'We're better than that'

Robbie Brennan felt Meath didn’t do themselves justice against Donegal.

A sensational summer, which saw the rejuvenated Royals scalp Dublin, Kerry and Galway, ended in a heavy All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat at a packed Croke Park yesterday. And Brennan believes they didn’t help themselves by kicking nine wides with the wind behind them in the first half.

“It’s disappointing for the lads really because I'm absolutely convinced we're better than that,” the crestfallen Meath manager said.

"What we left behind us in the first half didn't give us enough of a platform then to even try and attack anything in the second half.

“With the rules the way they are and there's so much space, if that momentum – that great buzzword now – goes against you, it's very hard to wrestle it back.

"They're so good at controlling the game, it's nearly impossible."

Brennan wasn’t using the loss of midfield powerhouse Bryan Menton to a 20th minute injury as an excuse.

"Bryan is an exceptional leader for us and all those things that you'd expect him to be,” he continued.

"But one of his key things is that he's so good at organising around that back line or the middle line for us.

“There's no doubt he was a loss, but you're going to lose guys at this level and you have to be able to replace it again."