Meath GAA discussion thread

Obrieski

Big win for Ratoath, needed it after losing first round last year. Didn't get to the game but good to see them win in a tight match.

rpurfield wrote: »

I was told today now there'll be a round of Championship after the Louth/Wicklow game should we win. I can't see that happening to be honest

I can't see this happening rpurfield, or would be very surprised if it did. That game is Sunday June 4th, and then probable Kildare tie is Saturday June 17th, only 2 weeks after. Not a hope Andy Mc would allow club championship in the middle weekend.

We will not see club championship again until Meath are knocked out.

I wonder if having championship this weekend was even worth it. Any momentum built up will be lost by the time of the next round. I know players want championship games but I think it would be more beneficial to have just kept playing league, the county players could have been released for the last few weeks as they were anyway - play off the league and have it finished in the next couple of months. Then, when Meath are knocked out, play the championship off then. It started late this year so I just don't see the point/benefit of just playing one round.

The league could even be started a little later, early March say, and run it off completely before championship starts. It would also avoid league walkovers as teams would still be eyeing championship down the road and it would mean the championship could be played off in one go. Just a thought...

Meath Centre Forward

Has one of the Leinster semi-finals moved by a week? The Meath fixture planner had both down for the weekend of 24th/25th of June. Now looks like Meath's one is fixed for the 17th.

vapor trails

Anyone fancy having a go at picking our starting line up V Louth/Wicklow ?

Hammer Archer

Obrieski wrote: »

Big win for Ratoath, needed it after losing first round last year. Didn't get to the game but good to see them win in a tight match.

Should have won by more. Had three massive goal chances that we missed and too many Na Fianna scores came from Ratoath giving the ball away in stupid areas.
Suppose it's to be expected given the county players have had so little game time at club level.

vapor trails wrote: »

Anyone fancy having a go at picking our starting line up V Louth/Wicklow ?

Louth it is.
Barring injuries, I can't see there being many changes from the Clare game. Only possible change may be Ronan Jones coming into midfield. James McEntee and Newman are probably pushing for a start but given that we scored 6-34 in our last two league games, I can't see there being any changes in the forward line.

Hammer Archer

U21 hurlers were well beaten by Westmeath last night. 2-20 to 0-12 it finished. Game was all but over after just 3 minutes when it was 2 goals to no score.
Junior footballers beat Kildare 2-18 to 1-19.

rpurfield

Whatever happened to the idea of the Junior team being a defacto U23? Is it happening or was that knocked on the head.

CrabRevolution

As far as I can see it goes in cycles.

Year 1: We effectively field a team of journeymen. Decent club players of any age from intermediate and junior clubs, most of whom have played for Meath underage. Some have even been on the fringe of the county panel for bit but never made it.
The team proceeds to lose.

Year 2: We decide that fielding a team of has beens and journeymen is a waste of time and we should use the junior to field a youth panel (U23). So (theoretically) the best non senior U23 players are fielded and will get some good training, development and games to improve as players.
This team also proceeds to lose.

Year 3: We decide that you win nothing with kids and the team needs some graft and experience. Repeat actions taken in year 1.

Year 4: See year 2.

rpurfield

Fair point Crab, as far as I'm aware ouselves Dublin, Cork and Kerry are the only ones restricted to playing non senior players in the Junior championship, surely we'd be better served to have that over turned and use it to bring young and fringe players on? I'm sure the other three counties would be keen for that too.

CrabRevolution

I'd agree that we should be allowed field a less restricted side and use it as a development panel. The rules should be more set in stone too, some people think it's a youth side, others think it should give lads at a lower level a token go at intercounty football.

What I see is more likely is the junior as we know it will be scrapped in the next few years. I'm not sure if it ever had a heyday but it's certainly on its last knees at this point with nobody bar Cavan in Ulster fielding, only 6 teams fielding in Leinster, 4 in Munster and only 3 or 4 in Connacht.

It's even worse in the hurling, with only 4 teams competing for the All Ireland Intermediate hurling championship this year, Cork have a bye straight to the AI final.

They've started a new U25 Hurling Championship in Munster, which could be the way forward. I'd be wary of cramming another inter county competition into the calendar though, as clubs can only take so much.

rpurfield

I don't think another under whatever championship is a way forward, unless it was a rule that if you are part of the senior panel you can't play in it. Lads in their early 20's are hammered for teams at the minute between club, college and county. From our own point of view it would be nice to have a development team to bridge the gap but.

Boom__Boom

rpurfield wrote: »

I don't think another under whatever championship is a way forward, unless it was a rule that if you are part of the senior panel you can't play in it. Lads in their early 20's are hammered for teams at the minute between club, college and county. From our own point of view it would be nice to have a development team to bridge the gap but.

Kerry have been doing a very decent job the last few years in terms of using the Juniors as a development panel/a stepping gap on to the seniors - something like 9 of the starting 15 from the Kerry team that won the junior All-Ireland in 2015 have lined out with the seniors. In Kerry a player is ineligible for the Juniors if they played county championship with their club the previous year, but not if they played with a divisional side.

I think with the U21s dropping down to the U20s it's likely to become even more valuable in terms of bringing players through to the seniors in the future. I think that counties that don't have a junior team and don't take it seriously are really missing a trick.

Hammer Archer

Did I hear that they couldn't find enough U23 players to commit to the junior side last year?

CrabRevolution

Boom__Boom wrote: »

Kerry have been doing a very decent job the last few years in terms of using the Juniors as a development panel/a stepping gap on to the seniors - something like 9 of the starting 15 from the Kerry team that won the junior All-Ireland in 2015 have lined out with the seniors. In Kerry a player is ineligible for the Juniors if they played county championship with their club the previous year, but not if they played with a divisional side.

I think with the U21s dropping down to the U20s it's likely to become even more valuable in terms of bringing players through to the seniors in the future. I think that counties that don't have a junior team and don't take it seriously are really missing a trick.

Kerry only have 8 senior clubs to begin with, so their pick for the juniors will be both larger and of a far higher quality than most counties.

rpurfield

On another note anyone wanting to build up to Sunday this piece was on LMFM on Sunday about 2002 https://soundcloud.com/lmfmradio/sunday-sport-meath-vs-louth-2002-remembered

Obrieski

1. Paddy O'Rourke
2. Mickey Burke
3. Conor McGill
4. Donnacha Tobin
5. Padraic Harnan
6. Donal Keogan
7. Shane McEntee
8. Bryan Menton
9. Ronan Jones
10. James McEntee
11. Cillian O'Sullivan
12. Eamon Wallace
13. Graham Reilly
14. Bryan McMahon
15. Donal Lenihan

Best of luck lads!!

Hammer Archer

That's a formidable forward line. Still not convinced about the back line.

rpurfield

Not convinced by Keogan at centre half back to be honest, mind you we've struggled with that position since Enda McManus retired! That inside line is something else now.

Hammer Archer

Interview with Andy in tomorrow's Irish Times.

Obrieski

rpurfield wrote: »

Not convinced by Keogan at centre half back to be honest, mind you we've struggled with that position since Enda McManus retired! That inside line is something else now.

It's an interesting one having DK at centre half back. By all accounts, he gave a master class there against Don/Ash recently, giving Menton a torrid time of it. However, I will always feel that he's best at corner back as he is our best defender - tenacious, strong and a great reader of the game. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul in both scenarios I suppose and we sill see more after Sunday.

Harnan, Power and McEntee are all centre half back alternatives so we do have a good bit of cover here but we need to nail it down too I feel and develop some consistency around here.

I'm predicting a cagey affair, hopefully I'm wrong, but we need a big performance.

Hammer Archer

I think Keogan could actually do a good pretty much anywhere on the field. He's chipped in with quite a few scores this season as well as the vital goal against Cork. But I do agree that he's best at corner back. I can see him switching with Mickey early on, especially with the threat of Ryan Burns in Louth's full forward line.

No disrespect to Louth, but if we are in the same scoring form as we were in the last 2 games, we should win this easily.

rpurfield

Bit last minute this but whats the craic with parking near the ground, last year I parked up the Malahide Road a bit on a side road but the father is coming with me so I need to get a bit nearer, is there a school or something beside the ground?

Hammer Archer

rpurfield wrote: »

Bit last minute this but whats the craic with parking near the ground, last year I parked up the Malahide Road a bit on a side road but the father is coming with me so I need to get a bit nearer, is there a school or something beside the ground?

There are a few car parks next to PP (in the school and church I think) but you'd probably have to be there at least an hour beforehand to make sure you get a space.

mickrourke

Any tickets left?
On the way back from France so not sure if it's sold out or not.

rpurfield

Hammer Archer wrote: »

There are a few car parks next to PP (in the school and church I think) but you'd probably have to be there at least an hour beforehand to make sure you get a space.

Cheers that sounds about right now!

Hammer Archer

mickrourke wrote: »

Any tickets left?
On the way back from France so not sure if it's sold out or not.

Best bet is to check in Centra or Supervalu. I'd say there are still a fair few terrace tickets left.

enricoh

Got one in centra tonight about 9, u should be ok in the morning

Tikka391

rpurfield wrote: »

Bit last minute this but whats the craic with parking near the ground, last year I parked up the Malahide Road a bit on a side road but the father is coming with me so I need to get a bit nearer, is there a school or something beside the ground?

I park in clontarf golf club 10 min walk. Just inside gate and free.

Rock Lesnar

Unfortunately i cant make it up today, thanks to my banjaxed discs in my back, fuppin typical, anyway, i think we should win but im just a bit anxious about it, with them having a game under their belts already, its a real just get the job done no matter how game

Best of luck lads and to all heading up.

iDave

Nervous now. This will not be easy.
Jesus I'd love a convincing 70 min display where we keep them at arms lenght. A rare occurance I know.

Hammer Archer

Absolutely disgraceful penalty decision and black card. Could see the referee was dying to give a penalty.
We've missed 4 goal chances which ain't good enough. Hopefully Andy is giving them a roasting in the dressing room.