Cora Staunton has questioned Meath’s tactics in the wake of last Saturday’s heavy defeat to Dublin.

After an encouraging start to Colm O’Rourke’s reign, the Royals have struggled in their recent Allianz Football League Division 2 games and were well off the pace against their fierce rivals at Páirc Tailteann.

"It was an 11-point defeat for Meath but it could have been so much more. They got a fortuitous goal and Dublin missed a lot of goal chances," the former Mayo ladies football star said on RTÉ's Allianz League Sunday programme.

"I think it was very naive the way they set up, especially in the first half - a strong wind in Navan and the Meath defenders go man-on-man.

"I just thought it was so naive. In football these days, you see teams setting up with blanket defences, a lot of men behind the ball, and they're probably one of the best attacking teams in the country.

"For them to go man-on-man, they were wide open at the back. You would hope they don't do that against them in Croke Park, but normally the league is the place that you start to put your systems in place.

"I just don't know what Colm's system of play was yesterday, it was probably back to the old school, it was 15 v 15, and teams like Dublin, Kerry, Mayo, the top teams - they are just going to eat you up and that's what happened to Meath yesterday. It was an 11-point hammering."

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