When Meath call came, Bryan Menton could not resist retirement U-turn
When Bryan Menton got a call from Meath coach Conor Gillespie last autumn, he presumed it was a fact-finding mission.
"I genuinely thought he was ringing me to ask about young players in Ashbourne, about who were the up and coming lads on the scene," recalled Menton. "I thought they were happy for me to be retired on my armchair."
Menton hadn't played for Meath since the Andy McEntee era ended in 2022, missing Colm O'Rourke's two seasons as manager, but new boss Robbie Brennan figured he was still the best midfielder in Meath.
Menton, for his part, didn't take much convincing, reasoning that it was probably the last time he'd get such a call.
He has been a key figure throughout Brennan's reign so far, starting all nine of their league and Championship games and, crucially, helping them to claim a landmark win over Dublin last weekend.
Menton was part of the panel in 2010, when Meath previously beat Dublin, but didn't play so this was his first experience of actually defeating the auld enemy.
"It was definitely burnout," said Menton, explaining why he retired in the first place. "It was an intense kind of six years with Andy there and I kind of saw a clean break opportunity.
"I was genuinely retired until I got the call back and at 33, turning 34, that call isn't going to come again. It was very tempting because I liked the setup, I liked the youth that was coming through, so I was absolutely willing to give what I had."
Menton recalled that call from Gillespie, a former Meath colleague.
"He said he was interested in me coming back and deep down I was really happy with the set up for Meath so it didn't take too much convincing," said Menton.
"In fairness to Laoise, the other half at home, she said, 'You're going back, this is the last time you'll be asked'. She could tell by me that I was itching to go back and to give it another go."
Asked if it was a regret that he'd never beaten Dublin when he initially 'retired', Menton shook his head.
"It wasn't a regret when Dublin were that strong," he reasoned. "I wouldn't say it was a regret, it was more disappointing at the time that we weren't able to beat them.
"But Dublin were not only very strong in Leinster - they were maybe the best team in the history of the GAA. It was an unfortunate era to be playing them."
Menton said he was confident when he looked around the dressing-room ahead of last weekend's provincial semi-final.
"There is a lot of talent in Meath, an awful lot, and you can see it in the young lads coming through," said Menton. "They have really good attitudes too.
"They are willing and able to step up straight away, the likes of Eoghan Frayne being captain so young. Himself and Ciaran Caulfield, they were 21, 22 years of age and they are in the captaincy, vice-captaincy roles.
"So there is massive talent coming through. I won't be able to play with a lot of them probably but I'll take it one game at a time."
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