pressure from their supporters? For years, Royal County followers have been spoiled with Leinster and All-Ireland titles - do they get on the current team's backs a bit? "Understandably, they are growing impatient because they are accustomed to success. We can't blame them for that. The expectations do add pressure, but the supporters are probably right because Meath has a tradition and a history of success and that's what this team has to live up to. It's a football county with little competition from other sports, so we have to produce the goods. The support in Meath is excellent and they live for their football. "Ultimately, we are the ones to blame for the results, but we are also the ones who can turn it around - and I think we will. At the moment, getting to a Leinster final and gradually improving ourselves is the target rather than an All-Ireland. Having said that, we are good enough to beat any of the big teams on our day. "There are no easy games in Leinster these days, with the likes of Longford and Louth improving all the time. It's not like years ago when it was almost a two-horse race between Meath and Dublin. The rest of the teams have improved dramatically and it's tough going. You can get caught in the first round now and we have to learn to cope with that." As a young lad, was it a dream of Caoimhin's to play for Meath? How does it feel to be wearing the famous green jersey? "It's definitely a personal goal achieved, but now that I'm here I want to win things. Meath have to be competing on the big stage again, in Leinster finals and All-Ireland semi-finals and finals. We want to face the big players and get some of the limelight. We want to bring Meath back to that level where people are almost afraid of us because of our fierce reputation. "We grew up watching Meath men making history and now we have to create our own place in history. There's no point living in the past. The current Meath team has to strive towards earning the same reputation as the past players who are looked up to in the county. "We're going to put in a fantastic effort again next year. If we get a good run in the league, we can maybe get a match in Croke Park before the championship starts. That would be a big advantage and would set us up nicely for a run in the championship. We'll be looking for a quarter-final place again. That's the stage Meath football needs to be on." Tweet

Most Read Stories