Mod Note Post #1 - The 2022 All Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Sean Kelly cleared to play, proper order, was ludicrous of Coldrick to pick him out to send off, when he literally had no involvement in the brawling.

Just a bit off gaa news that people might find interesting. Eamon Fitzmaurice could be next manager of Meath. To cut long story short. Malachy O Rourke Eamon Fitzmaurice were Meath county board first choices. Malachy O Rourke talked to the Meath county board went away thought about it and said no. Jim Galvin and Jimmy McGuiness were both contacted at a very early stage of the proces, but both said no straightaway, they werent interested. So that was the end of that, they were ruled out at the earliest possible stage. So Fitzmaurice is number one choice now.

Just first a bit of historical context before a few more details about what is going behind the scenes Meath. There is great tradition of kerry mangers coming to leinster football teams. All Ireland winning kerry managers have great record in leinster. Leaving the late great Eugene MCgee to one side the only managers ever to beat or get results v Dublin in leinster championship have been Meath managers Sean Boylan Eamon O Brien Colm Coyle and kerry managers Micko Dwyer Paudi O Se. And along with Eugene McGee outside Dublin the only managers to win leinster titles or Meath and kerry managers. There is long tradition of kerry managerrs coming to leinster team eg Micko at laois and kildare, Paudi at Westmeath, John Surgrue Michael Quirke at laois, Tomas O Flathera at Westmeath, Paul Galvin at Wexford and Tomas O Se currently involved with Offaly and Jack O Connor at kildare. John Evans coached Meath under Banty. Could Eamon Fitmaurice follow the paths of last 3 All Ireland winning kerry managers ( leaving Pat O Se to one side) and follow in the path of Micko and Paudi and Jack O Connor come to manage teams in the provience of leinster. Time will telll.

There has being interviews held. Bernard Flynn with Robbie Brennan as assistant, Michael Mcdermont, Graham Geraghty, Brian Farrell, Davy Burke have had interviews with Meath county board for the job. McDermont is second choice for the job, the former Clare manager wouldn't be popular choice agmost supporters. Even though has won county titles in Clare Limerick Cavan and Meath his time at Clare was poor and Meath fans wouldn't find hid choice inspiring.

But basically first choice of Meath County board is Eamon Fitzmaurice. Its his job if he want it. Fitzmaurice has been in allot of discussions with the Meath county board. He is interested in the job, he is attending an interview soon and will bring a plan to Meath county board. And in the last week there has being alllot noises around Meath of Fitzmaurice being next Meath manager, it has increased and increased as week went on.

The idea probably is Fitzmaurice comes in 3 r 4 years and than Cathal O Bric All Ireland minor winning manager or Kevin Reilly who got Trim recently to All Ireland club final will take over. O Bric is U19 development panel manager next year and U20 Meath manager following year. Meath have some good young managers, they just need tp gain more experience maybe come in as selector under someone like Fitzmaurice and take over in 3 r 4 years time.

While there was issue last year with McEntee at end of the year with vote against him, which didnt look good. There is huge work being done on ground by Meath. Look at Meath ladies, that wasnt overnight sucess which some paint. That was 6 or 7 years work done on the ground that came fruition with last years All Ireland sucess. Structues on the grounds in the mens game have inproved substantially in last few years and there some real exciting developments Meath are doing behind scenes. Expertise brought in to bring Meath next level. Also one of the top horses trainers owners in Meath has got involved behind scenes and has stated the aim is for Meath to win Sam Maguire with in the next 7 or 8 years by 2030 2031 2032. People might find that ambitious, or whatever. But in Meath there is allot of work going on behind and u can see that with successful underage teams who are winning leinster titles All Ireland title and beating Dublin comprehensively at underage year after year.

Meath do have allot of very young good footballers to come through, best talent to come through Meath in generation,,especially All Ireland winning team last year which is one best underage teams to come out of leinster in last 20 years. Cian McBride could be back from Australia rules next year and Conor Nash another 6 ft 5 excellent midfielder could be back from Auzzie rules in 3 years time, both have said they want to come back to play for Meath in future. And I have piece of information I cannot divulge that if is true would mean if it is true Fitzmaurice will be next Meath manager. But we have to wait see. Remeber Davy Fitz was going to be Galway manager and than Henry Shefflin came in at last moment. We all know how managerial races can change. Michael McDermont or Bernard Flynn or Graham Geraghty or Davy Burke could end up manager if Fitzmaurice pulls from the race.

But at the moment Eamon Fitzmaurice has being offered the job and he is Meath county board first choice. He is in deep ongoing discussions with Meath county board and has shown interest in the job. Fitzmaurice will attend an interview soon where he will unveil his plan for managing Meath senior team. As they say watch this space. Interesting times ahead. Imagine when Meath played louth next year in the league and Mickey Harte is louth manager and Eamon Fitzmaurice was Meath manager. That would bring great excitement to north east rivalry.

TBF to Paul Galvin he was just putting back in the Cork player's contact lenses. posting that in reference to Armagh thuggery is despicable. Typical Northern BS

Meath

The reference to Paul Galvins thuggery is despicable , Typical Southern BS

The fact that people are troubled by whats said on a GAA forum is worrying...

As is the fact people are worrying about it;-)

Won't matter who's managing them or how good their backroom team is unless the county board sort themselves out.

Surprised Fitzmaurice is happy to come in as 3rd or 4th choice. Big commitment to come in on that footing to a dysfunctional county board and players who don't want to play.

I'd say there's less than no chance of Fitzmaurice going to Meath. He is a principal in Dingle and that's 4 and a half hours from Dunganny or Navan. He also has a young family.

Managers with previous success are always linked with county jobs when they become available. Bookies are to blame for most of it. But Fitzmaurice to Meath would be a shock to say the least.

All

Your wrong, what players don’t want to play for the county. Yes in 2017 2018 there was players walking away from county team which many counties had the same problem at the time Derry Cork Galway also had that problem. And Cork and Down still have that problem. In the last few years, I am shocked how little players have left Meath panel even when they are in div 2. And other counties have had problems of player walking away or wouldn’t play. Meath don’t. The only player who walked panel this year was Jame Conlon after league. Just one. And Seamus Lavin has gone travelling world this year. Donal Lenihan dropped of last year, he felt he needed to concentrate on his club game as he was struggling. But Donal lenihan is 33 years of age. I’d say he more likely retired. Thats, it

 Name the players who walked away. Name the players who don’t want to play. Name top class inter county brillant gaa players in Meath who wouldn’t play for Meath.

I can only name one potentially that cannot that kells Seamus Mattimoe, but he has been working in England during the week and returning to play at the weekend for his club. He is not in the country.

Name top class players who wouldn’t play for the county.

That was an issue at start of McEntee reign but is now sorted. I have seen cliques in meath panels, divisions but Meath current panel are happy close panel. Andy was popular with players; he is very good one to one with players. But his management fizzled out at the end year 5 and year 6. Which was third longest tenure in the country. Thats a long time.

Regards dysfunctional country, there was an issue last year. Andy and Bernard fell out, some took Andys part and some Bernard. But if you look at the 6 years before that there hasn’t been peep out of Meath gaa county board. When manager didn’t get promoted to div 1 in year 5 there is going to be some people in the background and county there are not happy. I have seen dyfunctional Meath County boards. But in last 5 or 6 years very impressive serious people have got involved in Meath gaa.

And you see can with 4 U17 minor leister titles won in 5 years and 1 minor All Ireland title, 5 victories over Dubs in 5 years in leister championship at underage and most of the victories have being hammerings by 10 or 11 pts. Meath ladies winning Div 3, div 2, div 1 league titles. Intermediate All Ireland and senior All Ireland. Meath seniors playing div 1 football for first time in 11 years and reaching q final stage for first time in 9 years. You can it see positive change on the field.

And there is more talent coming through. I was talking to someone recently who is very involved in underage gaa in Meath at top level. He has said numbers of players joining boys and girls Meath gaa clubs since ladies have won All Ireland has increased dramatically. And he said that there is more talent to come through in the coming years, these are the best juvenile players he has seen coming through the system in a generation basically since 90s.

You have Horgan appointed general Manager of all Meath underage teams. He oversees all Meath underage teams. Meath are only county to have this. Its full time appointment. His background is he was coach sport science expert with Dublin ladies gaa team than Australian Rugby union teams and Australian Olympians. He has come back to Meath to take up full time post. Meath have excellent sponsor and in Autumn I hear there will be more good news in that department. Meath horse trainer and owner, Noel Moran is now involved. He sponsors the Meath underage teams and is involved in Meath gaa in the background. He sold his business a few years ago for 200 million euros and is involved now in Bective horse racing stud and Meath GAA. He said his aim is to see Meath win Sam Maguire by 2030. Others that have got involved recently also. Conor Donoghue who is on the committee to pick new manager, who was on very select committee to draw up new inter county championship by HQ, he is also working behind scenes. Seamus Kenny ex player also is another brilliant gaa person who has huge role modernisng Meath gaa. He has always said he expect Meath gaa senior to upturn as 2020s goes on.

So, there has been modernisation behind scenes in Meath. Yes last year was hiccup, ulgy blip, but you can see with pursuing Eamon Fitzmaurice, the people in Meath football mean business. It’s not perfect. But it’s not dysfunctional as you make out.

I.

Well looks like there will be a full house (or very close to it) for both semi finals. Ticketmaster has no tickets for Kerry v Dublin available and just a few hill and nosebleed seats for galway vs armagh derry

Oops, fixed that now!

I was listening to Radio Ulster on Saturday 02 July, didn't hear the start. The O'Se Maughan situation was mentioned near the end, from memory. Lots of in depth stuff about Duignan's life experiences which I found impressive. Oisin McConville was also on the programme.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0018y0m