WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 876 - 29/07/2017 21:21:09    2025532

No overall improvement, probably are a good bit fitter, but game plans? Limited or non-existent with a large deficit of quality players. We are in freefall I'm afraid. The beating from Kildare in Tullamore is similar to the collapse against Westmeath and after that I felt that the whole panel should be stood down and we should go back to the drawing board again probably stopping short of standing down the entire panel but a lot need dropping if for nothing else other than giving out a clear message that just turning out is not sufficient. And by the way our League finishing position flattered to deceive. Derry were short their Club Final contingent, Fermanagh were in disarray and Clare were probably out of contention by the final game and Galway did as Galway do, they have a habit of flopping when least expected as Roscommon proved.

MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1063 - 29/07/2017 21:34:19    2025550

meath1977 (Meath) - Posts: 534 - 29/07/2017 21:41:24    2025554

I know Armagh where brilliant last night. but I think its very worrying for us that they kept Kildare under raps for most or all of the game coming from div 3. We played Kildare twice this year and where destroyed twice. We never put them under any pressure what so ever. This is the most disappointing thing for me the this year.

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1263 - 30/07/2017 08:17:15    2025680

I thought that Meath had a slight improvement this year over the last few years. However the Kildare and Donegal games were just so disappointing. For the Kildare game I was disappointed in the players and for the Donegal game I was disappointed in the management for a. way too long of a warm up and b. not at least trying more subs and allowing Donegal take the initiative with the subs in the second half.

However, it is more a raw feeling but I felt a greater degree of confidence watching them this year and I hope that the management have learned a bit from the mistakes this year.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 30/07/2017 11:11:31    2025772

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 30/07/2017 11:13:09    2025773

Short Answer : No

Reasoning:

Failed to get out of Division 2 when they should have
9 point defeat (biggest ever) to Kildare in the Championship
Scraped by Sligo
Lost to a Donegal team that shipped two 15 point defeats in the championship
Failing to beat Ulster opposition again


Optimistic:

No second half collapses (as in a different team of two halves, shooting the lights out in one and losing 10 point leads in the second)
First Qualifier win in 6 years - albeit against Sligo but win is a win


2018:

Retain status in Division 2 ( with Cork and Roscommon of note) can only afford 1 defeat if you want promotion.
I think it will be much of the same unfortunately.. out before a leinster final (depending on draw) and out in the qualifiers early.

Meath as a footballing county should be playing this weekend every season. It's top 10 territory. The reflection of how far the county has slipped in the last decade is testament to this.

Royalio11 (Meath) - Posts: 757 - 30/07/2017 11:48:16    2025789

SS6 (Meath) - Posts: 149 - 30/07/2017 15:31:12    2025919

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 30/07/2017 16:00:16    2025951

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2142 - 30/07/2017 18:01:26    2026047

Have we improved?

Yes, only slightly. We've clearly improved in our strength and conditioning as well as match fitness.

The fact is the talent just isn't there right now to do much better. We might be able to improve things in the factors mentioned above and perhaps tactically and in game making decisions by players.

BUT we simply don't have the required talent anywhere in the county currently at senior level to make a difference in terms of our league and championship performances. Next year we might sneak out of Div. 2 and maybe reach a Leinster final and maybe win 2 qualifiers but that's the absolute ceiling for the team we have.

Our midfield and half backs are particularly weak compared to other Leinster teams never elsewhere.

LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 30/07/2017 18:27:03    2026065

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2142 - 30/07/2017 18:49:18    2026088

Keep in mind we have Rooney off traveling. Will he be back? Is it true Jones is heading off too?

Remember Conor Nash could have been playing for us this year, as slim as those chances were given he could also have played for Leinster. But Ciarán Kilkenny could have gone to Australia too but he decided staying in Ireland and winning San was more important to him.

I don't begrudge Nash his opportunities but the fact is, he left and Kilkenny stayed. We seem to be bringing lads on at underage and the problem we face is getting them to not only stay playing football not to mention staying in the country.

It's a hard task to get them to stay, I appreciate that. But it's we can be changing managers for years but if we are continually bleeding away our best underage talent there's not a whole lot management can do.

LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 30/07/2017 21:11:16    2026208

Armagh beat 2 Leinster teams in last few weeks it tells me that the province has weakened apart from the dubs.

Reco (Meath) - Posts: 419 - 30/07/2017 21:58:39    2026251

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 30/07/2017 22:19:56    2026266

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 30/07/2017 22:22:20    2026269

GlasgowRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 293 - 31/07/2017 07:54:07    2026371

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 31/07/2017 08:21:29    2026376

The performance from the players on the Meath team has improved under Andy and that is clear for all to see. But the problem is that the players available to Andy are very limited in their ability. Many of them wouldn't make the panel in other counties. But as anyone who goes to club games in the county will tell you the talent isn't in the county at the minute. Peadar Byrne is one of the best players at intermediate level within the county at the minute and he is well the wrong side of 30. Now there is some very good young lads coming along at under 21, minor & under 16, but it is a long way to the senior county panel and it will take very steady hands along the way to guide them there. Looking at the Roscommon, and Armagh results over the weekend it reminds of old neighbor during the Boylan years any time Meath were beaten in the league he would say "ah its only da league, results dont count until September" . Yes promotion to Division would be good for Meath but we need about 5 good players to improve the team, a goalie, 2 good midfielders thus letting Menton back into the half back, and good 2 scoring forward who can win their own ball and stick it over / under the bar.

anto_meath (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 31/07/2017 10:18:01    2026473

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 31/07/2017 11:16:00    2026522