Ahead of tomorrow evening’s GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 4 Round 1 meeting with Louth in Inniskeen, Meath have made three changes in personnel from the side which lost out to Dublin in the Leinster Championship in mid April.
Coming into the side from that encounter are the experienced Ronan Ryan, Cian McBride and Cillian O’Sullivan with Ross Ryan, Daithí McGowan and Jordan Morris all reverting to the replacements.
Saturday’s game will mark the first appearance of the season for Cillian O’Sullivan who is in line to make his 106th appearance in the county senior jersey when he lines out at centre forward while it is a first start of 2024 for Ronan Ryan who missed out on the Allianz Football League through injury.
Cillian O’Sullivan makes a welcome return to the side. Photo via Paula Greif/www.sportsaction.ie
Billy Hogan who was a late addition to the starting line-up against Dublin holds onto the goalkeeper jersey and he will have Donal Keogan, Adam O’Neill and the returning Ronan Ryan in front of him in the full back line. Harry O’Higgins moves out from his more familiar corner back role at this level to right half back and his is joined in the half back line by Darragh Campion and Sean Coffey.
Team captain Ronan Jones is partnered at midfield by Cian McBride who is making his first Championship start. Cillian O’Sullivan will lead the attack from the forty and his is flanked by Ciaran Caulfield and Cathal Hickey while the inside line sees James Conlon and Eoghan Frayne fill the corner forward positions and Mathew Costello who is in set to make his 50th appearance on Saturday takes the full forward berth.
Among the substitutes, Brian O’Halloran returns to the senior panel after the U-20 Championship and Conor Gray makes his first appearance in a match-day panel since coming on as a substitute against Louth in the Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup on the first weekend of January.
The game will not be televised or livestreamed but LMFM will have full commentary.
- Billy Hogan (Maigh Dearmhaí) – 1 Championship Appearance
- Donal Keogan (Rath Coinnig) – 51 Championship Appearances
- Adam O’Neill (Bhulf Tón) – 8 Championship Appearances
- Ronan Ryan (Druim Samhraidh) – 17 Championship Appearances
- Harry O’Higgins (Emmet Druim Bhearradh) – 5 Championship Appearances
- Darragh Campion (Scrín) – 5 Championship Appearances
- Sean Coffey (Baile na Breacaighe) – 9 Championship Appearances
- Ronan Jones (Naomh Peadar Dún Bóinne) (Capt.) – 18 Championship Appearances
- Cian McBride (Naomh Ultain) – 2 Championship Appearances
- Ciaran Caulfield (Áth Troim) – 6 Championship Appearances
- Cillian O’Sullivan (Magh nAilbhe) – 32 Championship Appearances
- Cathal Hickey (Baile Sencaill) – 16 Championship Appearances
- James Conlon (Naomh Colmcille) – 14 Championship Appearances
- Mathew Costello (Domhnach Seachnaill) – 17 Championship Appearances
- Eoghan Frayne (Druim Samhraidh) – 4 Championship Appearances
- Sean Brennan (Dún Doire) – 7 Championship Appearances
- Michael Murphy (Naomh Peadar Dún Bóinne) – 0 Championship Appearances
- Sean Ryan (Naomh Peadar Dún Bóinne) – 0 Championship Appearances
- Brian O’Halloran (Baile Íomhair) – 0 Championship Appearances
- Ross Ryan (Druim Samhraidh) – 3 Championship Appearances
- Conor Gray (Domhnach Seachnaill) – 6 Championship Appearances
- Daithí McGowan (Rath Tó) – 10 Championship Appearances
- Ruairí Kinsella (Domhnach Seachnaill) – 1 Championship Appearance
- Jack O’Connor (Currach Átha) – 12 Championship Appearance
- Jordan Morris (Réaltaí Dún a Rí) – 17 Championship Appearances
- Aaron Lynch (Áth Troim) – 7 Championship Appearances
Standby Players
- Keith Curtis (Rath Coinnig) – 4 Championship Appearances
- Michael Flood (Naomh Bríd) – 3 Championship Appearances
- Sean Rafferty (Na Fianna) – 0 Championship Appearances
- Jason Scully (Sean Chaisleán) – 6 Championship Appearances
By Brian Kelly Fri 24th May
