Tomorrow's match with Derry is not going to be an easy one.

A real banana skin and our youngsters are paired with the strongest of the beaten provincial finalists. All talk of a certain win has to be thrown completely out the window. Derry wll be well rested since the Ulster final. It will be Meaths second big game in eight days. If it was Dublin would they have been treated such?

But the big worry is the choice of the Athletic Grounds in Armagh City as the venue.

Coincidently or not Derry have already played no less than four 2018 minor championship matches on this hallowed turf. 

The Oak Leaf boys have beaten Armagh 3-14 to 1-5, Fermanagh 2-11 over 0-5  and Tyrone 2-10 against 1-8 here. Add in the provincial final when they narrowly went under to Monaghan by 1-9 to 0-9. They will know every blade of grass emerging from the Athletic Grounds. So much for neutral venues.

Who exactly makes these fixtures? Meath did win the Leinster championship. Ditto Ulster winners Monaghan who are hauled down to play Leinster runners up Kildare in Mullingar. Are the GAA rewarding the second placed team?

The Gods have not looked down in a favourable fashion on Meath underage teams this summer. The under 20 side, after topping their division, had to play the winners and not the second placed team from the other section in the semi finals. Meath beat Kildare in the earlier stages and now the Lillies find themselves in the All Ireland decider. Fair play to Kildare and we are not begrudging this brilliant young side one iota. Just the injustice or stupidity of the system.

Meath supporters will have nightmares regarding Cork and Mayo referees since 2001 but we are sure that Ballina official Liam Devenney will act in a fair and correct manner.

On a more positive note this is an outstanding Meath minor crop. Good judges rate it as the best to come out of the county in years. One that can bring home a badly needed All Ireland title. We just need that little break, one that has not come our way in recent times.

Just don't get off to those slow starts as against Dublin or Louth. Remember the complacency all over the place for the Offaly game. Get stuck in and dominate from the very start as versus Laois in the semi final.

Go get them boys, we can do it. You are the representatives of a proud tradition. The entire county will be rooting for you. An Mhi Abu.

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