Replying To Borderroyal:  "Where can we get at the dubs.from a tactical view.
Who do we target,have the doves got a weakness?.can we expect a changed team or are we goin with same as last day.
Wots your team selection.?"

Replying To royaldunne:  "In fairness I think same tactic as Leinster final. Apart from actually scoring most other things went ok."

Replying To Borderroyal:  "Where can we get at the dubs.from a tactical view.
Who do we target,have the doves got a weakness?.can we expect a changed team or are we goin with same as last day.
Wots your team selection.?"

Replying To Furlong1949:  "Injury update.

Shane Gallagher was training last week, but got injured again. So he has been really unlucky with injuries. Niall kane is back training. He hasnt played for over a year. Good to have him back, as the year goes on he will be an addition. Best attacking wing back after J McEntee. If J McEntee was to move to forwards, Kane would be a good replacement.
No mention of Shane McEntee and Joey Wallace. Shane McEntee must be close enough to returning though and so should J Wallace.
There are 4 long terms injuries, They are Andy Colgan, Mickey Newman, Seamus Lavin and Dara Campion.
Newman is expected to be back for championship. Which would be great. Lavin was expected to be at the end of the league, but it looks more like championship. Fingers crossed you never know with injuries, if we could get lavin ( our best corner back and man marker) and Newman( top 4th scorer in the championship last year) back for start championship it would be a big boost. We have missed them in the league especially Lavin, who was turning into quality corner back last year. Colgan looks like July before he returns. While Campion I dont think any news on his injury but he is long term. And I am a big fan of Campion he has creativity and skill to become a quality centre forward. It would be great to have him back. And maybe even try him as an inside forward. We need to unearth top class inside forward. And I think its always worth trying out players in different positions.

But Lenihan, Walsh and Harnans return in the last match was a big plus. Hopefully when players do come back there is no relaspes and other players dont get injured. If we could clear up a few more injuries are panel I thnk is substantially stronger then last year. Which is a good thing."

Replying To Furlong1949:  "Injury update.

Shane Gallagher was training last week, but got injured again. So he has been really unlucky with injuries. Niall kane is back training. He hasnt played for over a year. Good to have him back, as the year goes on he will be an addition. Best attacking wing back after J McEntee. If J McEntee was to move to forwards, Kane would be a good replacement.
No mention of Shane McEntee and Joey Wallace. Shane McEntee must be close enough to returning though and so should J Wallace.
There are 4 long terms injuries, They are Andy Colgan, Mickey Newman, Seamus Lavin and Dara Campion.
Newman is expected to be back for championship. Which would be great. Lavin was expected to be at the end of the league, but it looks more like championship. Fingers crossed you never know with injuries, if we could get lavin ( our best corner back and man marker) and Newman( top 4th scorer in the championship last year) back for start championship it would be a big boost. We have missed them in the league especially Lavin, who was turning into quality corner back last year. Colgan looks like July before he returns. While Campion I dont think any news on his injury but he is long term. And I am a big fan of Campion he has creativity and skill to become a quality centre forward. It would be great to have him back. And maybe even try him as an inside forward. We need to unearth top class inside forward. And I think its always worth trying out players in different positions.

But Lenihan, Walsh and Harnans return in the last match was a big plus. Hopefully when players do come back there is no relaspes and other players dont get injured. If we could clear up a few more injuries are panel I thnk is substantially stronger then last year. Which is a good thing."

Replying To Furlong1949:  "Injury update.

Shane Gallagher was training last week, but got injured again. So he has been really unlucky with injuries. Niall kane is back training. He hasnt played for over a year. Good to have him back, as the year goes on he will be an addition. Best attacking wing back after J McEntee. If J McEntee was to move to forwards, Kane would be a good replacement.
No mention of Shane McEntee and Joey Wallace. Shane McEntee must be close enough to returning though and so should J Wallace.
There are 4 long terms injuries, They are Andy Colgan, Mickey Newman, Seamus Lavin and Dara Campion.
Newman is expected to be back for championship. Which would be great. Lavin was expected to be at the end of the league, but it looks more like championship. Fingers crossed you never know with injuries, if we could get lavin ( our best corner back and man marker) and Newman( top 4th scorer in the championship last year) back for start championship it would be a big boost. We have missed them in the league especially Lavin, who was turning into quality corner back last year. Colgan looks like July before he returns. While Campion I dont think any news on his injury but he is long term. And I am a big fan of Campion he has creativity and skill to become a quality centre forward. It would be great to have him back. And maybe even try him as an inside forward. We need to unearth top class inside forward. And I think its always worth trying out players in different positions.

But Lenihan, Walsh and Harnans return in the last match was a big plus. Hopefully when players do come back there is no relaspes and other players dont get injured. If we could clear up a few more injuries are panel I thnk is substantially stronger then last year. Which is a good thing."

Replying To oldsam_newsam:  "Thanks Furlong.

Only thing is - will the returnees be up to speed for the championship if they are only getting over injuries?"

Replying To Royal.Legend:  "What's the story with jones,does anyone know when hes back full time in Ireland, thanks for the injury update furlong."

Replying To Furlong1949:  "Thanks for the comments Royalegend and Borderroyal.
Donal keoghan and Andy McEntee both mentioned in interviews the hope is Jones is back full time in March. So if that is true, he should be back for Dublin game, which is great news. V Mayo you could see a Menton/Jones partnership really taking off. Jones is a proper out and out midfielder. Something we need. Hes a good ball carrier also. If he is back full time, which is expected. It would be boost. Still 23 so young for a midfielder. John McDermont wasnt til he was 26 27 he became a top class midfielder.

It could mean Conlon come championship might end up on the bench. I am a fan of Brian Conlon. I think we need to find his best position, he has played full back, wing back, centre back and midfield this year. Could lose his place in championship with first 9 of 1 Brennan 2 Lavin 3 McGill 4 Toher/Gallagher 5 J McEntee/Ryan 6 Harnan 7 Keoghan 8 Menton 9 Jones. If everyone fit that cud first 9, just depends if J McEntee stays wing back or move to wing forward. I would play James McEntee at wing back, it his best position and with so much competition in the half back line you could see the temptation to push him forward. But I think he is excellent at wing back and that his best position.

But say you had Shane McEntee and Brian Conlon on the bench to come on last 20 mins. McEntees workrate and Conlon althleticism.arounf the middle would be a great addition. Last year we didnt have players like B Conlon and S McEntee and P Kennelly to come of the bench in last 20 mins to make an impact. B Conlon and Ronan Jones and Paddy kennelly return this year will be very important around the middle as we lacked physicality and big men there last year.

Borderoyal you asked the plan v Dubs. We need cut out the mistakes. Mistakes have been costly..We need to attempt halt when team get a run of scores eg first 20 mins v kerry and 10 mins before and after half time v Galway and first half v Mayo. We to halt this. We need to more cynical. The opppsition score 2 or 3 points. Someone lie down pretends to be injured, slow the game down, play keep ball for a while and try get a score to interupt the opposition flow.

Fenton and kilkenny need to be watched and always we need plan for their kickouts. The same passion we saw last 2 games. If Dublin go 6 or 7 up, fight to bitter end like we v Galway and kerry. But we need to have plan which is tactically aware as we struggle against the best teams who are very tactically aware, these are Ulster teams. But Dublin are the most tactically team in the country. Important that McEntee and Nally has a plan to target Dublin.

Im going mention this again, McEntee who was a tough good defender in his day has built a good strong defence that is better then any defence in div 2 and better then some div 1 defences. Take teams like Kildare and Armagh , both would be very shakey at the back, both lack quality defenders. McEntee has done well here. He had two top class defenders eg Keoghan and McGill but he has developed other players. Evety year he has brought in defender eg Toher and Clarke this year, The Ryans last year. And McCoy and Gallagher and Lavin earlier on in his tenure. They have all improved. Look at options we have at corner back eg Lavin, Gallagher, Toher, Clarke, Ross Ryan, Ronan Ryan. Look at the options at half back eg Keoghan, J McEntee, Harnan, Ronan Ryan, S McEntee, Kane, McCoy, Toher, Conlon, Lynch. You could put together 3 different half back lines there 1 J McEntee Harnan Keoghan 2 Kane Conlon Ryan 3 McCoy Lynch S McEntee. And this has being problem area for years until recently, half back linr. I have never seen so much depth in the Meath back line area, we were shakey since Boylan left. We dont have cover for McGill though thats a worry. Wolfe Tones Dan O Neill, a player who was on the panel could be an option here. But overall when we get everyone fit after Dubs we have as good defence as anyone in div 1 especially individual defenders. If we could just find 1 or 2 top class forwards that would be a real game changer."

Replying To Borderroyal:  "Ok the tactic was ??
To me seemed put mickey newman midfield leave conlon in full forward on 3 doves.
Defend well yes but your right score more.
Need to elaborate whats thoughts on this game."

Replying To royaldunne:  "Tight defense and break at speed."

Replying To royaldunne:  "Tight defense and break at speed."

Replying To Borderroyal:  "B ready for dubs high press.
Not blessed with ball winning midfielders.
Using keogy mcentee menton.gettung them on the ball.
Short kickouts could b risky.
Dubs are vulnerable when runnig back to there goals.
Kilkenny has to be man marked.
Need more than one forward up front that has to b
Our plan.
Havr to b brave and have a go.nothing to lose now.b a guage for summer time if we meet."

Replying To ASaminthehand:  "I'd add to that - be prepared for the Dubs trying something different! I think we might see some changes in personnel starting the game for the Dubs - I can't imagine they have been very happy with their forward unit to date. Howard has been playing more as a mid fielder in my opinion and Scully has been used as a half back. Both are better either side of Kilkenny in my view! I don't think they have nailed down a mid field partner for Fenton and I think Donegal exposed that in the early part of their game a few weeks back!

I totally agree that we need more than one forward up front - If we could bag a couple of goals I think we could really rattle them! They have scored only 5 goals in their games to date so if McGill and Co can protect the goal we will be in with a shout!"

Replying To Borderroyal:  "There hurting from loss no doubt there.so need not to b down by 7 points first half.
Vital to stay within couple points.have bit of a bench now with lads back fro. Injury vould b our day come sunday."

Replying To winatallcost:  "This game is hardly going ahead given the situation at the moment."

Replying To meath1977:  "either off or behind close doors"