Meath GAA discussion thread

vapor trails

I want to see a decent turn out Meath supporters at this game. Thought the Dublin attendance was reasonable but i've got a feeling its gonna be scaled right back for the last round of the qualifiers. If we get right behind i think we could be semi final material because i wouldn't be overly afraid of Kerry / Mayo as potential 1/4 final pairings especially against Mayo with us carrying underdog status.

Still thing we are bit weak in the half back division. But i get the sense we could get back to being a top 4/5 county in the next couple of years were we belong.

Lemlin

vapor trails wrote: »

I want to see a decent turn out Meath supporters at this game. Thought the Dublin attendance was reasonable but i've got a feeling its gonna be scaled right back for the last round of the qualifiers. If we get right behind i think we could be semi final material because i wouldn't be overly afraid of Kerry / Mayo as potential 1/4 final pairings especially against Mayo with us carrying underdog status.

Still thing we are bit weak in the half back division. But i get the sense we could get back to being a top 4/5 county in the next couple of years were we belong.

I think Meath are well below Mayo/Kerry. You have 12 good players I'd say. Burke and Carroll were weak the last day for example. Others like Meade or Bray can be hit and miss.

Then you've no bench. That's what will kill ye against the likes of the top six. They all have good benches.

I think Meath are still below the level of even those next to the top six like Kildare, Derry and Down. Teams like Monaghan or my own county Cavan wouldn't fear ye either after the league.

davegrohl48

vapor trails wrote: »

I want to see a decent turn out Meath supporters at this game. Thought the Dublin attendance was reasonable but i've got a feeling its gonna be scaled right back for the last round of the qualifiers. If we get right behind i think we could be semi final material because i wouldn't be overly afraid of Kerry / Mayo as potential 1/4 final pairings especially against Mayo with us carrying underdog status.

Still thing we are bit weak in the half back division. But i get the sense we could get back to being a top 4/5 county in the next couple of years were we belong.

Might take something radical like Stephen Bray back to centre back, he has good drive when in posession and I think he'd make a fist of it. It's crazy the disparity in talent over the last 5 years between Meaths forwards and their backs. Usually in most counties it is the other way around with teams struggling to have quality forwards. I don't think Mickey Bourke or Caoimhin King are the solution at centre back. It needs someone with composure who can setup attacking play.
We forget how dominant Meath were briefly in their full forward line when Shane O'Rourke was fit. They abandoned a long ball strategy against Kildare a few years ago and threw away the game as their half backs tried to play too much out with the ball when the route one was delivering results. Imagine facing a forward line of Shane O'Rourke/Big Joe and Wallace playing off those two as free roving forward. Pretty hard to close them down. Then you have Reilly playing all star stuff out in the half forward line.
We've had limited opportunity to judge it but I think the full backs of the country breath a sigh of relief when they see Joe Sheridan on the bench. When you combine big men with sprinter pace (Wallace) you are creating a platform to create goals/penalties/frees as the opposition full backline even with sweeper coverage comes under pressure. I could only see Donegals McGee brothers being equipped to contain this. No other full backline has the size or aggression.
I'd like to see Meath play next season with a mixup of a running type game and route one long ball into big men inside. But they will be fascinating team to watch develop.

risteard7

Lemlin wrote: »

I think Meath are well below Mayo/Kerry. You have 12 good players I'd say. Burke and Carroll were weak the last day for example. Others like Meade or Bray can be hit and miss.

Then you've no bench. That's what will kill ye against the likes of the top six. They all have good benches.

I think Meath are still below the level of even those next to the top six like Kildare, Derry and Down. Teams like Monaghan or my own county Cavan wouldn't fear ye either after the league.

Meath were never a good league team. We are a championship team. people talk about league form all the time. People were ranting and raving about westmeath during the league and where are they now? I would nearly be worried if meath did well in the league.

What happened in Navan in the league against cavan would never happen in the championship.

Lemlin

risteard7 wrote: »

Meath were never a good league team. We are a championship team. people talk about league form all the time. People were ranting and raving about westmeath during the league and where are they now? I would nearly be worried if meath did well in the league.

What happened in Navan in the league against cavan would never happen in the championship.

But yas aren't setting the world alight in championship either.

If the Meath lads can't get themselves psyched up for a game against a huge local rival like Cavan, even in a league game, then it's a problem.

Regardless of that game, I've attended plenty of Meath games over the last few years and consistency is a huge issue.

I know very few who ranted about Westmeath during the league. I always see them as a poor team. The reason I've heard consistently from people is they started training early and were very fit for the early stages of the league.

Lemlin

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Might take something radical like Stephen Bray back to centre back, he has good drive when in posession and I think he'd make a fist of it. It's crazy the disparity in talent over the last 5 years between Meaths forwards and their backs. Usually in most counties it is the other way around with teams struggling to have quality forwards. I don't think Mickey Bourke or Caoimhin King are the solution at centre back. It needs someone with composure who can setup attacking play.
We forget how dominant Meath were briefly in their full forward line when Shane O'Rourke was fit. They abandoned a long ball strategy against Kildare a few years ago and threw away the game as their half backs tried to play too much out with the ball when the route one was delivering results. Imagine facing a forward line of Shane O'Rourke/Big Joe and Wallace playing off those two as free roving forward. Pretty hard to close them down. Then you have Reilly playing all star stuff out in the half forward line.
We've had limited opportunity to judge it but I think the full backs of the country breath a sigh of relief when they see Joe Sheridan on the bench. When you combine big men with sprinter pace (Wallace) you are creating a platform to create goals/penalties/frees as the opposition full backline even with sweeper coverage comes under pressure. I could only see Donegals McGee brothers being equipped to contain this. No other full backline has the size or aggression.
I'd like to see Meath play next season with a mixup of a running type game and route one long ball into big men inside. But they will be fascinating team to watch develop.

Big Joe would have to wind the clock back 3 years to put fear into opposition. Now he just looks unfit and balloons the ball wide from impossible angles.

Your fearful forward line actually ignores the lad I would see as Meath's best prospect in years: Mickey Newman.

Now there's a talent.

whatnext

risteard7 wrote: »

Meath were never a good league team. We are a championship team. people talk about league form all the time. People were ranting and raving about westmeath during the league and where are they now? I would nearly be worried if meath did well in the league.

What happened in Navan in the league against cavan would never happen in the championship.

Only Kerry, Mayo, Dublin and Cork have a better league history.
7 (8.6%)titles and runner up 9 times (that's winner or runner up 20% of the time).

The League and All-Ireland double has been done 21 times. ie. 1 in 4 league winners go on to win the All Ireland

Lemlin

whatnext wrote: »

Only Kerry, Mayo, Dublin and Cork have a better league history.
7 (8.6%)titles and runner up 9 times (that's winner or runner up 20% of the time).

The League and All-Ireland double has been done 21 times. ie. 1 in 4 league winners go on to win the All Ireland

I have to admit I laugh when people from counties trod out lines like that given above.

I've listened to people say for years in my own county that Cavan aren't a qualifiers team. Well we'd no hope in hell of winning Ulster so what else were we meant to be!?

RoyalCelt

Lads if they open the Hill would you fancy getting a big gang of us behind the goal and cheering the royals on? Belt out a few more versus of COYBIG!

Royal Legend

Lemlin wrote: »

But yas aren't setting the world alight in championship either.

If the Meath lads can't get themselves psyched up for a game against a huge local rival like Cavan, even in a league game, then it's a problem.

Regardless of that game, I've attended plenty of Meath games over the last few years and consistency is a huge issue.

I know very few who ranted about Westmeath during the league. I always see them as a poor team. The reason I've heard consistently from people is they started training early and were very fit for the early stages of the league.

I would not agree Lemlin, its a local rivalry for us North Meath people, not for the rest of the county. And I would agree with earlier sentiments, we were always a championship team, league has always been secondary.

It now looks like we have a decent management team in place that is re-invigorating the old Meath spirit, which has been missing for a few years.

I would agree with you Lemlin though as regards competing against the likes of Mayo, similar to the Dubs, they have 3/4 years on us in their conditioning and physicality, but give us a couple of years I think then we can start competing again at their level. (I fancy Mayo to win the AI this year)

As regards centre back, this has been a problem for years. Back in the late nighties early noughties, the clamour was for either Giles or Geraghty to fill the number 6 spot, it never happened, which to my mind was a pity as I think either would have been a brilliant CB. As regards Bray at CB, I don't think he has the physicality either for the position

Lemlin

Royal Legend wrote: »

I would not agree Lemlin, its a local rivalry for us North Meath people, not for the rest of the county. And I would agree with earlier sentiments, we were always a championship team, league has always been secondary.

It now looks like we have a decent management team in place that is re-invigorating the old Meath spirit, which has been missing for a few years.

I would agree with you Lemlin though as regards competing against the likes of Mayo, similar to the Dubs, they have 3/4 years on us in their conditioning and physicality, but give us a couple of years I think then we can start competing again at their level. (I fancy Mayo to win the AI this year)

As regards centre back, this has been a problem for years. Back in the late nighties early noughties, the clamour was for either Giles or Geraghty to fill the number 6 spot, it never happened, which to my mind was a pity as I think either would have been a brilliant CB. As regards Bray at CB, I don't think he has the physicality either for the position

I'd have to disagree with your point re only a North Meath rivalry. I've worked in Navan and have alot of friends and family in the Dunboyne and Clonee areas. The rivalry is just as contentious up there as it is in North Meath areas like Oldcastle and Kells. I actually pointed that out on this thread before.

I also think the whole "Meath not a league team" is a null point as I pointed out above. I realise Donegal were relegated this year but I bet they'll be bouncing straight back up. The top teams in the country have shown that you have to be operating in Division 1 if you want to compete with the best. So, even if your argument is correct, Meath will need to change themselves into a league team if they want this side to progress.

The team isn't going to grow and learn from playing Galway and Armagh. They need to be competing against Dublin, Tyrone, Cork, Kerry and that ilk.

Royal Legend

Lemlin wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with your point re only a North Meath rivalry. I've worked in Navan and have alot of friends and family in the Dunboyne and Clonee areas. The rivalry is just as contentious up there as it is in North Meath areas like Oldcastle and Kells. I actually pointed that out on this thread before.

I also think the whole "Meath not a league team" is a null point as I pointed out above. I realise Donegal were relegated this year but I bet they'll be bouncing straight back up. The top teams in the country have shown that you have to be operating in Division 1 if you want to compete with the best. So, even if your argument is correct, Meath will need to change themselves into a league team if they want this side to progress.

The team isn't going to grow and learn from playing Galway and Armagh. They need to be competing against Dublin, Tyrone, Cork, Kerry and that ilk.

Agreed.

On the rivalry note, it is sour around our area, I doubt if it as sour in South Meath

iDave

Dublin are our primary rivals. All other concerns are secondary.

Royal Legend

iDave wrote: »

Dublin are our primary rivals. All other concerns are secondary.

That's because they actually rival us when it matters, in the Championship.
Cavan is a historical enemy from the last century. :pac:

Lemlin

Royal Legend wrote: »

That's because they actually rival us when it matters, in the Championship.
Cavan is a historical enemy from the last century. :pac:

Or the last decade like 2005 and Sean Boylan's last game in charge

Hammer Archer

Sorry Lemlin, I live in Ratoath and went to school in Dunboyne and I can't say I know any Meath fan from the area (including Clonee, Dunshaughlin and Ashbourne) who would consider Cavan to be big rivals. For everyone I've met, it's Dublin, then Kildare, followed by Louth.

iDave

I'm from Trim and Cavan just doesnt register on our radar.

Royal Legend

iDave wrote: »

I'm from Trim and Cavan just doesnt register on our radar.

Its just me and you Lemlin

Hibbeler

I'm from North Meath as well but where I am we're far more interested in Louth than Cavan I'm afraid, though still would not be happy losing to them at all.

When was the last time before '05 that Meath played Cavan in the championship? I know we haven't played since. You need to be playing and competing more often in the championship for there to be a proper rivalry.

paul71

I am Meath/Kildare border with half my family on Meath/Louth border, in both of those areas the Cavan rivalry is not even given a second thought. Everyones main concern is Dublin, and their second rivalry is based on where you are be it Kildare, Louth, Cavan or Westmeath border. The Cavan thing is confined to Oldcastle/Kells/Nobber and people in their 70s or 80s who remember the clashes of the 1950s, no-one else cares.

snowgal

Yea I'd be in agreement with others here, maybe yonks ago there was a rivalry between them but not now. I haven't experienced it at all. On another note I emailed croke park and they confirmed hill will not be open for this game, only lower stands. Not happy

Lemlin

Hibbeler wrote: »

I'm from North Meath as well but where I am we're far more interested in Louth than Cavan I'm afraid, though still would not be happy losing to them at all.

When was the last time before '05 that Meath played Cavan in the championship? I know we haven't played since. You need to be playing and competing more often in the championship for there to be a proper rivalry.

You must live under a rock in North Meath so! Do I need to bring up the Kells stone throwing in '97 again!?

Nah lads, there's no rivalry there at all

Hibbeler

Lemlin wrote: »

You must live under a rock in North Meath so! Do I need to bring up the Kells stone throwing in '97 again!?

Nah lads, there's no rivalry there at all

It's not that I don't care about Cavan at all but Cavan have played Meath in the championship once in my entire lifetime and godknows how long it was until the previous meeting before that. I'm on the Meath/Louth border and that rivalry just matters more at the moment, I'm pretty sure the worst feeling I've ever had at a Meath match was loosing to Louth in the league a couple of years ago. Was sick to the pit of my stomach.

The whole Meath-Cavan rivalry thing is lost on most Meath people as meetings between them have been virtually non-existent over the last 50 odd years. While I like getting one over all of our esteemed neighbors Cavan just haven't been around lately for us to worry about them!

Well done beating us in the league this year Lemlin but if we ever face again come championship time I have every faith the Royals will give us North Meath folk something to cheer about!

tbh this whole debate is a bit silly, come back to me when Cavan are the force they once were.....or barring that they actually drawn to play against each other in the championship

RoyalCelt

Lemlin wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with your point re only a North Meath rivalry. I've worked in Navan and have alot of friends and family in the Dunboyne and Clonee areas. The rivalry is just as contentious up there as it is in North Meath areas like Oldcastle and Kells. I actually pointed that out on this thread before.

I also think the whole "Meath not a league team" is a null point as I pointed out above. I realise Donegal were relegated this year but I bet they'll be bouncing straight back up. The top teams in the country have shown that you have to be operating in Division 1 if you want to compete with the best. So, even if your argument is correct, Meath will need to change themselves into a league team if they want this side to progress.

The team isn't going to grow and learn from playing Galway and Armagh. They need to be competing against Dublin, Tyrone, Cork, Kerry and that ilk.

I'm 23 and from Meath. Neither me or any of my friends have ever considered Cavan a rival. Maybe if we both challenged for all irelands again and played eachother in the all irelands regularly then we might become rivals. However we're not and that league match was typical meath in the league. we get hammered every year by some team or other. only team we'd raise ourselves for in the league would be dublin.

RoyalCelt

Lemlin wrote: »

Or the last decade like 2005 and Sean Boylan's last game in charge

to be honest i'd forgotten about that game until you said it. i will never forget any meath/dublin/louth/kildare games however.

Lemlin

Point taken so. I stand corrected.

I guess it's just the savages of Kells on their own.

Anyway, back to the weekend action. Ye lads will have to keep a close eye on tomorrow night. I can't see ye beating either team tbh.

Al_Coholic

i dont feel kildare are a big rival of meath...thats because i am living in the north meath area...cavan would be deemed a bigger rival here purely on geographical reasons

paul71

Tyrone always choke against us, now history does not always repeat itself but it would be an even contest.

Kildare were disposed of by Meath quite easily last year and since then appear to have gone backwards, so I don't agree with you.

rpurfield

if your talking rivalry for me its dublin by a country mile then louth,but thats part of living in stamullen and going to school in balbriggan and now working in the city!!

Lemlin

paul71 wrote: »

Tyrone always choke against us, now history does not always repeat itself but it would be an even contest.

Kildare were disposed of by Meath quite easily last year and since then appear to have gone backwards, so I don't agree with you.

Tyrone and Meath wouldn't be an even contest. Ye do have a psychological effect on them it seems but they are a better team.

Kildare operated in Division 1 this year and I'd see last year's result as a one off. The year before, for example, they beat ye in Navan.