StickFan (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 22/09/2020 11:13:24    2293532

Ratoath have made massive strides in Hurling, I remember when they were junior back in the 2000s. Is it growing population or what has made them a lot stronger?
In the opposite direction Kilmessan were the powerhouse of meath hurling back then and now look to be going back a lot.

preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 761 - 25/09/2020 10:59:59    2293999

Population + hard work at underge , huge numbers playing.
4 league teams in meath hurling adult league says it all for numbers playing

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 424 - 25/09/2020 16:06:16    2294056

lordofthecrack (Meath) - Posts: 43 - 25/09/2020 16:09:09    2294059

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1374 - 25/09/2020 17:41:09    2294083

head4dblackspot (Meath) - Posts: 513 - 25/09/2020 18:25:42    2294092

When any club in our county is playing each other, tempers are always high and there will always be disagreements. However, the behaviour of ratoath management, supporters and a certain sponsors is well known at this stage to be unacceptable. A lot of the time the players are not at fault but they see what is going on around them and are now starting to behave the same. We played them in 2 different codes and at two different adult levels this year and there was 3 red cards for them in the two games. None for us.
It's really disappointing to see. As a club they need to sort it out. Every club in Meath hates them. I come from a club that have serious competition with local clubs, and at times it gets heated. After the game we all shake hands and enjoy the rivalry. Even socialise together at times. If things in ratoath don't change quickly, the co. board will have to start punishing them. Brian Farrell is a decent man and they should take the opportunity while he is there to change it from the top. But as I said, it's the senior members who need to have a look at themselves.

philips1 (Meath) - Posts: 42 - 26/09/2020 07:28:46    2294148

head4dblackspot (Meath) - Posts: 513 - 26/09/2020 08:41:51    2294150

Exactly , this is a hurling thread , they would not be hated in hurling circles , football yes.

Predictions
Trim to win , injury wont help but big panel of very good young players , kildalkey are a average team and as raoath showed are there for the kill.

Ratoath to win other semi easy enough if attitude is correct.

The inter semi are very hard to call , i would like to see one of the north meath teams go senior , the area needs it , hurling is struggling badly ,wolf tones have minor teams now again so would be best suited to have a chance.
Kilskyre are old team with no underage at the minute but with year they have had it would be great to see them go up also.
Two very good teams stand in the way , two very hard games to call

Wolf tones + boardsmill for me

What is going on in the junior? i dont see any fixtures , kilmessan and dunboyne need to play off

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 424 - 26/09/2020 11:48:13    2294164

Hoo boy the bitterness is coming out in the hurling thread for once.

We really should be beating Na Fianna tomorrow. But it's excellent to see a recently promoted side on the up and making it to group A next year.
Personally think Kildalkey's loss to us will have given them the kick they needed. I don't see them losing tomorrow, especially with Trim's injuries. But I think it's only a matter of time for Trim to make the breakthrough in Senior.

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1374 - 26/09/2020 16:14:40    2294179

Jaysus that was some finish! Well done Trim. Kildalkey were the better team for 60 minutes but then stopped playing. To lose a 7 point lead in injury time is inexcusable.

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1374 - 26/09/2020 18:49:20    2294196

Complete bottle job by Kildalkey .
Like last years drawn final with Kiltale they sat back and tried to defend a lead
Trim were haunted to get that result. Badly missed Toher and Dwane in the centre of their defence

showforit (Meath) - Posts: 156 - 26/09/2020 20:43:20    2294211

Trim played woefull , missed easy free after easy free
Missing their full back and number 6 , and still won.
Incredible finish to the game.
They will not get away with that again a better team in the final.

Kildalkey have lost games like this before over the years , and only for a very soft free they were awarded in last years county final they would have lost that also.

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 424 - 26/09/2020 21:49:46    2294229

Fair play to Ratoath, in the two senior finals, some achievement by any club in Ireland never mind a county, the best of luck to them, let the haters hate

Also Trim in the senior hurling and intermediate football, another great achievement although i hope my beloved Bracks will take them down next Saturday in what should be a cracker

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1073 - 27/09/2020 18:51:39    2294337

Hugely impressive performance again by Ratoath. They have put every team they have played in this years championship to the sword. Physically big players that can hurl and scoring forwards with a deadly inside line. Double looking good for them.

showforit (Meath) - Posts: 156 - 27/09/2020 19:45:24    2294350

showforit (Meath) - Posts: 156 - 27/09/2020 20:16:41    2294359

Well that was a great weekend for the hurling in the county. Blockbuster finish on the saturday and a wonderful display of skill and ability shown by ratoath on sunday.

Starting with Saturday everyone there could see Trim did not deserve to be anywhere near the finish line as they just did not come to the party. Extremely poor from frees, tactics and personnel was wrong(alan douglas had to watch the game go past him for 55 minutes). Yes injuries effected them but it shouldnt have been that bad. Andrews was cleaned out at full back but thats standard really and mornan was out of sorts.All their backs were 5 yards off their men which at this level quality forwards will hammer you and thats what kildalkey did. That said trim forwards had very poor day at the office with none of them bar heffernan showing any real threat. Dowling and young cole were not at the races and could have been pulled ashore in the first half and probably should have been but that would be hard to swallow.

The only thing trim did well was they hung in there and kept the board ticking over and douglas and joyce showing good game managment in the end taking the points before scrambling the couple of goals.

Kildalkey will be kicking themselves as they had the chances and they missed a considerable amount of frees themselves that should have been taken. having the man sent off was very foolish and he should have known with 15 men kildalkey would have strolled to the finish but the red card got trims backs up a bit and they started to fight more.

Couldnt get to the sundays game but NA fianna should hold their heads high. They are probably wishing they got Trim instead as they probably would have got the result. Ratoath are the form team in the county and are fitter, stronger and have more men in the prime right now then any other team in the county. Winning is a habit and it shows in both codes for them. There ability to take big scores from everywhere on the team and having possibly the best free taker in the county makes them one hell of a team to beat for anyone and i can honestly see them dominating for the next few years.

The final should be close with ratoath winning but it could be a bloodfest should trim play like they did on saturday.

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 640 - 28/09/2020 09:39:16    2294433

3feetoftimber (Meath) - Posts: 113 - 28/09/2020 09:55:25    2294436

Absolutely excellent performance from the start. If our forwards can click against Trim, I can't see them beating us.
Senior finals for our footballers and hurlers when 10 years ago we were junior in both codes.

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1374 - 28/09/2020 09:58:58    2294439

Got to hand it to Ratoath senior hurling and football finalists, favourite for both and the best thing they are nearly all dual players. All young lads and could dominate both codes for a while to come. Exciting times for them.

latouche25 (Meath) - Posts: 532 - 28/09/2020 10:37:41    2294454