PAT GILROY came into the press conference bunker deep beneath the Hogan Stand, poured a glass of water, and waited to see what the mood was like. First question asked the same of him, though.

How did he feel?

“It feels good,” he said reasonably, “better than if we had lost. We would be disappointed with how we didn’t finish the amount of chances we created today, but plenty to work on for the summer.”

And so everybody sighed. Sometimes managers come into this room and argue for no reason that is obvious their side was significantly better than it appeared to everyone with the gift of sight or that their side was appreciably worse to anybody in the know. Gilroy doesn’t do flannel, though.

“We created lots, but we missed things like easy fisted points. I don’t know how many of those we missed, but it is great to beat Meath. These games will always be tight.”

It was an oddity of a game. A close finish, but not nip and tuck as these games often are. Both teams had patches of accomplishment. Dublin’s were longer and more frequent.

“We started very well. Opened them up for a goal chance early on. If we had got those goals early on it would have been a very different story, but we didn’t finish. We didn’t finish well in either half, bar that little spell 10 minutes before half-time when we were very good. Plenty to work on. We faded out too many times – something we need to get sorted.”

And the newcomers whose fresh complexion was part of the altered look of this year’s Dublin campaign? “The new lads did very well. I was very pleased. I couldn’t fault the work-rate, but we faded out, maybe guys were dropping off men a little at times.

“We set out at the start to have strength in depth. We could have brought another four guys on who would have made a difference. We needed fresh legs in the second half or we could have been overrun.”

Barry Cahill followed the boss into the hot seat. “Going into the game all week we said it would come down to final five or 10 minutes and there would only be a couple of points in it either way.

“At a couple of stages we had chances to pull away. In fairness, typical Meath, they came back at us and pushed us right to the end.”

And, overall. If you were Simon Cowell? Yes or no? “Not a Dublin and Meath classic by any means. We’re not too worried about that. We were just focused on getting the right result. It’s been eight or nine weeks since we finished up in the league. We were a small bit rusty, but plenty to improve on there. Looking forward to getting back to it next week.

“I found it just a typical Dublin Meath game. Lot of big hits going in. I’ve played in a good few over the years. A lot of players will be pushing hard for the semi-final. The new players slotted in really well. Lots of positives.”

Alan Brogan echoed the views of most. Dublin had enough to be pleased with. Enough to work on.

“They got back on top for a while. We were holding on at the end even though we had a number of chances. Meath would say, though, that it was a tough breeze to play into, very swirly around Hill 16. We are happy enough to win. It was scrappy but as I say, there was a swirling breeze.

“That never helps with the quality of the match. The ball was being held up. It was very hard fought around the middle, but Darren (Magee) was very good.”

And, uhm two words Alan.

Seventeen wides!

“Yeah, we had a lot! The first thing is we need to create the chances. At stages, we looked very clinical up front. Maybe the wrong option taken by a few of us at times. We will work on that over the next few weeks.

“We were a bit nervous before the game because these are guys who have played for seven or eight years as the linchpins of the team and suddenly they are not there and it’s up to other guys to step up to the mark.

“I think we did well today and it was great to have Ciarán and Jayo coming off the bench. Jason did very well and won a few balls when we had been struggling to win ball in the full-forward line.”

The summer of one of Dublin’s better forward discoveries is hanging in the balance though. Mark Davoren twisted his knee badly, but what looked initially like a very ugly injury may turn out to be less devastating.

“I’m worried enough,” said Davoren. “Initially, it was unbelievable pain. I got back here and it doesn’t feel as bad. The doctor is quite optimistic. Some sort of ligament thing there, but, hopefully, not blown out and just a strain. Until that, it was a dream debut, but sure it was great to get the win. This is only the first hurdle. Hopefully, it is not too serious. My studs just planted in the ground, my lower leg stayed, and the body went the other way.”

Enough. Too much information.

Nigel Crawford found little to cheer himself with as Meath head off into the familiar terrain of the qualifiers.

“The game was lost in a 10-minute period before half-time. They seemed to dominate then. We were five points to three up and we lost momentum and Dublin got a run of about eight scores. It seemed to stop happening for us.

“It feels hard now, the dressingroom is upset. Time is a good healer, just take a break for a while and see. Hard to say much positive about today.”

Post mortem in a few lines Nigel? “Possibly a lack of experience when it was needed and a bit of cutting edge. We didn’t seem to open them up as much as we could. Dublin are an experienced team, four Leinsters. They know how to close games out. Kildare will be very close to them.”

Strange day.

Quotes as unremarkable as the football.