Offaly could give Mickey Harte revenge over Meath after 'issues' in the past

Offaly's senior footballers could help co-manager Mickey Harte get revenge on Meath in the Leinster Senior Football Championship this weekend, according to one of his former Tyrone players.

All-Ireland winner Enda McGinley was previewing this weekend's GAA action on RTE's GAA podcast when he turned attention to Offaly's quarter-final clash with Meath in Pairc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday.

"I love this one because of the contrast between the land of giants of Meath and the land of sheer energy and pace and speed that Offaly are bringing," the three-time Sam Maguire winner said.

McGinley reckons Mickey Harte, co-manager of Offaly alongside Declan Kelly, will be "rubbing his hands" at this fixture after "wee issues with Meath" in the past.

"Obviously, I know Mickey Harte, I know that mindset. He would be rubbing his hands with this fixture.

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"Meath were the one team that had turned over Tyrone, even that team that I was a part of in the noughties, when we were at a big height.

"(For Mickey), there's been wee issues with Meath in the past. But Offaly will be fancying their chances of a famous win."

Offaly go into the game on a high after winning Division 3 after a fantastic running performance against neighbours Kildare in Croke Park. Meath, on the other hand, are in a little bit of turmoil after two of their coaches, Joe McMahon and Martin Corey, walked away from the set-up.

"I thought Offaly in their Division 3 league win, some of the quality of their play, the sheer ambition that they show in their play, (there was) almost a fearlessness there. We know that they're a young side and they're playing like that too," McGinley said.

"There are two things in the modern game that seem to be really, really important. One is size and you can't grow size. And the other is pace and you can't create pace either.

"Offaly have pace to burn and so they are playing their game according to that. Meath have size and they're playing their game according to that. So it's a really, really lovely contrast."

He went on to suggest Offaly are on "a wave of momentum" after the league, momentum greater than that in the Meath camp after two heavy defeats late in their Division 2 campaign ended their promotion hopes.

Offaly face Meath in Navan at 2.30pm on Sunday. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.