Robbie Brennan enjoying Meath journey

Click here to listen to the interview with Meath senior football team manager Robbie Brennan.

By Cian O'Connell

"It is incredibly enjoyable," Robbie Brennan says about managing the Meath senior football team.

"I loved my time in Kilmacud. That gave me one insight into top level stuff, but this is another step up, I suppose. You've some brilliant people within the county, the players themselves, management and coaches.

"It is a hugely enjoyable thing. On the pitch in Tullamore, you'd kids everywhere, people enjoying it, and it has been a great experience so far, anyway."

Matches are arriving thick and fast so there is always another challenge to embrace. The win over Offaly means Meath now face Cork in the Allianz Football League Division Two decider at Croke Park.

To achieve promotion was satisfying. "Yeah, that is probably the feeling alright," Brennan replies.

"It is great to get that. It probably isn't something we targeted really, it was more game by game as the lads hinted at yesterday. Then, when you're there, it is definitely a nice feeling, for sure."

Having reached an All-Ireland SFC semi-final in 2025, how important was it to maintain momentum? "That was big, some people, at times, might have been saying we were lucky last year, and we caught certain teams at the right time - all that type of stuff," Brennan responds.

"I think it was important we were able to back up, to give the lads that extra bit of belief, that what they did last year was real, I suppose. There has been some signs of progress so that is very encouraging."

Brennan is delighted about the connection formed between the Meath team and supporters. "I think it is big," Brennan says.

"I'm a Meath fan, ultimately, at the end of it all. As I've often said, I've been up in the stand myself through the good days and the bad days.

"I think for the supporters to be able to feel that there is something happening there is all credit to the players. They've given the supporters something to come and watch. Credit to the boys for doing that. It is a great connection.

"It is something we've probably looked at the very start when we came in, was to see could we get that connection as best as we possibly could with the fans. I think the lads have done that too, brilliantly."

Talented and creative attacking players are flourishing for the Royals. "Again, I think, Meath, in my days as a young lad watching them, they've always had brilliant forwards," Brennan reflects.

"I think we've a current group there that are really good. They're all probably different in their own right. We just encourage them to do their own thing, whatever comes natural on the day. We all feel they're a little bit different to each other and that poses challenges for opposition.

"We certainly encourage them to just be as creative as they possibly can, to enjoy being a forward. It is one of the nicer parts of the game, for sure."

Meath demonstrated resilience in a competitive Division Two, last gasp scores and stirring comebacks have been part of the 2026 journey thus far. "It is great to be able win those tight games," Brennan remarks.

"You can't practice that. You can try to replicate it in training and things like that, but it is never quite the same. Those last ditch winners, having to dig it out, they're valuable to the lads. It just shows the sign again that we're better at doing that kind of thing."

Aaron Kernan's addition to the backroom team is significant according to Brennan. "Aaron is a brilliant guy, he has fitted in so well into the group," he says.

"Everybody loves him, a brilliant character, but also a very, very, very astute coach. He's looking at our defensive side of things, and other areas, to be fair to him.

"We're delighted to have him, and he has added to the work that has already gone on with Conor, Shane, and Conor Scully, who has come in and looked at the transition, Karl Manning is there, and John McCarthy is also doing work with the forwards. It is a great management team and one we're very happy to have."

The well regarded Supple brings plenty of experience too. "He does, he's a busy man, they just had a new baby so he's working on empty with a lack of sleep," Brennan says.

"The detail Shane brings is incredible, as you'd probably expect with that professional background he had in his soccer days. A phenomenal guy to work with and a really good guy to have around the group."

Beaten by Louth in the Leinster SFC decider last year, has the landscape altered in the province? "I think so, it certainly has probably reinvigorated it a bit," Brennan says.

"Dublin had the stranglehold on it, nobody could stop them. That shows you how good they were. It certainly is more open than it was in previous years.

"A number of teams there will be fancying their chances, for sure. We're one of them, obviously. The old cliché is that we won't be looking past Cork this weekend and then when Leinster comes, it'll be whether it is Westmeath or Longford, we'll be fully focused on those."

Lively matches are imminent in league and championship.