Lavin back in Royal stride after Canadian adventure

After a four-year stint away from inter-county football, Seamus Lavin did have doubts over whether he could return.

The Meath defender played in his team's 2021 Leinster semi-final loss to Dublin and has subsequently spent time residing in Canada primarily.

A chartered accountant, he settled into a new way of life in Toronto and watched on as his county won the 2023 Tailteann Cup.

"I wondered if I had played my last game for the county," he told RTÉ Sport.

"I decided to come home last year and regarding the inter-county game I wondered if I was away too long, if I was too old, or too slow."

None of those doubts were ever going to stick to the skilful and tigerish 30-year-old defender, however.

"Well, you do wonder if you will get back to the pitch of it, I guess, but then I came home and had a strong club campaign last year with Dunboyne and that helped me bridge the gap."

As he gears up for his side’s crunch promotion clash with Monaghan this weekend in Division 2 of the Allianz Football League, he looks like he has never been away.

He has earned the full trust of manager Robbie Brennan and has helped the team with his positional sense, understanding of the new rules, and adaptability in defending one-v-one scenarios.

"Robbie’s a winner, and he has that winning mentality," Lavin says.

"And with the new rules, it was a challenge coming back and facing a new system but it has been enjoyable too.

"The rules are fresh and exciting and I guess the art of defending is really highlighted again. There are a lot more one-on-one situations and you have to hold your own ground.

"But I play in the full-back line and I like the rules. I feel we are moving in the right direction."

Seamus Lavin (C) in action against Roscommon last month

His time away gave him space to pursue another way of life.

He played Gaelic football in Canada, but says it was more for social reasons.

"It was a great way to meet people," he adds.

"There was just so much going on over there, a lot of sports, and every evening there was something.

"You could tune out of GAA for a while but at the same time it was good to be able to dip in and dip out of what was happening back home.

"So, glad I did it. It was an itch that had to be scratched. Glad to be back with Meath and I also feel that I have a perspective gained from travelling and maybe a clear vision of what I want to achieve for the next chapter."

A win over Monaghan on Sunday in Navan would leave the Royal County in a great place to get back to top flight football.

"That is where Meath football should be but we can’t spend time thinking about that, we have to focus on the next training session and the next match. You can’t look too far ahead because there is a serious battle for promotion places and we can only look at what is ahead of us."

Back to the frontline, or in Levin's case the last line of defence.

But back, primarily, to where he belongs.

Watch Kerry v Armagh in the Allianz Football League on Saturday from 5pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app Listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

Watch Allianz League Sunday from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates around the country on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

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