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The problem these last few years isn't the talent, it's the psychology. A few years ago O'Down came in, cleared out all the experienced players, and brought in a load of kids. No experienced players in training to even to bring the youngsters up to the intensity and tempo required for championship. Many went from club intermediate, to playing basically professionals at senior level in Dublin. 32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4122 - 10/06/2019 21:10:11 2193215 Link 0 |
You gave the Dubs two more points than your earlier prediction on this thread. By the time the final comes around the Dubs will be up by a few. The reality of the win yesterday for the Royal might be wearing off. i.e. how good were Laois? Still ye are on an upward curve but a bit to go to get to the teams in the group below the Dubs. On the final all things considered what neutrals will be looking for is a dogfight.
kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1941 - 10/06/2019 21:33:25 2193225 Link 2 |
i think you speak for the whole country bar one county when you say what your sick of seeing YG and indeed what we'd all like to see from Meath. I have a lot of respect for Dublin and most of their supporters too but Im sure even they will want to see a contest that goes to the wire for a change. Even if they win as you say it would be nice to see Meath going into the winter months knowing that they ran this team close and played them without fear. so that Dublin maybe get the odd butterfly in the stomach thinking about the next meeting with Meath. it would be progress and possibly a turning point. I wish Meath the best of luck. dont drop the heads until the final whistle goes. Ger Canning used to quote "you never have a Meath team beaten" the GAA need to see this return!
SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 10/06/2019 21:44:04 2193230 Link 1 |
I think Meath will give a good account themselves but they really have to believe it. realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8571 - 10/06/2019 22:16:03 2193242 Link 0 |
That's the key. They have to believe it themselves
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 10/06/2019 22:43:06 2193257 Link 0 |
Yeah RD seen young Conlon playing yesterday, very good player but he was playing against Laois, do you think he'll be allowed run riot like that against Dublin, i know the answer to that and so do you if you're truthful!
DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 932 - 10/06/2019 22:45:21 2193258 Link 0 |
Do you get €6k per post on here from the Dublin PR team? jimbodub: "50k minimum Could peak close to 60k" There was probably 33k at the semi finals from meath and Dublin. I'm struggling to see where another 25k paying €35 are going to come from. Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 11/06/2019 00:53:32 2193299 Link 1 |
Thanks Royaldunne. I aint no legend. In Meath football terms if I was a Meath footballer I would be Mattie Mccabe or David Beggy. Odds moments of very good play. But never delivers on the big occasion. To inconsistent. I am a junior club player who somehow made it to play senior for Meath. Royaldunne u r a real proper Meath legend. You r the Mick lyons , the Jack Quinn the Darren Fay of the forum. A fearless Meath full back protecting the Meath square from one and all. Thanks also Young Gael. For your below comments. I really enjoy ur anaylsis of Meath matchs. They are on the ball and u give great insights. If I am Mattie Mccabe , Royaldunne is Mick Lyons u young _ gael u r Donal keoghan a modern Meath great. Keep it up. Meath v Dublin is a great rivalry was a great rivalry. But I dont think people realise how much Meath have performed miracle acts v Dublin. People expect Meath to put it up to Dublin. Its understandable there is a long history of the rivalry. But Meath overachieved by going toe to toe with Dublin for 80 odd years. Up to 2000 and the Meath rivalry begins in the 1930s to 2000s. In 2000 the Meath population was lower then Mayos . Meath was a rural county. A midlands rural county. In the last 15 years Meaths population went from 100000 to 200000. But the growth has had zero positive impact on Meath or kildare football and people on the ground will tell u its actually had very negative impact. Basically theyre Dubs who have no interest in GAA and if they r. There is no way they will allow their kids to support the county of Graham Geraghty or Colm O Rourke. And Wicklow , Antrim , limerick , Dublin ( 1996 to 2010) and kildare ( from 1930s to 1980s ) all show population doesnt gurantee sucess. But before Meath population explosion in last 15 years Meath went toe to toe with Dublin, Dublin winning 9 All Irelands in 80 years Meath winning 7 All Irelands in the same period. But we were David they were Giolath. They are our capital , a world famous city , the centre of power in this country , the centre of economic social and cultural life in the country. Meath was a bog standard rural midlands quiet backwater. Yet this county went toe to toe with the Metropolis. While most counties in leinster have beaten Dublin 70 years ago and the rest have beaten Dublin twice in 50 years. Meath have had 9 victories and 5 draws in championship over the last 35 years . It is overachievement on grand scale. But yet Meath and Dublin for long time have been seen as equals, we are not. We are the underdog and always have been. They are the city slicker jackeens , we are the culchies the boggers. The decline of the rivalry began in early 00s. Games in 00s were still very competitive. In 2005 and 2009 Dublin won by a couple points. There was a draw in 2007 and a brillant replay. Meath and Dublin , there was only a point or two between the teams in 00s. Then in 2010 the 5 goal hammering by Meath to the Dubs which was unique in that Meath v Dublin games are always very tight affairs. In 2012 and 2013 leinster final they were competitive games. The last time any team got close Dublin in leinster. Meath lost by 3 points in 2012 leinster final and could have nicked a draw at the end with chances. 2013 leinster final Meath were ahead at half time best team in first half and the game was in the balance until last 10 mins when Dublin ran out 7 points winners. No team has got closer to Dublin since in leinster . In 2014 and 2016 were bad defeats for Meath. So in this decade with Dublins greatest team Meath have reached 5 leinster finals. Other traditional strong football counties have reached 1 eg kildare and laois. Offaly have reached 0. And the only county to reach more then 1 outside Meath and Dublin is Westmeath with 2 leinster final appearances. So Meath have remained in the top 2 most sucessful teams in leinster in this decade something Meath have done for every decade since 1920s , the exception was 70s when Offaly and Dublin were in the top 2 in the provience. Meath have played Dublin in 5 championship matchs in the decade. With 1 record defeat of Dublin by Meath. Two leinster finals that were competitive and the last time a leinster team got close are put it up to Dublin. Its only in the last two performances in this decade Dublin have hammered Meath. Again that is the best record in the provience v Dublin by any county in the decade the best record is Meath. So Dublin hammering Meath is a very recent event that happened in the last 2 games. 2014 was a shock to Meath football. It was worst defeat to Dublin in leinster final for 100 years. And did do physiological damage to Meath. If Meath were badly beaten in two weeks it wouldnt have the same negative effect. Because Dublin have hammered Kerry Mayo Donegal Tyrone every single county team since. People r expecting Meath to hammered if they are not it will be shock. And 2014 was third leinster final in a row , that team was now peaking and the results were getting worse. This current team this is a new Meath and this will be their first of 3 or 4 attempts Meath have to beat Dublin in the next 3 to 4 or 5 seasons. So a bad hammering woulsnt be nice but it wouldnt be end of the world. Dublin r going for 4 in a row , Dublin since 2014 have gone up a level. The victories over kerry in 2013 and 2015 is when Dublin went up level. Beating kerry 3 times in 4 years in the championship meant Dublins confidence has hit the roof. And Dublin are a confidence county. Those victories meant for first time ever Dublin were beating kerry regularly in the championship. Dublin were now officially gaelic footballs number 1 county. And the fascinating thing is can they stay top dogs. Cavan in the 40s and 50s were top football county. Meath for 15 years in 80s ans 90s were the top football county. But neitheir could do what kerry have done. Keep coming generation after generation with great teams. Will Dublin do the same. When Dublin lose to kerry and Ulster team possibly Donegal in next few years how they will respond will be fascinating. Dublin have an aura now. But auras can go and quick as they come. Look at Man Utd after Ferguson or Meath after Boylan left or how kilkennys aura has disappeared. There is a great kerry team on the horizon , how will Dublin deal with that. That will be fascinating. Dublin have gone up level and will stay up level. But will they do what kerry have done stay there generation after generation. We will have to wait to see. Anyway as I said 2014 final and 2016 semi final.were very unusual. Meath v Dublin have always been tight games. Since 1920s there has been about 50 plus Meath v Dublin championship matchs. In those 50 plus games there has only been 5 hammerings. The rest were tight affairs. Those games where Meath hammering in 2010 of Dublin and Dublins hammering of Meath in early 1980s 1995 2014 and 2016. So in the last 70 years Dublin have only hammered Meath 4 times. That is very low number seen how dominate Dublins have been in leinster. 1995 bad defeat Meath were actually ahead with 10 mins to go. 2014 and 2016 are unique in Meath and Dublin rivalry. Will two weeks time continue that thrend are will we see a return to old traditional Meath v Dublin game , a tight contest. All year long from start of year I predicted based on evidence that Meath would be promoted, would reach leinster final , would put it up to Dublin but would lose and lose to Ulster team in backdoor probaly Tyrone and fail to reach Super 8. I said that in January. I think there is evidence to show all the above are predictable. I will show in another thrend what I mean . In the meantime in the next week and after like thousands of my fellow county men and women I believe we can do what people will say we shouldn't or is impossible. I believe we will dethrone Dublin. Its in our dna , for us its Dublin thats all the shower over the border. Just 15 Meath men going to war with Dublin same as it ever was. Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 11/06/2019 01:03:12 2193302 Link 1 |
The one thing McEntee has improved under Meath is the return of an old Meath trait. Meaths ability to up their game v top counties. Look at Meaths record traditionally v Dublin kerry Cork Mayo Galway Ulster teams it is excellent. Meath are Cork and Mayo bogey in the championship. Meath have beaten Dublin more then any other county. Meath have played 14 Ulster teams in All Ireland semi finals and won them all. Meath have only lost twice to Connacht teams in the championship in the last 65 years eg Galway in 1966 and 2001. Meath record v kerry at all levels is really good. Thats why we werent liked we were very sucessful v top counties. Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 11/06/2019 03:01:03 2193304 Link 2 |
I think this will be the biggest test Dublin have had in Leinster in years. Should be a great atmosphere and meath supporters will believe they can cause a huge shock. I still think Dublin by 5 or 6 points but meath will give it everything. dave1988 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1036 - 11/06/2019 03:57:53 2193309 Link 1 |
Good post, but I have to pull you up on point number 5 there, it's not our biggest Leinster semi win in 24 years, what about 2010 = Meath 5-9, Dublin 0-13 that was also 11 points :-)
Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 11/06/2019 08:39:50 2193327 Link 1 |
For the sake of Leinster football I really hope Meath make a game of this.....but for all the talk of an 11 point win over Laois, Laois had 4 very good goal chances at different points in the game. If Meath don't tighten up dramatically Dublin will create far more than 4 & certainly won't miss them all. KildareKelly (Kildare) - Posts: 593 - 11/06/2019 10:21:09 2193371 Link 1 |
Agreed. If Dublin cut us open the way Laois were in the second half they will score 10 goals
Meath10 (Meath) - Posts: 183 - 11/06/2019 11:34:51 2193415 Link 1 |
Thanks for the comments Htaem. Thanks for clarifying that. I have been years thinking we won by 10 points in 2010 now I know we won by 11 points. Another point to beat them by Happy days. My maths was never the best. So our 11 point victory over laois on Sunday and our 11 point victory over Dublin in 2010 is our biggest winning margin in a leinster semi final in 25 years since we defeated Wicklow by 13 points in 1994. The 15 point win in quater final over Carlow and 11 point win over Loais in the semi final is the biggest aggregate score we have won by in quater final.and semi final in 25 years. The top winning margins r below 1 1994 We beat Longford by 19 point in q final.and Wicklow by 13 points in semis. Aggregate score 29 points 2 2019 We beat Carlow by 15 points in q final and Laois by 11 points in semis . Aggregate score 26 points 3 1996 We beat Carlow by 18 points in q final and laois by 6 points in semis. Aggregate score 24 points 4 2010 We beat Loais by 10 points in q final and Dublin by 11 points in semis. Aggravate score 21 points. We havent being winning leinster semi finals and quater finals by these margins since 90s. And every time we were winning semi finals and quater final by such margins we win a title. 1 1994 29 points. We won div league 1 title 2 2019 26 points. We won leinster title. 3 1996 24 points. We won leinster and All Ireland titles 4 2010 21 points . We won leinster title. Ok I am sure people have seen I have predicted we will.win leinster . Time will tell. But the point is here in the last two decades we were not winning leinster q finals and semi finals by such margins. If we played Offaly any other year since Boylan left we would have lost. If played carlow any other year in last 5 years Carlow game would have been a close game. And if we played laois anytime in last 5 years laois performance on Sunday would have beaten us. We are winning leinster semi finals and quater final by double figure wining margins. And yet did not play brillantly. Carlow were tricky opposition because of what they did last year to kildare and defensive system. Loais we had to be wary of coz of they have had two great seasons two promotions in a row were leinster finalists and are Meaths bogey team. But in both games in words of Surgrue laois manager there was gap in both teams at what level they are at. Carlow have been a huge sucess story in leinster in last 2 years and laois have really improved and are going in the right direction . They will only get better. But u could see on Sunday when Meath went up the gears on Sunday there was a gap. Laois tried very hard but for Meath it was a little easier. Thats the sign of a team.that are most improved team in the country in last 12 nonths. Meath were 15th or 16th best team in the country 12 months. Now they are 8th or 9 best team. Meath were behind kildare Armagh this time last year. Now Meath are ahead of both counties. Meath were much better team then Armagh or kildare when teams played in the league. Meath are now at the level of a Cavan or Roscommon other provicial finalist the teams from 8 to 10th in the country. Cavan are 8th Roscommon 9th Meath 10th. With little between the counties. The leinster championship has been excellent for Meath so far. We got the kick up the backside from Offaly won other matchs well but with work to do. Meath are at a level now where they dont need to throw kitchen sink at carlow or Loais to win. In last 5 years Carlow and laois would have beaten Meath. This year Meath need to throw the kitchen sink at Dublin. McEntee needs Meath to peak for Dublin game. The run tbrough leinster has been perfect run before Dublin. 3 Confidence wins in a row improving every game after Offaly. Again people are following into the same trap look at laois look at Offaly. What about two games v Donegal the Ulster champions and the game v All Ireland finalist Tyrone in last 12 months. If u just focus on laois performance and ignore the two Donegal games and Tyrone game ur not seen full picture. In the Tyrone game last year Meath played with real passion and intensity and also v Donegal in 2017 and v kildare in the league. So far Meaths intensity levels in 3 games in leinster have lacking such intensity. In the first game v Donegal in league final and for 65 mins in Ballybofey v Donegal in last few months Meath played top class quality div 1 football v best team in Ulster and one of 5 or 6 teams in the country. So far there has been moments but overall Meath have not displayed the quality of football we saw v Donegal twive in the league , in the 3 games in leinster. I really hope I am not degrading three counties. As I said all three of those counties would have beaten Meath in last 5 years. But Meaths progress in last 12 months has been sesimic. The season is not over and this is already Meaths best season since 2010 , one of best seasons since Boylan left and in the top 4 season we have had since 2001..We have had great wins since we last won Sam. We are the only county in Ireland along with Cork to beat Great kerry and Tyrone of 00s and great Dublin team of this decade in the championship. We have beaten kerry Dublin Tyrone Mayo Galway in championship since we last we won Sam. Performances v Tyrone in 07 and Dublin in 10 were excellent. But our biggest problem has been inconsistency. It has been a massive problem since 2001..Inconsistency. A massive problem. This year we have been so consistent. We are winning games after games. We havent done this since 90s. We have won 9 competitive games this year. This is the most competitive games we have won in a season since 2007 when we won 10 competitive when we drew with Dublin beat great Tyrone team. Win 2 games in this years championship and this will be have our most competitive wins in 1 season since we won Sam twenty years ago in 1999. McEntee is improving Meath. And it is obvious with div 1 football next spring, 8 panelist potentially returning next spring , more forward young talent similar if not better then young Conlon coming thru next year and the year after. Meath players peaking next year and the year after. Potential at least 2 of next three years in div 1 , even if Meath r relegated. We will have great chance of promotion again. The signs r Meath are going to keep improving over the next 2 to 3 years. The signs are very obvious. In my water I just feel we will put it up to Dublin in leinster final if we dont its not a massive blow. Everyone expect us to be hammered. And I am going all the way in and I have no real evidence to suggest this But I expecting we will.win. Because they are Dublin and we r Meath. And im not giving in til the final whistle is blowing. Why shouldnt I not believe in my county. It not against the law to not believe in your own county. And the performances v Tyrone three games v Donegal Galway and Roscommon in last 2 years show Meath up their games v top counties. Before everyone of those big performances by Meath against top div 1 teams. The games beforehand Meath were not great. 1 In 2017 before we played Donrgal we played Sligo and played poorly webeat Sligo. The next game we upped our game v Donegal and were very good. 2 In 2017 before we defeated Galway the game beforehand we were very poor. Before we defeated Galway we lost to Down their first competitive win in I think 9 games. The next game Galway were raging hot favourites. We won . We upped our game v top 8 team. 3 In 2018 we lost to longford after poor performance. The following game v All Ireland finalist Tyrone we upped our game and were very unlucky not to win 4 In 2019 we stuttered v Tippearey to victory. A solid win v Tipp. The next game we were brillant v Donegal as we upped game v Ulster champions in Ballybofey and were so close to been first team to beat Donegal in the league since 2010 in Ballybofey. 5 In 2019 in our last game v Fermanagh we mixed the good with the bad. We were not brillant. Again in the next game v Ulster champions in the final we upped our game and led til 65 min after dominating the first half. So a thrend has developed. Meath prior to meet div 1 team a top 8 best teams in the country play poorly or not great. Meath are underdogs v the top team in the next game. Meath upp their game in the next game v top division 1 opposition. Now I know Dublin are better then Donegal or Tyrone. But the fact there is thrend. So the question will be in two weeks time v Dublin will it be the 7th game in row Meath have upped their performance and went toe with toe top 8 div 1 team one of best teams in the country in last 2 years. If Meath put it up to Dublin and come closest to Dublin in years in leinster this shouldn't be a shock why Meaths performances v Donegal 3 times Tyrone Galway and Roscommon in last 2 years have shown McEntee is able to motivate the Meath player to up their performance when playing the top teams. Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 11/06/2019 13:18:19 2193479 Link 0 |
Hoping for a good game to be honest. Meath seem to be able to create plenty of goal scoring chances and that could hurt Dublin. I think they will have to watch their aggression somewhat, all well and good getting in Dublins faces, but the game has changed a lot and Dublin could gobble up frees all day if they are given away in the wrong places. Dublin are also a very experienced team, they are used to every game a team trying to put it up to them its water fo a ducks back really, not to mention we have a few of the biggest hitters ourselves. TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4441 - 11/06/2019 13:47:16 2193490 Link 0 |
Id be very disappointed if we only won by 5-6 points, anything between 10 - 15 points at least would be more like it, i think the meath fans are getting a bit carried away by the win over LAOIS! Having said that i suppose you have to believe otherwise what's the point in following your team? I don't mean to be derogatory to meath but they're miles behind Dublin in every aspect of the game and i think they'll be in for a rude awakening on Leinster final day!
DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 932 - 11/06/2019 13:50:59 2193495 Link 1 |
It will be a big ask for Meath to win this one. This is despite the fact that by all accounts the Meath team preparation has improved hugely. The reason is Dublin are so good. Last year they won the All Ireland almost without breaking sweat. In reality there is probably only 3 teams who, on a good day have might have some chance of beating Dublin (3 might be optimistic, I'm including Mayo due to the fact that they always seem to do well in one off games against Dublin but they now may be past their best). I do find it funny seeing some on here almost laughing at the Leinster championship as if teams outside Leinster have been really sticking it to Dublin. The truth is Meath are about the 8'best team in the country. Most teams around this standard would not have any better chance against Dublin than Meath so that covers the vast majority of inter county teams. The reality is put Dublin into any other provience and they would dominate and put up huge scores in many games like they do in Leinster. I think for all the people putting down the Leinster championship Leinster will end up having 2 teams in the last 8 (Dublin and either Meath or Kildare). bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1298 - 11/06/2019 14:15:13 2193506 Link 1 |
the best meath will do is a 10 point defeat, realistically it will be 15+, dublin to bang in 3-4 goals here!! the sooner the leinster championship is ended the better dec (None) - Posts: 264 - 11/06/2019 14:19:02 2193507 Link 0 |
Their prep has improved because they brought in a new coach at the start of the year.
Chubby (Louth) - Posts: 102 - 11/06/2019 15:12:16 2193529 Link 0 |
Heard that, Colm Bally the Louth man is supposed to be very good coach. Overall preparation has been improved since McEntee came in, also I have heard Meath are susposed to be raising more money so can afford to prepare the team better than before.
bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1298 - 11/06/2019 15:28:10 2193538 Link 0 |