Meath GAA discussion thread

Huntergonzo

Hanmer Archer

I see what you're saying regarding 2 teams going up, but it's something that really should be looked at because for me 1 team down just isn't enough to motivate poorly performing teams.

I wouldn't worry too much about 2 teams up devaluing the Intermediate or Junior finals, every serious player wants to be a champion and when they make a final you'd like to think they'd bust a gut to win it even if they knew they were already promoted. Also you could incentivize winning the finals with preferable seeding for the champions, whereas the runner up goes up unseeded.

I accept that the 2 best teams may meet in the semi's and that's a drawback but unfortunately these things happen, however I'd still like to see 2 teams up for a few years and see would it improve the championships.

Either way I'm totally against 3 teams qualifying per group, I can't see how that's going to improve intensity levels, 2 would be more than enough and I really hope they see sense on this issue.

Hammer Archer

RIP Christy Tormey, father of Andrew and brother of CB Chairman Conor.

dixiefly

Hammer Archer wrote: »

RIP Christy Tormey, father of Andrew and brother of CB Chairman Conor.

Rest In Peace, Christy. Seems to be another man that was immersed in his club like Pat Keane from Cortown who died last week.

Hammer Archer

Tough game to watch but the atrocious pitch probably had something to do with it. Too many missed chances meant it was a lot closer towards the end and could have lost it if Louth had their shooting boots on.
POR's kickouts are still a massive problem. Think we gave 3 points away direct from our kickouts. Biggy did very well all around the pitch I thought. Felt Darragh Smith and Cathal Finn did pretty well but no one else really stood out.

Longford in Navan next Sunday. Unfortunately it'll be the same time as Ratoath's All Ireland semi final.

NufcNavan

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Tough game to watch but the atrocious pitch probably had something to do with it. Too many missed chances meant it was a lot closer towards the end and could have lost it if Louth had their shooting boots on.
POR's kickouts are still a massive problem. Think we gave 3 points away direct from our kickouts. Biggy did very well all around the pitch I thought. Felt Darragh Smith and Cathal Finn did pretty well but no one else really stood out.

Longford in Navan next Sunday. Unfortunately it'll be the same time as Ratoath's All Ireland semi final.

I doubt Biggy will be operating from midfield come championship.

Meath Centre Forward

Thoughts on the new championship format?

Broadly speaking, I'm in favour. The current championship had
1) too many teams - leading to less competitive games and
2) too many game weekends - contributing to fixture congestion.

The second vs third preliminary QF is an issue for me though. Possible scenarios:
1) Bottom two teams end up on one point each having drawn with one another and lost their other two games. In that situation, one goes to a relegation play-off on points difference. One goes to knockout stages on points difference. Theoretically, one could go on to win the championship and one could be relegated.
2) The top team and bottom team could be more or less sorted by the final weekend of group games so you have the second and third placed teams fielding weakened sides or trying "not to give anything away" to the opposition because they know they'll be meeting again a week or two later in a preliminary QF.

To be honest, I can see that getting scrapped after a few years.

All things considered, I like the idea. It also frees up two weekends previously used for championship. So this could have a positive effect in many ways - league doesn't start as early in February. Meath senior management have less concern with regard to county players playing club games.

I would warn of the carnage this may give rise to come the end of the year. Aside from the mass relegation, it's going to be difficult to actually relegate 5 teams from intermediate and 7 from junior given the current format. You will have teams going down on points difference and maybe a requirement for multiple relegation play-offs. I hope the approach to this is made clear to clubs well in advance so that there's no possibility of appeals, ala the 2009 SFC relegation saga.

paul0103

Colm O' Rourke coming up on Off the Ball on Newstalk at 8!

CrabRevolution

Meath Centre Forward wrote: »

Thoughts on the new championship format?

Broadly speaking, I'm in favour. The current championship had
1) too many teams - leading to less competitive games and
2) too many game weekends - contributing to fixture congestion.

The second vs third preliminary QF is an issue for me though. Possible scenarios:
1) Bottom two teams end up on one point each having drawn with one another and lost their other two games. In that situation, one goes to a relegation play-off on points difference. One goes to knockout stages on points difference. Theoretically, one could go on to win the championship and one could be relegated.
2) The top team and bottom team could be more or less sorted by the final weekend of group games so you have the second and third placed teams fielding weakened sides or trying "not to give anything away" to the opposition because they know they'll be meeting again a week or two later in a preliminary QF.

To be honest, I can see that getting scrapped after a few years.

All things considered, I like the idea. It also frees up two weekends previously used for championship. So this could have a positive effect in many ways - league doesn't start as early in February. Meath senior management have less concern with regard to county players playing club games.

I would warn of the carnage this may give rise to come the end of the year. Aside from the mass relegation, it's going to be difficult to actually relegate 5 teams from intermediate and 7 from junior given the current format. You will have teams going down on points difference and maybe a requirement for multiple relegation play-offs. I hope the approach to this is made clear to clubs well in advance so that there's no possibility of appeals, ala the 2009 SFC relegation saga.

I hadn't even considered the reduction in game weekends, another plus. It's a bit of a weird one alright that a team need only draw a group match to get through, but they'd then need to win 4 successive knockout matches, one of which at the other teams home ground. Any team who manages to win despite that deserves it.

As for relegation, I'd imagine for the IFC, for 5 teams to get relegated this year you relegate the bottom team in each group, then play the normal 3 team relegation group, except with all the 5th placed teams from the 3 groups instead. Whoever tops the 3 team relegation group survives, the other 2 go down. For junior the bottom 2 teams in each group get the chop, while the relegation group consists of the 4th placed teams and so on.

Junior B could be a bloodbath, since 9 teams have to be relegated from 18. That means if you don't qualify for the knockout stages you get relegated. A few will be club 2nd teams so I doubt it'll make a huge difference to them, but the few junior B clubs will be desperate not to get relegated to junior C.

Hibbeler

Overall I think the club championship changes will be positive. There current format is really the end result of the county board being weak in tackling the senior relegation play off controversy a number of years ago. These changes will largely correct that

Personally I don't think the top three teams progressing thing is that big of a deal. Like crab has said above the third place team would still need to win 4 knock out games to win the championship.

The mass relegations will be harsh though and for that reason I thought it would have been hard to get these changes. A few lower middle ranked teams in all grades will now be in relegation trouble. And some of the upper teams in say intermediate or junior will now find it harder to win those competitions but that's not a bad thing either

rpurfield

The championship changes are a good thing, but doing it over one year is bonkers. Even to stretch it over two would make sense. I'd imagine at Junior B, C and D level some teams will play more relegation play off games than group games!

paul0103

Junior B should be pretty straight forward I think, with the bottom three in each group being relegated. But it looks like they haven't actually figured out what way they will go about the relegation process in Junior C and Junior D. The proposal says that

Regulation 5(b) be amended as follows:
Junior Football ‘C’ Relegation: When designing the structure for the championship CCC shall make provision for 11 teams to be relegated to the Junior D Championship.

and for Junior D

“When designing the structure for the championship the CCC shall include a provision to identify the bottom 16 teams which will take part in the Junior E Championship in 2017” .
Coiste na Mí C.L.G.

I'd love to be at the meeting where they try to think up a structure where the bottom 16 out of 22 teams get relegated!

While I'm shocked that the one year relegation process was passed,I have to agree that the changes are good and a finally a step in the right direction. Some clubs seem to be very precious about their "status", but in reality some have a false sense of what level they are at. I've heard the argument of "well how the hell are we meant to win a Junior Championship now with 5 intermediate teams being relegated", but really, if a club sees themselves as a top 3/4 Junior club then they should certainly be aiming higher than just trying to compete with the bottom 5 intermediate teams as it stands.

Hammer Archer

It'll be carnage for relegations this season, especially in the lower grades. I can see quite a few first teams going down to Junior C as a result. But it would have to happen eventually. I just hope that, as MCF said, that all the relegation procedures are water tight or else there'll be masses of appeals which will probably end up with the championships becoming a joke. I can't see the three qualifiers from each group lasting too long either. That's the only thing I see majorly wrong with the proposals.

Team for tomorrow has been named.

Paddy O'Rourke; James O'Reilly, Donal Keogan, Darragh Smyth; Alan Douglas, Mickey Burke, Cathal Finn; Harry Rooney, Andrew Tormey; Graham Reilly, Padraic Harnan, Cillian O'Sullivan; Mickey Newman, Dalton McDonagh, Donal Lenihan.

The big days for both Ratoath and Curraha have arrived with their All Ireland Semi Finals against Kerry teams St. Mary's and Templenoe respectively tomorrow.

Hammer Archer

Well that was not pretty in Limerick. Ratoath just never showed up but St. Mary's are an absolutely amazing side. Would say they'd walk through the Meath SFC.

iDave

Hard luck HA. A great journey for you nonetheless.

Better day in Navan. Reilly was a proper talisman but O'Sullivan excited me the most.
Made some great scores for himself and provided for others.

Nice to see a trophy lifted even if just an O'Byrne.

rpurfield

A good day today in Navan to be fair. When Graham Reilly is in the humor very few can stop him, Cillian O'Sullivan was excellent too and it looked like Mickey Newman was. back on song too Adding the Ratoath lads back into the panel now will be a boost as well, but I'd still be concerned about the dry 20 minute spell in the first half, its a something that happens far too often for my liking.

Hard luck to Ratoath and Curraha today, though opposition to come up against.

mattser

Off topic lads, is it my machine, or is this site slow as hell since the Boards bug ?

Ace of Hearts

Saw glimpses of Newman's old self so hopefully we'll see a full return to his form of 2013 soon. When at the top of his game, he can be a handful for any defender. And without Bray, we need the likes of him to step up and take on the mantle

Hammer Archer

Anyone know if €10 tickets are available from Centra and Super Valu this season?

paul0103

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Anyone know if €10 tickets are available from Centra and Super Valu this season?

Looks like it, according to the GAA website. Link

dixiefly

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Anyone know if €10 tickets are available from Centra and Super Valu this season?

Yes I saw them advertised in SuperValu. This is a really big game.

What do you reckon regarding the Ratoath / Curraha contingent for Sunday? I reckon just McGill and Eamonn Wallace will start.

Hibbeler

We'll have a new jersey for the Armagh game it is confirmed

http://hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=249593

Hibbeler

We'll have a new jersey for the Armagh game it is confirmed

http://hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=249593

Hammer Archer

And here it is:

Hibbeler

Hammer Archer wrote: »

And here it is:

I think it's definitely nicer than the last one. Definitely prefer the lighter shade of green

iDave

More of a Meath shade of green if that makes sense. Won't purchase though given Tayto Parks miserly contribution.

Ace of Hearts

It's a worry that the Tayto Park contribution was reduced. Thought they would've either looked for a new sponsor or at least have gotten a second one on the back. But in saying that, I too like the new design. The lighter green is a welcome change. Wonder when it'll be in store..

iDave

What marketing genius decided to release it AFTER Christmas?

Ace of Hearts

Thought that was a bit strange alright iDave, but then again, they did the same with the first Comer Group one in 2010..

rpurfield

I made the same comment in the jersey thread here about it only coming out now, that's three this week Meath, Donegal and Sligo you'd think O'Neills would want them out for Christmas for the sales boost. Actually does anyone know what sort of cut of sales goes to county teams from O'Neills

Hammer Archer

Meath (FL v Armagh) – P O'Rourke; D Keogan, C McGill, M Burke; D Smyth, P Harnan, C Finn; H Rooney, B Power; G Reilly, C O'Sullivan, A Tormey; B McMahon, M Newman, D Lenihan.

Surprised Alan Douglas didn't make the team as I thought he had a very good O'Byrne Cup campaign. Finn and Smyth make their league debuts. Brian Power at midfield is a novel choice though he has played there once or twice for Ratoath .