Meath GAA discussion thread

Pipjam

Hibbeler wrote: »

Yeah I meant a negative attitude

Some call it negative, some call it realistic.

I haven't posted here before but have been a long time lurker and the below post sums up my opinion well:

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Meath got relegated to division 3 aswell 2 years ago, but woe befell any man who dared use that to suggest Meath were a bad team, they were hit with a barrage of abuse and disagreement from over defensive Meath supporters.

I think too many people cant see cold facts and their brains are stuck in the late 90's. Kildare, Laois, Tyrone and Armagh have knocked us out these last 5 seasons, and on each occasion I've rarely heard anyone from Meath say that we were beaten by a team better than us. Apparently we're better than all those teams, but in that case why do we lose to them so often? Kildare and Laois have gotten a bit worse lately but we've found new teams to lose to.

It's been a long time since we beat a top class team in the business end of Championship football.

This year arguably the 3rd or 4th best team in Ulster, one relegated to Division 3, knocked us out.

I wouldn't take anything for granted come next Spring.

Hibbeler

I don't disagree with anything you've said there or with Crab's post you quoted, Meath teams clearly haven't been good enough to challenge the top teams for a number of years now.

Now I'm not for a minute saying that Meath are going to win the All-Ireland next year or anything like that. But the fact is that promotion in the league is a realistic goal for next season and Meath are more than capable of beating each and every one of those teams in Division 2. Yes some of them are equally as capable of beating us so nothing can be taken for granted but that is beside the point.

If we are to get ourselves back into a position of challenging the top teams then promotion to Division 1 needs to me achieved as soon as possible. It's where the top teams are and where we want to be if we want to challenge for honours at some point in the future.

Hammer Archer

I don't think expecting promotion means anyone's saying it'll definitely happen. But looking at that fixture list and the teams in it, anything other than promotion would be a disappointment.
There are no top teams in division 2 this season so our lack of victories against those teams won't make any difference. And apart from Cavan, we've beaten every one of these teams over the last few seasons in either championship or league.

Last season had we held on against Donegal, we would have been promoted. I would be very disappointed if we weren't this season. But pretty much every other team in the division will be aiming for the top two as well.

Alvin Holler

Down could be interesting next year as well if Clarke and Mooney return.

Pipjam

Hammer Archer wrote: »

I don't think expecting promotion means anyone's saying it'll definitely happen. But looking at that fixture list and the teams in it, anything other than promotion would be a disappointment.
There are no top teams in division 2 this season so our lack of victories against those teams won't make any difference. And apart from Cavan, we've beaten every one of these teams over the last few seasons in either championship or league.

Last season had we held on against Donegal, we would have been promoted. I would be very disappointed if we weren't this season. But pretty much every other team in the division will be aiming for the top two as well.

I don't think there's much of a difference between expecting promotion will definitely happen and describing not being promoted as a "disappointment". To be disappointed, you have to have a definite expectation that we're going to be promoted.

Yes, we've beaten alot of those teams in recent years but teams can rapidly change. New managers often have a huge effect and Down are a strong side. They just went a bit stagnant under McCartan. He hung around too long. My other half is from Cavan and they are making changes to their back room team and have discovered a couple of forwards in their Junior AI winning team. Roscommon have greatly improved and I don't believe they had their Brigids players when we played them two years ago. Galway have won two U21 All Ireland's in recent years so have to come good at some stage. Like Down, they have good players but just need to get them playing as a team.

You also need to look at the Westmeath example from two years ago. They were promoted, despite being a poor team, because they caught a number of teams on the hop due to the amount of early training they were doing. Our lads need to put in hard graft and I'm not sure they are capable of it. You can be sure that the likes of Roscommon and Cavan will be training from the end of this year.

CrabRevolution

As evident by the quote above, I am a bitter pessimist/realist about the Meath team in recent years. That said, the unfortunate affliction of the sport fan means I can only look to the future with optimism and hope :P

The league draw (not really a draw was it? We knew everyone who we'd play) isnt incredibly daunting at first glance. I think many people are placing too much emphasis on home and away fixtures. In 2012 we had 4 home games and got relegated, and in the last 2 years we've had 3 home matches per year. We achieved promotion in 2013 and were a whisker off promotion this year.

We can beat every team in our division. The games vs Kildare, Cavan, Down and Galway are 50/50 in my opinion. The chances of winning them all are minute, but luckily they'll all take points off each other too. Unfortunately unlike like most years I cant see any whipping boys in this group that we can nearly guarantee getting points off.

Pipjam

CrabRevolution wrote: »

As evident by the quote above, I am a bitter pessimist/realist about the Meath team in recent years. That said, the unfortunate affliction of the sport fan means I can only look to the future with optimism and hope :P

The league draw (not really a draw was it? We knew everyone who we'd play) isnt incredibly daunting at first glance. I think many people are placing too much emphasis on home and away fixtures. In 2012 we had 4 home games and got relegated, and in the last 2 years we've had 3 home matches per year. We achieved promotion in 2013 and were a whisker off promotion this year.

We can beat every team in our division. The games vs Kildare, Cavan, Down and Galway are 50/50 in my opinion. The chances of winning them all are minute, but luckily they'll all take points off each other too. Unfortunately unlike like most years I cant see any whipping boys in this group that we can nearly guarantee getting points off.

Westmeath?

Hammer Archer

Pipjam wrote: »

I don't think there's much of a difference between expecting promotion will definitely happen and describing not being promoted as a "disappointment". To be disappointed, you have to have a definite expectation that we're going to be promoted.

Yes, we've beaten alot of those teams in recent years but teams can rapidly change. New managers often have a huge effect and Down are a strong side. They just went a bit stagnant under McCartan. He hung around too long. My other half is from Cavan and they are making changes to their back room team and have discovered a couple of forwards in their Junior AI winning team. Roscommon have greatly improved and I don't believe they had their Brigids players when we played them two years ago. Galway have won two U21 All Ireland's in recent years so have to come good at some stage. Like Down, they have good players but just need to get them playing as a team.

You also need to look at the Westmeath example from two years ago. They were promoted, despite being a poor team, because they caught a number of teams on the hop due to the amount of early training they were doing. Our lads need to put in hard graft and I'm not sure they are capable of it. You can be sure that the likes of Roscommon and Cavan will be training from the end of this year.

So would you consider yourself satisfied with the league campaign if we stay in division 2? I wouldn't. I'd consider it stagnation and a disappointment, especially if we have the likes of Gillespie, Wallace, O'Sullivan et al. back. You can guarantee that division 2 in 2016 will be massively more difficult than next season with (most likely) Armagh coming back up and 2 stronger teams coming back down.
If we don't get promoted next year, there's no excuses for O'Dowd. We were promoted back to division 2 in his first year and had a half decent championship (we were unlucky not to beat Tyrone). Last year, besides the Monaghan and Armagh debacles, we were within seconds of promotion had we held on against Donegal. There followed a surprising win against Kildare and two nightmares against Dublin and Armagh.

I've been following us for long enough to know that nothing is guaranteed with the Meath footballers. But that doesn't mean I would be content with staying in division 2 for another year and not getting promoted.

Hammer Archer

Ballinlough v Ballinabrackey in the IFC final. Ballinlough haven't been beaten in league or championship since April. And Ballinabrackey had 14 men for all of 40 minutes of yesterday's game yet still managed to beat Ratoath. In fact, it looked for a lot of it that Ballinabrackey had the extra man. Should be a very intriguing final. Really surprised Ballinlough are there as they looked like they were on a downhill slope last season.

CrabRevolution

I'd safely guess that nobody imagined we'd have a Ballinabrackey-Ballinlough final.

A strange final geographically too, if you drove from one club to the other you'd hardly spend any time in Meath at all.

Hammer Archer

15 years ago today this happened:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atTl2L47294

*Misty Eyes*
Remember not being able to get a ticket and sulking cos I'd been to every game. Then going bananas when Ollie got the goal and running up and down my street with my Meath flag when the final whistle went.
Jaysus it was so easy for young kids to be Meath fans back then.

Hammer Archer

Legend!!!

Royal Legend

CrabRevolution wrote: »

I'd safely guess that nobody imagined we'd have a Ballinabrackey-Ballinlough final.

A strange final geographically too, if you drove from one club to the other you'd hardly spend any time in Meath at all.

I will be up for that final. back in the 80's when both clubs were junior there was a brilliant semi final that Ballinabrackey won with a fluke from the corner flag that went over the bar, 87 I think. There used to be tough physical games between the teams, but we always had a pint afterwards and we used to meet some of them over in Harry's in Kinnegad on a Sunday night

Anyway come on the Lough

wackokid

What club is Cormac Reilly from lads?

Did he play football or hurling?

iDave

wackokid wrote: »

What club is Cormac Reilly from lads?

Did he play football or hurling?

Let it go

wackokid

iDave wrote: »

Let it go

Why so? What's the problem?
Only wishing to thank him for his efforts in the replay. He really is a fair and honest ref and does not deserve all the harsh words that have been written about him.

iDave

Trim back where we belong in hurling final.

Hammer Archer

iDave wrote: »

Trim back where we belong in hurling final.

And Ratoath lose our second Intermediate semi final in a week in Trim by a point Dunderry v Kilskyre in the IHC final.
No offence Dave but I never want to set foot in Trim GAA grounds again :pac:

Kildalkey lead Kiltale by 7 points to 3 at HT in the other SHC semi final. Kiltale have had a heap of wides.

iDave

Hammer Archer wrote: »

And Ratoath lose our second Intermediate semi final in a week in Trim by a point Dunderry v Kilskyre in the IHC final.
No offence Dave but I never want to set foot in Trim GAA grounds again :pac:

Kildalkey lead Kiltale by 7 points to 3 at HT in the other SHC semi final. Kiltale have had a heap of wides.

Feel free to dig a plot for Rathoat GAA in the graveyard across the road

Hammer Archer

Kiltale come good in the end and win by 14 points to 11.
Kiltale - Trim final.

Al_Coholic

how much do you think it will be into the 2 games in Navan next Sunday?

dixiefly

probably €15

wackokid

Did Cormac ref any matches over the weekend?

I have no idea how you have slipped through the radar before but drop the trolling. Mention Cormac Reilly again and you will be banned from the GAA Forum.

Hammer Archer

Doubtful seeing as he's a football referee.

wackokid

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Doubtful seeing as he's a football referee.

And a right GOOD one too...............OMG

Hammer Archer

wackokid wrote: »

And a right GOOD one too...............OMG

Absolutely. And he certainly wouldn't deserve someone hinting that he was using his position as referee to win a bet, would he?

iDave

If your looking for sympathy for Mayos misfortunes Wackokid you really have come to the wrong county.

Hammer Archer

JFC and IFC finals on this weekend as well as the two SFC semis. All of them in Navan.

Saturday
Donaghmore/Ashbourne v Na Fianna, SFC Semi Final, 17.15

St. Peter's v Cortown, JFC Final, 19.00

Sunday
O'Mahony's v Wolfe Tones, SFC Semi Final, 14.15

Ballinlough v Ballinabrackey, IFC Final, 16.00

Hope Cortown win the Junior as I don't think it would be good to have another second team in the Intermediate.
IFC final is intriguing. If you had told me last year that Ballinlough would have been in the final, I'd have laughed. They were absolutely atrocious when I saw them last year and looked more likely to be in a relegation final. But they haven't been beaten in nearly 6 months in all competitions and that momentum will be hard to stop. On paper, Ballinabrackey should win but the joy they showed at winning the semi final may mean they'll underestimate Ballinlough. Might try make that game.

As for the SFC semis, O'Mahony's should have too much for Tones. Don/Ash should make their first final as well, but if they're even slightly off their game, Na Fianna will take advantage.

Hammer Archer

Looking forward to January already, we'll be facing Westmeath, Longford and a college team in the O'Byrne Cup. Hopefully we get Longford at home. Couldn't stand traipsing to Ballymahon yet again.

iDave

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Looking forward to January already, we'll be facing Westmeath, Longford and a college team in the O'Byrne Cup. Hopefully we get Longford at home. Couldn't stand traipsing to Ballymahon yet again.

I hear we have Westmeath in the U21?