royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 23/04/2023 18:15:58    2472843

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1003 - 23/04/2023 18:19:46    2472850

The writing was on the wall. Andy Mc Entees Antrim await us in the Tailteann Cup.

summerof09 (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 23/04/2023 18:29:42    2472859

Got to say this feels like a low point. I was in Longford in 2018, and it was an experience that left much of the crowd dumbfounded, Longford fans included. I was there in 2015 in Croker when Westmeath won it in the second half. This season the loss v. Limerick (who are never a Div.2 county) and now an average Offaly in the Leinster Ch. feel like theyve been coming for a long time. I had a suspicion it was coming. One of Louth or Offaly will reach the Leinster Final and fair play to them. For Meath the focus must be on an ongoing rebuild and re-org job. That's the only way forward.

It's just where we are folks, Ive watched this panel all season and the newer players, mixed with a hardcore of senior players who are long past their best, and the style they're playing, matched with a new management and historically low levels of interest and passion among people in the county's football team make the perfect cocktail. Too many mistakes. Too many elementally common issues with the players. Meath has been in decline for 22 years. Now theyre in the second tier of the National championship in the second ever year of its existence. This is reality, and its a long time coming. I didnt watch the game today because Im away but I listened to some of it.

I would be hesitant to have a go at the management for the simple reason that I honestly, in my heart or hearts, dont think a better manager and group of staff could do much better with the players available. Maybe a little, but not a lot. In saying that, COR's head will be for the chopping block after this.

Now onto the Tailteann Cup. It will be... interesting.

Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 596 - 23/04/2023 18:37:13    2472863

grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1175 - 23/04/2023 18:40:43    2472867

By all accounts Meath were beaten by the better team today, I'm surprised with supporters wanting O Rourke gone so quickly like what have Meath done in the last 20 years ?
I'm sure O Rourke did a lot of work with underage players in St.Pats over a 30 year career. Maybe it's time to face the fact that the quality of players you once had are just not there at this moment in time! Every team has to go through a transition period, living on past glories won't bring future success, putting the ground work in from the bottom up is what's needed, encourage and look after the successful Minor All Ireland champions from a few years ago.
Embrace the TC and try and win it,

ke40 (Kildare) - Posts: 214 - 23/04/2023 18:42:18    2472870

The worst Meath team I gave ever seen.
I thought it would be tough, but 3 points in a half of football in reasonable conditions is shocking.
I was delighted to see O Rourke get the job and I would have defended him to date, but the fact is we have been abysmal all year from the O Byrne cup forward. We are a division 3 side, Cork and Clare should have bet us.
O Rourke should probably resign now, I can't believe I'm saying that.

atta (Meath) - Posts: 704 - 23/04/2023 18:43:11    2472871

FairRoyal71 (Meath) - Posts: 13 - 23/04/2023 18:52:45    2472877

There was an interview with a Derry player (might have been a coach either) recently where they described how Derry fell 3 divisions after an almighty hammering by Dublin in Croke Park a few years back. Meath have had that repeatedly for the past 12 years. It has destroyed the sport in the county in my opinion. And the GAA and Leinster Council are responsible for financially doping one county. I didn't even bother listening on the radio, nevermind going. Clear as day we'd be beaten - we've a team full of players who genuinely wouldn't have stood out in the Meath senior club championship in early 00s or late 90s. Standard fell off a cliff.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 23/04/2023 18:58:16    2472881

Accepting the fact that Meath were in a very poor state 6 months ago. I think it is reasonable to expect to see some improvement even at this stage .Hard to see any significant improvement . Not expecting miracles but simply expecting the improvement because it was basic stuff that needed attention. The book stops with Colm O Rourke . He knows that as manager. The players know they carry a large responsibility when then wear the jersey as well. I believe we have about half the team at intercounty standard at present . I simplly dont understand what coaching our players receive . I dont also understand what training sessions do ,or how they are structured .If they are designed to deal with short comings indentified in on field performance ,then they are not working. .All very big questions that can only be handled at the top. Last time we had a review that was too late. Perhaps we should have the review as soon as possible. The county board need to come to the front and take charge on ALL matters
I dont know if Colm asked for help in the task of recovering and bringing up standards on field . or not .To me that is a critical question. As manager how is delegation working for Colm ? Will he delegate ? Coaching ? He simply cant be happy with results EVEN at this early stage. Fair play to Colm for taking the job in the first place. That only goes so far. The recovery programme requires vision from the top table to avoid more of what supporters had to accept over the last 15 years or more.. I am NOT saying i want Colm to go. I just want a SERIOUS review designed to improve standards in everything we do . Dublin did that starting with vision from the top . we can do the same ! Otherwise forget it . Our players deserve the best development available where this is beneficial on and off the field .

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1266 - 23/04/2023 19:05:25    2472885

Serious questions need to asked if the current Meath management. I'm not sure I have the patience for 2 years of trying to figure things out. We need someone who can make us better straight away. I don't believe there is anyone in the county that can do it. Should have looked outside the county but we gave it to a lad who is well past it in terms of football know how. It should have been obvious to anyone listening to him on the Sunday Game that he didn't understand modern football. The Cork game glossed over some big problems that were there.

If we can't even put it up to Offaly then I don't see us doing a whole lot in the Tailteann Cup sadly. Once we're out of that I can see us looking for a new manager.

LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 464 - 23/04/2023 19:15:06    2472890

Did nobody tell Offaly " We are Meath " ??

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 424 - 23/04/2023 19:35:02    2472895

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 23/04/2023 19:39:46    2472897

The Team is just simply badly coached nothing more , it could be seen at the league games nothing was happening system or shape wise , people can't come on here with the usual bog-standard low IQ excuse the players are not there ! Offaly lost there manger a month ago and beat us out the gate today because they had a better shape to them and the players knew what the hell they were doing. What would Malachy O'Rlourke have done today with them lads on the pitch ? Well for a start we would have won and beaten a division 3 side

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 934 - 23/04/2023 19:45:03    2472900

Royal.1 (Meath) - Posts: 29 - 23/04/2023 19:59:23    2472906

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 23/04/2023 20:12:07    2472917

MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1080 - 23/04/2023 20:15:46    2472923

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 23/04/2023 20:44:18    2472942

Some of the drama is a bit extreme here tonight...
I understand lads are hurting and want us doing well, but it's also important to be rational and logical about things.

This was ALWAYS going to get worse before it got better... Next years championship may not be a whole pile better... but I'm confident it will come around.
If a manager was able to come in and completely swing our fortunes in 6 months, then it's raise more questions than answers in my eyes.
This will he a long road, but knee jerk reactions like ripping things up and getting another manager in won't do anything positive.
What happened if a a new manager did come in later this year? He still has the same stock in the county for next years league.... so will the same players suddenly improve 30%???

This rebuild will take time. We've known for years we've to take our medicine at some point, like other counties have... Cork and Derry in the past few years have been here... we all knew we were on that path too, so now that the day has come and we get a taste of it, we just have to swallow it. And there may be a humbling or two in the tailteann cup too... we've just got to man up, take it, and logically and pragmatically build our way out of it stronger.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6347 - 23/04/2023 20:47:01    2472944

It's kind of funny reading some of the comments on here after the game. It's like people didn't see this result coming and expected Meath to win cause "We Are Meath".
We dont have to look too far back to getting dumped out of Leinster by Longford and the team that started that day were a lot better than today's crop.
This Meath has been on the decline for the past few years since reaching the super 8's and a lot of out better players have retired or have seen better days. You could see the decline last year and Mcentee knew there was only one way this team was going.
I Was hopeful of getting a positive result today but when I heard Jones was not starting I feared the worst.
There is not enough bite or aggression in this team and we let Offaly do what they want in the first half. There was an improvement in the second half and Jones made a big difference when coming on but it was too little too late.
People talking about O'Rourke being let go, it's not going to happen.
If we didn't sack McEntee after losing to Longford with a better team, I dont see them letting O'Rourke go.

Maestro (Meath) - Posts: 584 - 23/04/2023 20:47:48    2472945