Meath GAA discussion thread

Sonny678

Meath v Wicklow are usually 4 or 5 point wins for Meath. Wicklow are always dogged opposition for Meath. Today was all about gap between div 1 and div 4. The last time Meath hammered Wicklow was in 99 and 95 Meath were in div 1. Div 1 has brought Meath on. Meath look physically bigger then I have seen in ten years. Meath are improving every 6 months under McEntee. They are still work in progress.

If the semi final is kildare that is a 50 50 game. Meath and kildare there is very little between them. Meath are a little bit ahead of development in terms of being div 1. But kildare always up their game Meath. This could be the game of the championship. But kildare have to beat Offaly. And that will be tricky. John Maughan has a great record of getting underdogs to deliver big performances. He was manager of the greatest shock in gaa history when Clare beat kerry in 92. And also over Mayo when they were underdogs v Meath in both games in 96 Mayo played well. Also last year Offaly were unlucky not to beat Meath. Offaly have a chance tonight. But you would be expecting Meath v kildare semi final. And I think if it is it it will come down to if Meaths defence can keep kildare natural young forwards quite.

Meath are strong defensively. Dublin forwards told Bernard Flynn and national journalist that best toughest defenders they have faced in last few years were Meaths defenders. Might seem strange with Dublins hammering but Meath kept Dublin to lowest first half score in championship since Donegal semi final in 2011. For 55 mins keoghan McGill lavin Harnan Gallagher were excellent defensively. The reason Meath got promoted and to super 8s was because of their defence. Meath have one great defender eg keoghan and other good natural defenders eg McGill McEntee Harnan Lavin Ryan Hickey.

Meath while relegated where very competitive in that Mayo Galway and kerry struggled to beat Meath. Mayo beat Meath by 1 point, with a goal in 70th min won the game. Galway beat by 2, 2 points scored in injury time. Marc O Se said Meath should have beaten kerry and lost by three. Meath game v Dublin was the closest any leinster team has got to Dublin in league or championship in 8 years. Meath drew with Monaghan in Clones. Meath are not beating top teams. But they have gone from going 60 mins with top teams last July in Super 8s. To going full 70 mins and losing in injury time to top teams this year. Meath had youngest team in div 1 in last two ganes with ten Meath players playing v Dublin and Monaghan ten players who were aged 21 and under.

Meath have improved since the spring they have added to a good defence

1 Meath had ten to 12 first teams players injured in everyone of their first 5 games in the spring. This meant Andy McEntee had to play panel players. Many of these players played well. And when all the injured players came back meant for the first time ever Meath have a strong bench. In super 8 last year Mayo Kerry and Donegal bench made bigger impact then Meaths. The same in the spring kerry Galway Mayos bench made a bigger impact then Meaths. Last 3 games Meath bench has made a bigger impqat then opposition.

V Dubs
Meath bench scored 0-4
Dubs bench scored 0-0
V Monaghan
Meath bench scored 0-9
Monaghan bench scored 0-1
V Wicklow
Meath bench scored 2- 2
Wicklow bench 0-0

Meath now have a bench that can make an impact

2 Another improvement since spring is midfield. For first time since 2012 2013 Meath have a midfield partnership that looks strong . Meath lost a generation of midfielders for different reasons eg Conor Gillespie, Shane O Rourke, Conor Nash, Harry Rooney. Ronan Jones is best midfielder in Meath. He was in America for last 3 years. In the spring he travelled back and forth from America every week for every game and he hadnt trained for Meath for 3 years and played gaa for 3 years. He was very rusty. He is now permantly in Ireland and was excellent in Meath club chanpionship. First time he played gaa regularly in 3 years. He was outstanding v Monaghan and again today was class. At 24 Jones with Menton who is one best scoring midfielders in the county ( scored 1 - 1 today, and was top scoring midfielder in the country in last years championship). With Menton and Jones Meath have strong ball carrying athletic midfield.

So midfield a problem area for Meath since 2013 Brian Menton has had 10 different midfield partners in 3 years. Now with Jones Meath have a proper midfield partnership

3 Meaths other area of inprovement is the forwards since the spring. We saw problems Meath had upfront in last years leinster final. This problem contd in spring but with young talented forwards Shane Walsh 19 Mattthew Costello 19 and Jordan Morris 19, These are 3 new forwards that did not play last year or much in the spring. Morris wasnt on match day panel in Spring.

2019 Meath scored 0-14 v Donegal
2019 Meath scored 1-9 v Kidare
2019 Meath scored 0-4 v Dublin
2019 Meath scored 1- 13 v Donegal
2019 Meath scored 0-14 v Mayo
2019 Meath scored 2- 13 v kerry
2020 Meath scored 1- 9 v Tyrone
2020 Meath scored 0-7 v Donegal
2020 Meath scored 2-5 v Mayo
2020 Meath scored 1- 12 v Galway
2020 Meath scored 2- 13 v Kerry
Since we came back
2020 Meath scored 0-19 v Dublin
2020 Meath scored 1- 17 v Monaghan
2020 Meath scored 7- 14 v Wicklow

Jordan Morris scored 2 v Dubs as sub, scored 0-7 v Monaghan as sub and scored 3-4 v Wicklow today
Shane Walsh scored 4 points v Dubs, scored 1 point v Monaghan and scored 0- 4 v Wicklow and scored 6 points v kerry in his debut at 18 last in super 8s g kerry were was Meaths best player.

The emergence of Morris Walsh and Costello who scored goal of the game today means Meath have inside finisher in Morris and a target man in Walsh. Its years since Meath had threatening duo upfront.

They are young very young both 19 but they have huge potential both have been on underage teams who have beaten Dublin regularly. Shane Walsh on underage teams who defeated Dublin twice at underage Jordan Morris on Meath eams who defeated Dublin 3 times at underage. Meath have not made breakthrough at under 20. But that should come in the future. But at minor ten years agp at the start of the last decade Dublin were hammering Meath at minor. Dublin players were bigger and better ten or 6 years ago. Now at minor Meath are beating Dublin year and in many cases hammering Dublin at minor. Meath footballer look in many cases bigger and better at Dublin at underage minor. Meath hammered Dublin ar minor by 11 point in leinster minor a month ago. Some said that was third victory Meath had over Dublin at minor in four years. Its a better record in that if u included Meath hammerings of Dublin by 10 points at minor in 2016 and Meaths beat Dublin twice in the inaugural minor under 17 championship in 2018 this all means Meath have beaten Dublin 6 times in 6 years at minor level in leinster. This is unprecendented.. Dublins organisation finance and professionalism at under 20 kicks in. But with huge work done at underage I think you will see a breakthrough at under 20 for Meath soon.

But these young playerw Morris Walsh Costello have won leinster underage titles and beaten Dublin regularly at underage. This means Meath 10 young players who are 21 or under 21 who played in last two league game or able to make an immediate impact at senior and have confidence I havent seen from Meath young players in years.
.
Meath forward line is much stronger then the one which misfired v Dubs last year or the one which only scored averqge 13 or 14 in the league in the spring. Meath are now scoring 19 to 20 and today 7 goals.

Meath are far from.finished if it is kildare in next game that is a derby a 50 50 game. This is the best set natural forwards I have ever seen play for kildare. Kildare always play like possesed men v Meath. If its Offaly, Offaly wouldnt fear Meath. But whatever happens this year I think in next 2 years Meath development will be worth watching. Meath have one of the youngest teams in the country and are improving every few months and there is no reason why 19 or 20 or 21 years old wouldnt improve in next year and in 2021. The league next year is pivotal Meath have to get back into div 1. Meath are not finished article there are issues with goalkeeper with 9 goalies under McEntee and our still developing and are still far from finished article. There is still mistakes and cannot beat top teams. But I defintely think in next 24 months Meaths developmet will be intereting to see can they break into top 6. Meaths aim is not to win Sam. The aim is to reach Monaghans level be top 6 7 team stay in div 1 reach super 8s yearly and close the gap with Dublin. Thats Meath aim. And kildare Cork Armagh Down are also trying to break into top 6 or 7. I think.Meath have one big advantage over Armagh ot kildare. Armagh have some exciting young forwards but are very poor at the back. Kildare also have excitibg young forwards. But also have issues at the back. Meath for years were shakey at the back.But Meath since 2018 have improved at the back. Upfront and midfield was problem last year. But with Jones at midfield and emergence of young forward talent like Morris 19 , Walsh 19, Costello 19 and Conlon 21 means Meath have improved and are improving.

rpurfield

I was relatively happy with the display yesterday. Took the forwards a while to get going but at least there's still room for improvement there. The noticeable thing is that the strength going into the tackle was massive. A good few times in the first half the ball was stripped in the tackle. I think the 10 games against good Division 1 opposition is starting to show in the squad.

vapor trails

Bookies haven't priced it up yet but I'm going to go for 8/11 Meath 15/2 Draw 11/8 Kildare..Meath -2 in the handicap. I think that's about right

Cavan_King

Serious display by Meath at the weekend putting seven goals past Wicklow. I actually thought Wicklow would give a sterner test as they'd have momentum.

The big game is this weekend now and the one worry is that your lads will be a bit undercooked after such an easy stroll in the park whereas Kildare had a tough game against Offaly.

On the other hand, it must have done wonders for confidence, particularly of the young players.

Am I right in thinking the game is on RTE News Now at 4?

rpurfield

Cavan_King wrote: »

Serious display by Meath at the weekend putting seven goals past Wicklow. I actually thought Wicklow would give a sterner test as they'd have momentum.

The big game is this weekend now and the one worry is that your lads will be a bit undercooked after such an easy stroll in the park whereas Kildare had a tough game against Offaly.

On the other hand, it must have done wonders for confidence, particularly of the young players.

Am I right in thinking the game is on RTE News Now at 4?

Its on at 1 not 4 but it is on the News Channel. Dublin Laois on after it at half three

Hammer Archer

So are we expecting any changes to the team for tomorrow? Think I'd be slightly more confident with Colgan in goals. Apart from that, I think the rest will line up as last week.
I think if we minimise the errors from kickouts we'll have enough to win. Would like us to have another crack at Dublin to see where we are.

rpurfield

Hammer Archer wrote: »

So are we expecting any changes to the team for tomorrow? Think I'd be slightly more confident with Colgan in goals. Apart from that, I think the rest will line up as last week.
I think if we minimise the errors from kickouts we'll have enough to win. Would like us to have another crack at Dublin to see where we are.

Named in the last while. As per last week, the question is now is will it start as the 1-15

Sonny678

Hammer Archer wrote: »

So are we expecting any changes to the team for tomorrow? Think I'd be slightly more confident with Colgan in goals. Apart from that, I think the rest will line up as last week.
I think if we minimise the errors from kickouts we'll have enough to win. Would like us to have another crack at Dublin to see where we are.

Colgan should start. He had a dead leg last week. He has a better kickout then Brennan. Feehily is one of best fielders in the game and caused us big problems in 2017. Jones is 23 now and much better player.
I think Colgan will start. Costello might be the player that doesnt start. Hickey could start. Both have played well recently but Hickey is a better defender. Harnan is not named on bench but he was fit and available last week I think he will replace Eamon Wallace on the bench and could come on in last 10 or 15 mins. He went to school in kildare so he knows all about rivalry and is one of our best defenders. James McEntee is out for the year with broken hand. Big loss but seems like we are playing 7 defenders with S McEntee as sweeper. I think playing with 7 defenders idea is good idea

2 Lavin 3 McGill 4 Toner
12 McEntee
5 Keoghan 6 Ryan 7 Costello ?/Hickey

Our full back line need a big game there threat comes from D Flynn Kirwan Hyland. Keep them quite and Feehily quite also and and if we start well abd play like we did v Monaghan Dublin and kerry after 15 mins we have a great chance. Its a local derby look at Cavan v Monaghan and Cork v kery local derbys where form went out window. I think Shane Walsh could have huge game tomorrow hes a big game players 4 points v Dubs 6 points v kerry unmarkable in county semi final. I think Dan Flynn could have big game. He played well in 2017.

vapor trails

I thought Thomas Reilly was most under threat for his position but appears to have survived. The one area I am worried about tomorrow is off the ground. Both kick-outs and free's at goal remain an issue for us. Costello stepped up to take the first one last week and hooked it badly. I'd like to give him a go again because last week's pitch was **** and shooting from the ground with better underfoot conditions at Croker might yield better results. Kildare is the perfect barometer test for this team. We are hoping we have improved for our D1 & super 8 participations, but a loss tomorrow will essentially render those experiences fruitless. We range roughly between 11-7 in the overall rankings of teams. A win tomorrow and we are firmly a top 8 team. I have no doubt we'd beat the likes of Armagh and Monaghan (two D1 teams) but the likes of a Cork and Kildare are unknowns for us. Andy McEntee has been playing about par for the course so far. I think a loss tomorrow and you'd be wondering is there much more we can get out of him as a coach? I'm I being a bit harsh?

Hammer Archer

Colgan would be an option off the ground for long range frees. He's generally quite good for Ashbourne.

https://twitter.com/bernardflynn15/status/1327641759648800768?s=19

GG discharged from hospital!

Sonny678

vapor trails wrote: »

I thought Thomas Reilly was most under threat for his position but appears to have survived. The one area I am worried about tomorrow is off the ground. Both kick-outs and free's at goal remain an issue for us. Costello stepped up to take the first one last week and hooked it badly. I'd like to give him a go again because last week's pitch was **** and shooting from the ground with better underfoot conditions at Croker might yield better results. Kildare is the perfect barometer test for this team. We are hoping we have improved for our D1 & super 8 participations, but a loss tomorrow will essentially render those experiences fruitless. We range roughly between 11-7 in the overall rankings of teams. A win tomorrow and we are firmly a top 8 team. I have no doubt we'd beat the likes of Armagh and Monaghan (two D1 teams) but the likes of a Cork and Kildare are unknowns for us. Andy McEntee has been playing about par for the course so far. I think a loss tomorrow and you'd be wondering is there much more we can get out of him as a coach? I'm I being a bit harsh?

Very harsh. Tomorrow is a derby. 50 50 game. Kildare always up their game v us. Look at Cavan v Monaghan Cork v Kerry local derbys form goes out window. If we lose tomorrow the league begins March. Not that long to wait. Give him 2 more years. He has done a good job. At the moment there is no one with cv to take over in the county. Other then Malacky O Rourke there is no credible options.

Yes McEntee made mess of goalie situation. But under McEntee we reached div 1 first time in 13 years, 8 team div 1 first time in 20 years. First leinster final in 5 years. Reached Q finsl stage first time in 9 years. In the league a few weeks we got to closest to Dublin any team in leinster has got in league and championship in 8 years. Top teams Mayo Galway Dublin kerry Monaghan struggled to beat us and we had 10 to 12 first team players missing v kerry Galway Mayo and 9 missing Dublin. We are not beating top teams but we are going in right direction.

Under McEntee our defence has improved greatly. We where shakey at back since Boylan. Our bench and panel depth has improved greatly strongest depth I have ever seen on a Meath panel . McEntee inttoduced new coachs Nally and Ronan who have done very well. We are now ball carrying possesion hard running team. First time ever we starting to adapt to modern game possseion football. Our strenght and conditioning has improved under McEntee. For years Dublin and Ulster team were bullying us on the field in physical stakes. Losing ball in tackle. V Wicklow we blew them off the field physically. V Dubs in league we were match physically for them. First time since 09 10 I felt we able for Dublin physically. Our draw v Monaghan was first result v top Ulster team in 13 years ( Tyrone 07). And for me was first time in 13 years we were physically able for a Ulster team. We broke tackles and won tackles. We lost to Ulster team in champs in 02 Donegal, 03 04 Fermanagh, Cavan 05, 13 15 18 Tyrone, Armagh 14, Derry 16, Donegal 17 19. So its good to see at long last we can get result v top Ulster team. He has improved fitness with Coughlan. No more second half collaspes. And he has introduced a new generation of young Meath footballers who he seems to be getting best out of eg Costello Hickey Conlon Devine Harkin Walsh and Morris. And he has improved playere like Seamus Lavin, Ronan Ryan, Thomas Reilly, Ronan Jones.

We are improving year on year even every few months under McEntee. We were scoring average 12 or 13 points v top teams in spring. In autumn we scored 1- 17 v Mon and 0- 19 v Dubs and 7 - 14 v Wicklow.
Our bench was poor last year and in spring but our bench outscored Dublin Monaghan and Wicklow recently.
Yes we didnt stay in div 1 and yet to beat top team. But we have made huge progress under McEntee in so many areas to let McEntee go would be height of stupidity and madness. We have done this before. After Sean Boylan left we had 6 managers in 7 years. We ended up in div 3.

Give McEntee two more year and then we see where we stand. And hope a young Meath manager gets underage team to minor or under 20 All Ireland final or wins one or Meath manager gets Meath club to senior All Ireland club final. Thats bascally what a div 1 manager is. Keane won 3 minors All Irelands, Farrell won minor under 21 All Ireland, Bonner brought Donegal minors to final and was ex senior manager, Horan brought Mayo to 2 All Ireland finals and 4 Connacht before he took job. Harte won ninor and under 21 All.Irelands . Thats a div 1 managers cv before he got job. MCentee has div 1 managers CV before he got job with Meath minors in final and Ballyboden win title. While other like Banty have huge inter county experirence. The only people in Meath with inter county experience or Coyle Monaghan Hayes Carlow and kelly Offaly for 1 year. We basically have no credible candidates to replace him hopefully they appear soon.
But at the moment he doing a good job improving us. Lets see what he can do in 2021 2022 then make a decision.
Whatever happens tomorrow give him 2 years this year was a mess. It does take time the 3 most sucessful managers ever in leinster outside Dublin it took McGee 4 years to make breakthrough Boylan 4 years and Dwyer 5 years to make breakthrough.

Cavan_King

vapor trails wrote: »

Kildare is the perfect barometer test for this team. We are hoping we have improved for our D1 & super 8 participations, but a loss tomorrow will essentially render those experiences fruitless. We range roughly between 11-7 in the overall rankings of teams. A win tomorrow and we are firmly a top 8 team. I have no doubt we'd beat the likes of Armagh and Monaghan (two D1 teams) but the likes of a Cork and Kildare are unknowns for us. Andy McEntee has been playing about par for the course so far. I think a loss tomorrow and you'd be wondering is there much more we can get out of him as a coach? I'm I being a bit harsh?

I was going to bite my lip but I’ll comment - you are aware there’s a ranking on this page and Meath are currently number 13? Also, you have no doubt Meath would beat the likes of Monaghan but they couldn’t beat them two weeks ago!? Whilst I think they are on the slide, Monaghan are in Division 1 a number of years now. Meath didn’t win one game in it this year. The super 8s was reached last year on the back of playing Offaly, Carlow, Laois & Clare. Has there been an easier run to the last 8!?

I think the past two weeks have shown that there’s the top six - Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Donegal, Tyrone & Kerry - and the chasing pack are very far off them. I’d see Roscommon as the best of the pretenders and Mayo made light work of them. Donegal did likewise to Armagh today. Kerry, well, so think they know they got that one totally wrong themselves.

I’ve watched a lot of Division 1 and 2 the last few years going to Meath and Cavan games (and, unfortunately, before someone gets the dig in, I’ll be watching Division 3 next year!) and there’s very little between most of the next batch of teams after that top six.

FWIW re tomorrow, I think Kildare have better individual footballers but it’s to be seen if Jack O’Connor can get them to play like a team. You also can’t underestimate Meath’s sheer determination and willingness to win games that they really should lose. There’s also the factor of it being a derby which throws form out the window.

Meath are definitely improving but I’d be holding off on labelling them a top eight team until you see how next year’s Division 2 campaign goes. I can’t see Meath being promoted ahead of Cork or Mayo but, as I said previously, an awful lot depends on what home games you get.

And things can change quickly. In 2018 promotion came down to Cavan vs Tipp in Breffni. Cavan won and went to Division 1. Just 2 seasons later, both teams will be in Division 3 for 2021.

Sonny678

Cavan_King wrote: »

I was going to bite my lip but I’ll comment - you are aware there’s a ranking on this page and Meath are currently number 13? Also, you have no doubt Meath would beat the likes of Monaghan but they couldn’t beat them two weeks ago!? Whilst I think they are on the slide, Monaghan are in Division 1 a number of years now. Meath didn’t win one game in it this year. The super 8s was reached last year on the back of playing Offaly, Carlow, Laois & Clare. Has there been an easier run to the last 8!?

I think the past two weeks have shown that there’s the top six - Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Donegal, Tyrone & Kerry - and the chasing pack are very far off them. I’d see Roscommon as the best of the pretenders and Mayo made light work of them. Donegal did likewise to Armagh today. Kerry, well, so think they know they got that one totally wrong themselves.

I’ve watched a lot of Division 1 and 2 the last few years going to Meath and Cavan games (and, unfortunately, before someone gets the dig in, I’ll be watching Division 3 next year!) and there’s very little between most of the next batch of teams after that top six.

FWIW re tomorrow, I think Kildare have better individual footballers but it’s to be seen if Jack O’Connor can get them to play like a team. You also can’t underestimate Meath’s sheer determination and willingness to win games that they really should lose. There’s also the factor of it being a derby which throws form out the window.

Meath are definitely improving but I’d be holding off on labelling them a top eight team until you see how next year’s Division 2 campaign goes. I can’t see Meath being promoted ahead of Cork or Mayo but, as I said previously, an awful lot depends on what home games you get.

No mention that Dublin struggled to beat Meath, so did Mayo so did kerry , so did Galway so did Mayo so did Monghan. Thats this year. Meath are improving.

Last year , this is a new team. The team to start v kildare tomorrow has 9 changes to team that played v kildare in league last year. Team that started v Kildare tomorrow has 7 changes to the team that started in last years leinster final. Meath had 6 debutants v Wicklow and 5 them are very young v Wicklow wg David Toner, Eoin Harkin, Cathal Hickey, Matthew Costello, Jason Scully, Jordan Morris.

You are also not taking into account these young players who have won leinster minors and have beating Dublin regularly at underage. Meath had the youngest team in div 1 in last 3 games. Your ignoring Meath are one of the young teams in the country and are improving can only get better. Meath have 3 ninetreen year olds starting tomorrow.

Eoin Harkin 20
Cathal Hickey 19
Shane Walsh 19
Jordan Morris 19
Matthrw Costello 19
Ethan Devine 21
Dara Campion 21
Jason Scully 21
James Conlon 21

While Ryan is 23 and Jones 23 also. While McEntees lavin Sullivan Harnan are 25 26 they are peaking. With so many young players Meath can only better.

Meath have better defenders then kildare. Dubs said toughest best defenders they played in recent years were Meath. Lavin McGill Gallaghrer keogham were excelebt v Dubs kept them to the lowest score in first half in championship in 9 years. The problem.was upfront. But emergence of Morris Costello and Walsh means Meath are better upfront now.

Keoghan McGill Ryan Harnan Lavin are good defenders. Jones looks a quality midfielder. New young exciting talent eg Morris and Walsh. You said kildare have better individual talent. Meath 6 defenders are better then kildares. Ask any kildare supporter they will tell you kildaee are shaky at the back. They dont have McGill or keoghan. Feehily one best midfielders out there but Menton and Jones are turning into quality scoring ball carrying midfield. Kildare might have better natural forwards but they havent really played in 2 years. And Meath finding Morris Walsh Costello J Conlon young forward talent Meath are improving upfront thats why they scored 0-19 v Dubs and 7-14 v Wicklow. Other young forward talents like Luke Mitchell, Aaaron Lynch , Eoghan Frayne to come through next year and year after. Meath are improving and very young team with potential.
Kildare are also young team and and are improving. But Meaths div 1 experience should help.

But this is a 50 50 game. Why? its a derby and kildare like Cavan are the two counties that hate Meath most. Kildsre always play like possesed men v Meath even when Meath were winning All Irelands and kildare were in div 2 or 3. Kildare love playing Meath they really hate us and I expect them to throw kitchen sink they always up their game v Meath . Its 50 50 game. But overall in next 2 years will tell us everything. Meath are improving that is obvious.

Meath are improving. Im not saying we are div 1 team. In not saying we are top 8 tean. I am saying we are imoroving and going in the right direction. Take Armagh very hyped. But McGeeney is an issue 15 years manager 1 provicial final. And defensively dreadful. The game v Donegal today was over after 30 miins. Meath played 3 times last year v Doneg. Dominated game til 63rd min and lost by freak goal in Ballbofey. They blew Donegal away in first half in league final and lost by 2. And up to 60 min were best team in supers 8 v Donegal. Struggled v Donegal in league but 12 first team players missing. Would Armagh go toe to toe with Dublin Kerry Galway Mayo. Meath didnt beat top teams.

But witth 10 to 12 first team players missing Meath were 2 up v Mayo at 70 min. Marc O Se said Meath were better team v kerry and should have won. Kerry won in injury time. At times v Gakway Meath were much betteer team. Galway won by 2 points in 71st 74 min. Meath drew with Monghan. And what about Dublin. After 15 min Meath went toe to toe with Dublin with 9 first team players and missed 3 clear goal chances. The top teams are atruggling to beat Meath. Meath are not top 6 or 7 team. But they are knocking on the door. And have much better chance then Armagh. Cork Kildare Cavan Meath Armagh are all knocking at the door. We will see in next 2 years how all will do. But Meath are going in right direction and improving.

Dickie10

there is a top 5 maybe dublin,kerry ,donegal, mayo and tyrone. galway i think are off that along with monaghon, then from 7-16 very little between a lot of teams, Meath,kildare, cork,down,derry,cavan,armagh, fermanagh, tipp,clare,westmeath i wouldnt like to predict any of those teams playing each other. thats probabaly why you cant have strict teams either in or out of sam championship , i think all 32 teams into 8 groups of 4 , no seeding, top 2 into sam play offs, bottom 2 into paidi oshea play offs, straight knockout then from round of 16 down to two finnals. still play provincial championships maybe in may week after week if needed to be kept. this system everyone gets a shot at sam

Sonny678

Its 50 50 game today. Hard to call. But kildare do have a dreadful record in Croke Park in modern times

1 Kildare havent won championship match in Croke Park in 7 years since they defeated Offaly in 2013 leinster championship

2 kildare havent won leinster semi final in Croke Park in 17 years since 2003. They have only being in 2 leinster finals in that period eg 2017 2009. They won both semi finals in Tullamore in 2017 2009. Meath have won 5 leinster semi finals in Croke Park in last ten years.

3 Kildare have won 3 championship matchs in Croke Park in 15 years eg v Offaly 2013, Meath 2011, Meath 2010. Have lost to Offaly Westmeath and Wicklow in Croker in that time.

It is very hard game to call. But kildares record in Croke Park in over decade is very poor.

vapor trails

Cavan_King wrote: »

I was going to bite my lip but I’ll comment - you are aware there’s a ranking on this page and Meath are currently number 13? Also, you have no doubt Meath would beat the likes of Monaghan but they couldn’t beat them two weeks ago!? Whilst I think they are on the slide, Monaghan are in Division 1 a number of years now. Meath didn’t win one game in it this year. The super 8s was reached last year on the back of playing Offaly, Carlow, Laois & Clare. Has there been an easier run to the last 8!?

I think the past two weeks have shown that there’s the top six - Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Donegal, Tyrone & Kerry - and the chasing pack are very far off them. I’d see Roscommon as the best of the pretenders and Mayo made light work of them. Donegal did likewise to Armagh today. Kerry, well, so think they know they got that one totally wrong themselves.

I’ve watched a lot of Division 1 and 2 the last few years going to Meath and Cavan games (and, unfortunately, before someone gets the dig in, I’ll be watching Division 3 next year!) and there’s very little between most of the next batch of teams after that top six.

FWIW re tomorrow, I think Kildare have better individual footballers but it’s to be seen if Jack O’Connor can get them to play like a team. You also can’t underestimate Meath’s sheer determination and willingness to win games that they really should lose. There’s also the factor of it being a derby which throws form out the window.

Meath are definitely improving but I’d be holding off on labelling them a top eight team until you see how next year’s Division 2 campaign goes. I can’t see Meath being promoted ahead of Cork or Mayo but, as I said previously, an awful lot depends on what home games you get.

And things can change quickly. In 2018 promotion came down to Cavan vs Tipp in Breffni. Cavan won and went to Division 1. Just 2 seasons later, both teams will be in Division 3 for 2021.

If you go back and read my comment you'll see that I actually placed Meath in the range of 11-7 depending on today's outcome. I'd stand by that range. Cavan for instance in the betting for the All Ireland is around 250/1 and that's been in a province without the odds on favorites. Meath is about a third of this price and shorter than the likes of Kildare & Down in the list. Each of these teams are higher up the Boards rankings. We were a division 1 team and a super 8 team from last year. So labeling Meath 11-7 seems perfectly fine and within range.

Cavan_King

Camera on this coverage is desperate. Too far out.

Hammer Archer

We are so poor in defence so far.

enricoh

Hammer Archer wrote: »

We are so poor in defence so far.

Lavin is at sea on his man from the throw in.

vapor trails

Poor first half by us and that's with us being very efficient with our scoring too. It's not as if we've left a lot out there. Ronan Jones needs to get into it more. I'm not overly convinced either that the wind was the determining factor there with Kildare's 6 pts lead. Worrying

Hammer Archer

Wind has nothing to do with it. We were 4 apiece with less than 10 to go and just stopped playing. When Kildare get the ball within 30m of the goal, we just seem to stand off them and allow them room to shoot.
It seems like we just thought that we had to show up to win.

Think it's game over already. Kildare are getting through us far too easily.

pipelaser

enricoh wrote: »

Lavin is at sea on his man from the throw in.

Hard to know if he should be changed off him. Hopefully the wind speed against the ball will give Lavin that extra half second to try to get level with him in the second half.

Our normal game breakers, McMahon, O'Sullivan, Jones and Mention just not sifting through. Too many big men tracking back and forcing the our smaller attackers into errors.

Would love to see Keoghan grab it by the scruff of the neck and drive forward to create goals. We will need them.

awaywithyou

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Wind has nothing to do with it. We were 4 apiece with less than 10 to go and just stopped playing. When Kildare get the ball within 30m of the goal, we just seem to stand off them and allow them room to shoot.
It seems like we just thought that we had to show up to win.

Think it's game over already. Kildare are getting through us far too easily.

I would very much doubt its game over... Meath were doing fine for 25mins.. lost concentration for last 10.. half time has come at a good time for management to reorganise.. i expect a completely different Meath in second half... Kildare being Kildare will not keep scoring at same rate as they have in 1st half

Hammer Archer

awaywithyou wrote: »

I would very much doubt its game over... Meath were doing fine for 25mins.. lost concentration for last 10.. half time has come at a good time for management to reorganise.. i expect a completely different Meath in second half... Kildare being Kildare will not keep scoring at same rate as they have in 1st half

What do I know? :pac:

Hammer Archer

Goals aside, we've still been awful this half.

awaywithyou

Game has planned out exactly as I knew it would

Obrieski

Good to win but that attitude, performance and tactics wouldn’t get us within 15 points of Dublin. Can’t allow them to play out the field as easily as we let Kildare today. Still though, good to win.

The Golden Miller

Good to get the win, but Meath poor. On another day, Kildare would of comfortably ran up about 25 points, Meath would have struggled to get 10. They still got more scores, despite losing their way 20 minutes before the end, and kicked far more wide's.

Goals changed it obviously. Kildare lost shape, we grew in confidence. Wouldn't of happened on another day. So concerning for Meath how poor we were at times. Blunt and lethargic, but kept plucking away in fairness.

Thought we could run Dublin close this year, but dunno now. Going to have to raise it massively. We won, but it was more a case of Kildare shooting themselves in the foot

pipelaser

Is it just me or is Cillian O'Sullivan the most infuriating player ever to watch in living memory? I dont know how he manages it, but he is almost equally bad as he is excellent.
Maybe David Beggy comes close!

The Golden Miller

We try and play some very poor mans version of how the northern teams play, at a far slower pace and with far less organisation. Always seems like there is very little leadership, heart or guile in the team.