Like most of the country, Longford defender Paddy Fox was glued to the TV when Derry took on Dublin last Sunday in the Allianz League Final. The Oakleafers’ penalty shootout victory was hailed far and wide as the best game of football played this year, with several commentators remarking that this style of play could and should be the future for the sport.

Needless to say the doubters were soon out in force, suggesting that only the most elite teams, laden with firepower and quality, would be suited by that style of play.

The Longford captain was not one of those doubters.

“I’m all for it. I think you have to be brave at times” is the view of the Mullinalaghta man, who was speaking at this week’s Leinster Senior Football Championships launch at the National Museum.

“We’re trying, like a lot of other teams, to be a bit braver. Against a lot of teams these days, you have to hit the 15 to 20 point mark to win. If you’re trying to play too defensive and too passive, not really taking any risks, teams are too good at breaking you down. A lot are copying Derry who are pushing 14 or 15 men up and they’re getting joy there” he said.

“We want to attack; we don’t want to be defensive and sometimes I suppose in the league it can be hard. On Sunday there it was an absolutely beautiful day in Croke Park, it lends itself to taking in your man, making one on ones in big open space where boys can put the boot down. It’s harder if you’re in Pearse Park in late January and it’s a wet, dirty day! But even Division Four teams, we are trying to attack as much as possible”.

It’s six years since Longford last welcomed Meath to Pearse Park in the championship, and on that occasion, Fox was also corner back in a team that picked up a memorable two-point win over the Royal County. There were ten different Longford scorers that day, and he feels that channelling that spirit of going after the game, bringing a passionate home crowd into the match, is Longford’s best chance of success on Sunday.

“It’s probably as big a draw as you can get, bar the Dubs coming to Pearse Park, so it’s a massive game. They’ll bring a good crowd; it’s giving for decent weather as well so hopefully a big home crowd will be there in Pearse Park to see us play.

“Meath are a good team. I know they’re young but the last couple of years in Division Two they’re playing at a high level so it’s going to be a big task but we’re really looking forward to it. A home Leinster Championship game, it’s a big occasion and it’s up to us to play up to it”.

It’s been a topsy-turvy season so far for Longford, with O’Byrne Cup success fading into the rear view mirror quickly when they lost their first two league games against Laois and Tipperary. However there was a transformation after that, and Fox believes that the graph is still moving in the right direction.

“After the Tipperary game we knuckled down. Lads left their egos at the door and I felt then everyone was in sync, we were playing to the system, we were defending well, we were attacking well, and I thought we really built week-on-week.

“The problem was we had put ourselves in a big hole at the start of the league so we knew then we had to chase five wins in a row. We got to four, then had a flat first half performance down in Wexford. We’re a good team and you have those days sometimes.

“We had left ourselves with absolutely no room for error. Even in Division Four, Wexford are a good team. If you’re slightly off it at all, they’re going to punish you. Meath will do the same, but I think we’ve put the league behind us.

“I feel like we’re in good form and we’re ready”.

Longford versus Meath throws in at 3pm on Sunday April 7 at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford. For ticket information, see here