After the year to date in Meath football,, I thought the winning of the Game came from the MEN in charge and the changes they made during the match.
I can't remember a Meath Manager being so switched on with who was on the pitch and who was on the bench and using his full squad at the right time.
This didn't happen overnight and fair play to BANTY & CO for sticking to what was clearly a planned operation.
#The Cream came to the TOP against Kildare and the Dublin camp will be worried,, they should be WORRIED !!!!!
One more thing,, 3 soft yellows in the 1st half,, NONE in the 2nd.

BillyButlin (Meath) - Posts: 58 - 02/07/2012 10:08:27    1207074

Yes they made good substitutions. Of course in Ciaran Lenehan's case getting a yellow card early in the match while having a hard time of it had to be acted upon. At the time, we couldn't afford to be down to #14 and expect to be in contention after 70 mins. The other subs (2nd half) were indeed introduced with good timing. Stephen Bray brought experience, composure and intelligent passing to the mix, Peadar that goal and a fresh pair of legs as Brian Meade looked sluggish and off the pace for most of his match. He has performed well though in previous games, when Connor Gillespie hadn't. Pity they both cannot perform well on the same day. Kevin Reilly showed Earley he wasn't going to take any nonsense and just like he did v Mayo three years ago Jamie put the finishing touches to the performance.

It was good to see Gillespie win ball and run in the spaces and gaps and deliver some quality kick passes to the forward line. And as was said on the Sunday game last night, Damien Carroll made a few moves that were reminiscent of Trevor Giles. Uncanny at times.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 02/07/2012 12:32:24    1207207

Was never a big fan of the guy, but you have to admit that he recognises his own short comings and gets people in who can be applied to specific aspects of training and tactivs. Wholehearted congrats to him and the whole squad for a job well done and I hope/believe they can develop a lot further.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 486 - 02/07/2012 13:19:05    1207262

Important now that we keep the same management team

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 02/07/2012 16:17:36    1207488

As one many who thought he should go after league. I'm delighted he shut me up. Well done banty and all involved. I hope they all stay for another year. Never thought id say that. Lol

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/07/2012 16:45:57    1207535

I was always a supporter of banty, any post i made like "banty out" were said in jest
Fair play to him for yesterdays performance, im getting sick of hearing about why kildare
didnt perform, fact is they were cleaned out in midfield and meath dropped deep defending and
broke at speed.
Royal pride is now restored

atta (Meath) - Posts: 714 - 02/07/2012 20:16:46    1207803

Banty/john Evans were great yesterday - not a fan of banty but taking off the corner back and how he managed the players when there could have been trouble at half time deserves a lot of credit.
Brian Farell who I questioned myself is having the best season of his life. Himself and Joe really working well together as indivudal target men!

greenrow (Meath) - Posts: 44 - 02/07/2012 20:18:07    1207805

We all got on his back when things went wrong. And has to be said some of it was deserved. But by jasus he has turned it around.
And yeah I too am becoming a little tired with the kildare didn't turn up thing. They were not allowed to play. Kildare played to the best they could have, just meath nailed them.
And one thing that was mentioned when things got hot at half time he pulled them to centre kept the lads quite and focused. And all of them obliged. Shows how much some people know when they say he hasn't the dressing room or players don't respect him. Bull. That was clearly not the case yesterday.
Even in my criticism of banty I always said I liked him personally. He is a very likeable man, I met him once a few years back. And a more down to earth guy and gentleman you couldn't ask for. So it was never personal in my posts.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/07/2012 20:35:32    1207834

does anyone else think banty is a lucky manager.all through the league he played mard ward in midfield and never gave gillispie a look in even that ward was playing poorly.if ward had not got injured he would have been in midfield yesterday with brian meade.same with kenny.very poor all year yet banty would not drop him until he got injured and that gave tobin the chance to shine.we would never have seen donal keoghan if gary obrien had not got injured.and would we have seen carroll and forde if bray and gilsenan had not been out

bobjaffacake (Meath) - Posts: 1400 - 02/07/2012 20:40:51    1207841

Gillespie wasn't great during the league either. We've changed our kickouts, our midfielders actually had time and space to field the ball because Gallagher was hitting the wings. Also Kildare dropped deep to deal with our half forwards and Gillespie got on the ball a lot more than usual because he was playing sweeper infront of the square. He still had a great game but I think Ward or O'Rourke would have benefitted in the past from different kickout tactics.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 02/07/2012 20:50:25    1207859

Sometimes a lucky manager is better then a good manager

bobjaffacake (Meath) - Posts: 1400 - 03/07/2012 12:29:27    1208227

banty has the players behind and that counts for a lot. I think this year is a big year and we could really rob the leinster title from the dubs. next year and the year after won't be nearly as easy as nobody will take us for granted again.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 03/07/2012 12:40:52    1208253

"Fair play to Banty and friends"

Well well .. Isn't that some turn around in opinions in Meath folk since the end of April ?

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 03/07/2012 12:54:41    1208281

Big turn around. have gone from wanting him out to wanting him to stay. thats what a 4 game unbeaten run will do for you. throw in a leinster final win and he'll have no shortage of supporters!

cabbage (Meath) - Posts: 173 - 03/07/2012 13:15:23    1208317

Banty is class. I wanted him out after we were relegated to division three and had only won a couple of matches and drawn with Carlow, but now after that win against Kildare I think hes the best in the business.

RoyoftheRoyals (Meath) - Posts: 36 - 03/07/2012 13:27:07    1208340

After the mire he dragged us through, it seems a semi-final win has turned him into a saviour. Ironically a saviour from the mess he himself had a hand in creating. Lads get the blinkers off. If we beat Dublin we can pat Seamus on the back, but remember we've won nothing.

LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 466 - 03/07/2012 14:14:54    1208424

Loyalroyal
well said

bobjaffacake (Meath) - Posts: 1400 - 03/07/2012 14:21:21    1208434

I was at all the league matches and its obvious the person calling the shots in the league is not calling them now.

The difference between Banty now and Banty in the league and last year, its that he has stepped back and given Giles, Geraghty and Evans more of an input regarding selections, tactics etc.Before that we had selectors walking away because they were not getting a say (Callaghan and Harnan) and Geraghty having arguments with Banty over tactics. He knew after the relegation he was not going to do it on is own and had to take others into account. Whos idea was it to play Reilly in midfield? I doubt it was his.

But he does deserve great praise for doing this. Giles and Geraghty have serious footballing brains. Hopefully they will figure out how to break down the Dubs.

ClassApart (Meath) - Posts: 1200 - 03/07/2012 14:38:28    1208461

Waynol
Alot of dubs wanted Pat Gilroys head on a plate not that long ago

atta (Meath) - Posts: 714 - 03/07/2012 14:38:46    1208463

LoyalRoyal well said but he didn't create the mess. The county board did when they sacked O'Brien unfairly.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 03/07/2012 14:50:31    1208479