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I was posting yesterday and mentioned a league game against Roscommon in Navan around the 1993, 94 or 95 mark. Meath were in the top four or five counties at the time but league games could be tough going, even though we won it out in '94.
Anyways, it brought back memories of games I was at, that were shocking hard to watch as a Meath supporter and are still in the memory today. I've seen the threads about 'Meath's worst days' but this isn't that, it's just games you remember back and wonder did that actually happen. For me the worst days were All-Ireland final losses. You can't compare a league game or Leinster semi-final loss to those, but even still, some of those random games stay with me as if it were only yesterday.
Two stand out for me and they were both in Spring 1990. The first was a Division 2 league game against Roscommon in Kiltoom. The game was supposed to be in Hyde and Meath had a huge travelling support at the time. We were nearly in Roscommon town when it was announced the game was switched to Kiltoom because of the rain and there was a dash to what seemed like your average rain soaked club ground. Meath were going well but Roscommon ran riot and won by 1-19 to 0-6 or something like that. There were All-Ireland winners playing for Meath that day but as I said before, league games could be torture.
I never thought I would see as bad again but low and behold, a few weeks later for the next away game we went up to Casement Park to play an Antrim team that everyone was hammering. Mickey McQuillan had a nightmare, letting balls over his head for a few, and Antrim scored four or five goals and won by ten points. Going up north was a bleak experience back then but that was another of those days that you couldn't ever forget, McQuillan ended up getting dropped after that game and Donal Smyth played the rest of the year including the All-Ireland final loss to Cork and amazingly as it sounds, the league final win a few weeks later.
They seem like funny memories now but I can remember standing by the wire on muddy grass in Kiltoom and sitting in the makeshift stand in Casement like it was last week.
Roger (Meath) - Posts: 478 - 17/02/2021 17:41:41
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Replying To Roger: "I was posting yesterday and mentioned a league game against Roscommon in Navan around the 1993, 94 or 95 mark. Meath were in the top four or five counties at the time but league games could be tough going, even though we won it out in '94.
Anyways, it brought back memories of games I was at, that were shocking hard to watch as a Meath supporter and are still in the memory today. I've seen the threads about 'Meath's worst days' but this isn't that, it's just games you remember back and wonder did that actually happen. For me the worst days were All-Ireland final losses. You can't compare a league game or Leinster semi-final loss to those, but even still, some of those random games stay with me as if it were only yesterday.
Two stand out for me and they were both in Spring 1990. The first was a Division 2 league game against Roscommon in Kiltoom. The game was supposed to be in Hyde and Meath had a huge travelling support at the time. We were nearly in Roscommon town when it was announced the game was switched to Kiltoom because of the rain and there was a dash to what seemed like your average rain soaked club ground. Meath were going well but Roscommon ran riot and won by 1-19 to 0-6 or something like that. There were All-Ireland winners playing for Meath that day but as I said before, league games could be torture.
I never thought I would see as bad again but low and behold, a few weeks later for the next away game we went up to Casement Park to play an Antrim team that everyone was hammering. Mickey McQuillan had a nightmare, letting balls over his head for a few, and Antrim scored four or five goals and won by ten points. Going up north was a bleak experience back then but that was another of those days that you couldn't ever forget, McQuillan ended up getting dropped after that game and Donal Smyth played the rest of the year including the All-Ireland final loss to Cork and amazingly as it sounds, the league final win a few weeks later.
They seem like funny memories now but I can remember standing by the wire on muddy grass in Kiltoom and sitting in the makeshift stand in Casement like it was last week." 1981/82. Not goin to google it, but Meath playing Longford in Leinster championship in cusack park Mullingar, they were been capt by jj McCormack of walterstown, what many mightn't know is that jj actually came from my parish originally so it was a big deal for the local area. Anyway I will never forget the ref that day a man by the name of Jodie gunning, (he hated Meath and would say so openly years later )
Anyway we didn't play great but we had blatant fouls waved on, and easy frees that were given for Longford. My young eyes will never forget that day. I remember leaving Mullingar in a state of shock. We shouldn't have lost, yes we played poorly but still.
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/02/2021 21:52:04
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Probably the game v Dublin in 1980 in Navan. Dublin 3.13 Meath 2.7. Meath struggled throughout the game but scored a goal midway in the second half that left about 3 points in it. All set to throw the kitchen sink at them...not at all we sank into oblivion and Dublin ran riot in the final quarter. Also I think that game was Kevin Moran's last appearance for Dublin.
Offaly subsequently beat Dublin in the Leinster final.
Then came last year.
MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1080 - 17/02/2021 23:21:32
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Replying To Roger: "I was posting yesterday and mentioned a league game against Roscommon in Navan around the 1993, 94 or 95 mark. Meath were in the top four or five counties at the time but league games could be tough going, even though we won it out in '94.
Anyways, it brought back memories of games I was at, that were shocking hard to watch as a Meath supporter and are still in the memory today. I've seen the threads about 'Meath's worst days' but this isn't that, it's just games you remember back and wonder did that actually happen. For me the worst days were All-Ireland final losses. You can't compare a league game or Leinster semi-final loss to those, but even still, some of those random games stay with me as if it were only yesterday.
Two stand out for me and they were both in Spring 1990. The first was a Division 2 league game against Roscommon in Kiltoom. The game was supposed to be in Hyde and Meath had a huge travelling support at the time. We were nearly in Roscommon town when it was announced the game was switched to Kiltoom because of the rain and there was a dash to what seemed like your average rain soaked club ground. Meath were going well but Roscommon ran riot and won by 1-19 to 0-6 or something like that. There were All-Ireland winners playing for Meath that day but as I said before, league games could be torture.
I never thought I would see as bad again but low and behold, a few weeks later for the next away game we went up to Casement Park to play an Antrim team that everyone was hammering. Mickey McQuillan had a nightmare, letting balls over his head for a few, and Antrim scored four or five goals and won by ten points. Going up north was a bleak experience back then but that was another of those days that you couldn't ever forget, McQuillan ended up getting dropped after that game and Donal Smyth played the rest of the year including the All-Ireland final loss to Cork and amazingly as it sounds, the league final win a few weeks later.
They seem like funny memories now but I can remember standing by the wire on muddy grass in Kiltoom and sitting in the makeshift stand in Casement like it was last week." Jesus I remember Kiltoom well and exactly as you describe, I recall a goal attempt, I think by Stafford, where the ball was actually stopped going over the goal line by a puddle of water, a quite miserable day with a hammering to boot, and yes stuffed by Antrim in the following match!! If I'm correct I think we beat Mayo and Tyrone in two play off matches after that, thankfully score difference wasn't a priority then, and played Donegal in a quarter final producing a great comeback win and then Cork in a very tempestuous semi final and Down in the final, a roller coaster league if ever there was one!! Prior to that I can remember being hammered by Laois in '85, although quite young I realised that there was great hope in the county following the centenary win in '84 and a decent Leinster Final against the Dubs but Laois beat us by 10 points I think that day and to say supporters were unhappy was an understatement, Boylan's head was being called for and I can remember the anger quite well but he survived and as they say the rest is history, that day in Tullamore was a watershed moment for sure.
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 18/02/2021 01:51:06
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Leinster Final 2020.........enough said
Brownepat (Meath) - Posts: 532 - 18/02/2021 10:44:58
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Replying To Richieq: "Jesus I remember Kiltoom well and exactly as you describe, I recall a goal attempt, I think by Stafford, where the ball was actually stopped going over the goal line by a puddle of water, a quite miserable day with a hammering to boot, and yes stuffed by Antrim in the following match!! If I'm correct I think we beat Mayo and Tyrone in two play off matches after that, thankfully score difference wasn't a priority then, and played Donegal in a quarter final producing a great comeback win and then Cork in a very tempestuous semi final and Down in the final, a roller coaster league if ever there was one!! Prior to that I can remember being hammered by Laois in '85, although quite young I realised that there was great hope in the county following the centenary win in '84 and a decent Leinster Final against the Dubs but Laois beat us by 10 points I think that day and to say supporters were unhappy was an understatement, Boylan's head was being called for and I can remember the anger quite well but he survived and as they say the rest is history, that day in Tullamore was a watershed moment for sure." Wow Richie, I remember that effort by Stafford now that you say it, the ball stuck in the mud after he had beaten the keeper. There were experimental rules and four quarters in the '89/90 league, and you played into different goals for each quarter.
You are right, we beat Tyrone in a playoff on Breffni Park and Mayo in Croke Park to qualify for the quarter-final, won both of those games well if I remember correctly.
There was a fairly toxic atmosphere for that semi-final against Cork in Croke Park. Cahalane got sent off for nearly beheading O'Rourke under the Cusack hoardings and Tompkins was booed every time he took a free. Down beat Roscommon in the first semi-final played before our game and I can still remember the Down and Roscommon fans being stunned by the intensity of the Meath-Cork rivalry.
Roger (Meath) - Posts: 478 - 18/02/2021 11:11:07
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Replying To Richieq: "Jesus I remember Kiltoom well and exactly as you describe, I recall a goal attempt, I think by Stafford, where the ball was actually stopped going over the goal line by a puddle of water, a quite miserable day with a hammering to boot, and yes stuffed by Antrim in the following match!! If I'm correct I think we beat Mayo and Tyrone in two play off matches after that, thankfully score difference wasn't a priority then, and played Donegal in a quarter final producing a great comeback win and then Cork in a very tempestuous semi final and Down in the final, a roller coaster league if ever there was one!! Prior to that I can remember being hammered by Laois in '85, although quite young I realised that there was great hope in the county following the centenary win in '84 and a decent Leinster Final against the Dubs but Laois beat us by 10 points I think that day and to say supporters were unhappy was an understatement, Boylan's head was being called for and I can remember the anger quite well but he survived and as they say the rest is history, that day in Tullamore was a watershed moment for sure." Richie, I checked and what a memory, i thought it was 1991. I remember that game well was in Clones and it p155ed rain all day. They'd no trouble telling us what a dirty bunch of b*******s we were and couldn't play football at all. Donegal were lording it too about 5 or six up in the last 8 minutes and we scored something like 2-3/2-5 in the last few minutes and won handy in the end. Donegal folk were prematurely celebrating and telling us how great their team was, that we were all kinds of s***e, they were sickened leaving Clones that day. Remember at one stage my father saying how much of a hatchet man Martin Shovelin was (think he tried taking a few of our boys out that day, possibly flynner in particular and a young Tommy Dowd perhaps) and one of the Donegal people took exception and nearly took a swing at the old fella. They didn't like it up them at all. We beat them in the war and in the football. Glorious day
brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 18/02/2021 12:16:00
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Leaving Croke park in 2019 after leinster final, although our backs were brilliant in the first 50 minutes containing the dubs it was the embarrassment of the few chances ( mostly frees ) that were kicked wide, leaving young conlon up top on his own, has not done him much favours since.
And then the humiliation when our backs finally had nothing left to give and the dubs just showed no mercy humiliating us.
Before anyone goes on the attack - we were 3 points to 1 down at half time, had two frees early in the second half and kicked them both wide from the 20 metre line, this wasn't Andy Mc's fault ( he wasn't taking the frees but I would argue why the lad that was taking them was on the field, very average player ) but if you were defending that day and you were looking up at that it would kill you inside.
Although we made the super 8's by beaten Clare by a point we were found out in the 3 games losing by an average of 8 points a game.
Losing to Offaly in 2000 was a hard one to take been from Ballinabrackey, that was the worst one to take especially been all Ireland champions going into the game
thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1073 - 18/02/2021 17:45:04
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Replying To Roger: "Wow Richie, I remember that effort by Stafford now that you say it, the ball stuck in the mud after he had beaten the keeper. There were experimental rules and four quarters in the '89/90 league, and you played into different goals for each quarter.
You are right, we beat Tyrone in a playoff on Breffni Park and Mayo in Croke Park to qualify for the quarter-final, won both of those games well if I remember correctly.
There was a fairly toxic atmosphere for that semi-final against Cork in Croke Park. Cahalane got sent off for nearly beheading O'Rourke under the Cusack hoardings and Tompkins was booed every time he took a free. Down beat Roscommon in the first semi-final played before our game and I can still remember the Down and Roscommon fans being stunned by the intensity of the Meath-Cork rivalry." Indeed the four quarters, I wasn't a big fan of them being honest, that semi final v Cork is seemingly forgotten by many in the context of the overall Meath/Cork rivalry of the time but in my view it was the most volatile of all the match's and the '88 final and replay were nothing in comparison to it.
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 18/02/2021 20:11:44
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Replying To brian: "Richie, I checked and what a memory, i thought it was 1991. I remember that game well was in Clones and it p155ed rain all day. They'd no trouble telling us what a dirty bunch of b*******s we were and couldn't play football at all. Donegal were lording it too about 5 or six up in the last 8 minutes and we scored something like 2-3/2-5 in the last few minutes and won handy in the end. Donegal folk were prematurely celebrating and telling us how great their team was, that we were all kinds of s***e, they were sickened leaving Clones that day. Remember at one stage my father saying how much of a hatchet man Martin Shovelin was (think he tried taking a few of our boys out that day, possibly flynner in particular and a young Tommy Dowd perhaps) and one of the Donegal people took exception and nearly took a swing at the old fella. They didn't like it up them at all. We beat them in the war and in the football. Glorious day" Indeed we were involved in a few hefty deliberations with some Donegal supporters ourselves that day, I know Beggy got one of the goals and perhaps maybe both of them, the All Ireland semi final later that year followed a similar pattern with two quick goals sealing the deal, a wet miserable day alright in a pre-development Clones which really was a miserable dump but a stellar day from a football point of view
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 18/02/2021 20:15:40
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Replying To thelutch: "Leaving Croke park in 2019 after leinster final, although our backs were brilliant in the first 50 minutes containing the dubs it was the embarrassment of the few chances ( mostly frees ) that were kicked wide, leaving young conlon up top on his own, has not done him much favours since.
And then the humiliation when our backs finally had nothing left to give and the dubs just showed no mercy humiliating us.
Before anyone goes on the attack - we were 3 points to 1 down at half time, had two frees early in the second half and kicked them both wide from the 20 metre line, this wasn't Andy Mc's fault ( he wasn't taking the frees ) but if you were defending that day and you were looking up at that it would kill you inside.
Although we made the super 8's by beaten Clare by a point we were found out in the 3 games losing by an average of 8 points a game.
Losing to Offaly in 2000 was a hard one to take been from Ballinabrackey, that was the worst one to take especially been all Ireland champions going into the game" Scandalous amount of wides that day and some scandalous effort's, agreed on the 2000 game a desperately disappointing exit
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 18/02/2021 20:18:11
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Loss to Down in 91 final and then the loss to Laois in Navan in first round in 1992. Will never get over those two matches. Signaled the end of that great team (obviously I didn't have to wait long for another brilliant team but still).
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 19/02/2021 11:18:24
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The loss to Offaly in 97 final after eventually getting over Kildare in semi. Even though Mark O'Reilly, Darren Fay, and Graham Geraghty were all suspended and O Connell was injured I still thought we would have too much for Offaly who were in division 4 at the time. 91 also stands out after all the drama that went before.
seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2195 - 19/02/2021 15:20:03
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Replying To Crinigan: "Loss to Down in 91 final and then the loss to Laois in Navan in first round in 1992. Will never get over those two matches. Signaled the end of that great team (obviously I didn't have to wait long for another brilliant team but still)." Down loss will always be in my mind too. Not necessarily cause of the saga with Dublin that year , but I had moved to London prior to all ire final and flew back in the morning of the game without a ticket (two brothers had theirs for canal end). Met up with them early couldn't get a ticket for love or money , then about halfway through minor match I'd say this dub came up to me and asked are you looking for a ticket, I had seen him earlier but he was getting shouted at by a Down supporter, he said he had canal end tickets for sale. (They we £15) he was selling for 120. He said it was a bit battered. It was clearly a forgery (and a bad one at that ) I said I'd give him a 100, and chance my arm getting in between the brothers at the stiles it wasn't even perforated properly where they use to rip off the one end, I was so nervous, as it happened the guy never even looked at it just ripped it off almost half way. And I got in. After all that to get beat and have to head back to Dublin airport and be in work the next morning was pure heartache. Anyway I must have been either very desperate or stupid to pay 100 punts for a ticket I knew was forged that should have only been 15, and to try and succeed to get in, I guess my luck ran out when Down won.
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 19/02/2021 16:52:56
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Replying To royaldunne: "Down loss will always be in my mind too. Not necessarily cause of the saga with Dublin that year , but I had moved to London prior to all ire final and flew back in the morning of the game without a ticket (two brothers had theirs for canal end). Met up with them early couldn't get a ticket for love or money , then about halfway through minor match I'd say this dub came up to me and asked are you looking for a ticket, I had seen him earlier but he was getting shouted at by a Down supporter, he said he had canal end tickets for sale. (They we £15) he was selling for 120. He said it was a bit battered. It was clearly a forgery (and a bad one at that ) I said I'd give him a 100, and chance my arm getting in between the brothers at the stiles it wasn't even perforated properly where they use to rip off the one end, I was so nervous, as it happened the guy never even looked at it just ripped it off almost half way. And I got in. After all that to get beat and have to head back to Dublin airport and be in work the next morning was pure heartache. Anyway I must have been either very desperate or stupid to pay 100 punts for a ticket I knew was forged that should have only been 15, and to try and succeed to get in, I guess my luck ran out when Down won." That's some story! The things we do.... fair play to ye.
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 19/02/2021 20:30:03
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Coming out of Dr Cullen park in 2008 after losing to Wexford was horrific. Especially since we had done well the year before and it looked like we were beginning to make a comeback. Another false dawn sadly.
Meath10 (Meath) - Posts: 190 - 22/02/2021 10:49:13
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Replying To Meath10: "Coming out of Dr Cullen park in 2008 after losing to Wexford was horrific. Especially since we had done well the year before and it looked like we were beginning to make a comeback. Another false dawn sadly." I was only very young but would second this it was heartbreaking. There's a great LMFM podcast series released over the last 3 weeks called 'After the Gold Rush | Meath Beyond Boylan' and it's a great listen for Meath supporters. I was too young to remember this period properly especially off the field stuff. But this goes into detail about Boylan's last year, Eamon Barry's year and Colm Coyle. I must say Eamon Barry came off very badly and Brian Farrell, in particular, had the belief that Boylan would have gotten great results out of that 07-10 Meath team if he was allowed to develop it. The off the field issues with Eamon Barry and the management infighting is made all the worse when you consider how good Dublin's planning to use their massive financial power at the same time period. It really was a great listen and I learned a lot from it
LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1523 - 22/02/2021 14:19:10
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Sorry not a bad memory but havent ever seen or heard anyones memories of this game. Meath v Clare in Ballinasloe of all places in spring 1992, league quater final the game ended 0-8 to 0-6 to meath. anyone rembember this? from what i recall it was jammed.
dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 767 - 09/03/2021 23:56:19
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Replying To dickie10: "Sorry not a bad memory but havent ever seen or heard anyones memories of this game. Meath v Clare in Ballinasloe of all places in spring 1992, league quater final the game ended 0-8 to 0-6 to meath. anyone rembember this? from what i recall it was jammed." I was there and what a miserable location it was. Why did they bring a game to Ballinasloe of all places. Galway or Tuam you'd understand, but Ballinasloe.... A complete kip
It ****** rain all day to from what i remember of it. Absolute slog of a game.
brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 11/03/2021 12:21:18
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Replying To LeitrimRoyal99: "I was only very young but would second this it was heartbreaking. There's a great LMFM podcast series released over the last 3 weeks called 'After the Gold Rush | Meath Beyond Boylan' and it's a great listen for Meath supporters. I was too young to remember this period properly especially off the field stuff. But this goes into detail about Boylan's last year, Eamon Barry's year and Colm Coyle. I must say Eamon Barry came off very badly and Brian Farrell, in particular, had the belief that Boylan would have gotten great results out of that 07-10 Meath team if he was allowed to develop it. The off the field issues with Eamon Barry and the management infighting is made all the worse when you consider how good Dublin's planning to use their massive financial power at the same time period. It really was a great listen and I learned a lot from it" Do you have or anyone else a link to the podcast. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 11/03/2021 20:39:18
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