By Michael McMullan

AARON Kernan said it was a “no brainer” to get involved with Meath when the call came from manager Robbie Brennan to join his backroom team.

He feels Meath made “huge strides” last season under Brennan but with Derry and Tyrone dropping down from Division One, the promotion race gets even hotter.

Kernan was speaking on this week’s Gaelic Lives podcast, previewing this weekend’s Ulster Club quarter-finals, a competition he won eight times as a player with Crossmaglen.

“It’s a bit of a bolt out of the blue,” Kernan said of his approach from the Royals’ boss, having spent a season with Sligo under Tony McEntee.

“I wouldn’t have had a relationship at all with Robbie or any of the management team. Seeing what they’ve done and just hearing plenty about the Meath environment that they have and the county as a whole, it was one that you’re more than happy to get involved in.”

It has been a busy few months of taking in the Meath Championship from the group stages onwards having also taken in some of last season’s games.

“You need to be getting in and seeing boys in club action,” he said. “It gives you a good insight into the players themselves and what they’re capable of.

“I’m really looking forward to it. The bar is obviously raised in terms of expectations within the county but then it’s also raised in terms of expectation within the playing group and the management as well.

“Derry and Tyrone are down into Division Two, so it doesn’t make it any easier to look for promotion. There is new management in a couple of counties within Leinster as well.

“It isn’t going to make it any easier but that’s why you get involved in the top level of inter-county sport, to be challenged at the top level.

“So, absolutely, to me it was a no-brainer to try and get involved. It’s a great experience for me and then hopefully I’ll be able to add a bit to their group as well also.”

The provisional NFL fixtures have paired Meath with Derry in Croke Park in the first game and Kernan feels Ciarán Meenagh’s previous stint with the Oakleafers will be a help.

“He knows that playing group long enough that I don’t think there’s a bedding-in period needed for him or the players,” Kernan added.

“I was involved with Sligo last year. You’re going up a notch now, in terms of the calibre of player you’re coming up against and the experience on the line, with opposition managers and coaches.

“There’s nothing that wouldn’t excite you about it.”

Tune into Aaron’s take on this weekend’s games on the Gaelic Lives podcast, available on Spotify and YouTube from Thursday 12noon.