Meath Forum

Club Championship 2023

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Conditions today were terrible for any team playing however to be county champions and not score in the second half is hard to believe. and no score from either team in the last 20 plus additional time is even harder to believe. More like a soccer statistic.
The final will be very similar I would say as in low scoring. 10 points will probably win it.

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1073 - 24/09/2023 20:53:05    2505480

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at the game myself as a neutral also .
i thought the ref had a poor game decisions and his positioning for a lot of the big calls.

To be fair the standard of the championship is poor 12 teams would be enough and also the reserve leagues are killing all teams esp. the larger ones.

The structure is all wrong as you can win 2 games and get to a semi and win 3 and got out at 1/4 stage.

Why not go as far as E in the Junior. Look at the most successful counties Dublin and Kerry.

Dublin go all the way down too Junior ( What ever ), we dont have enough strong teams to have a reserve league.

Why not have Kilbride's 2nd team playing Championship v Ratoath 3rd or Drumbaragh 2nds playing Kells 3rds rather than getting walk overs.

Why not use the Feis cup for the regional teams and senior and still run the other cups at the same time so that if someone is picked on the regional teams that they cant play with their clubs in the other cup for the rest of junior and inter.

We need to do something because players deserve better than going training and then fingers crossed they will get a game.

Our games are for all what ever their level is other wise will we loose them to other sports.

dnewlad (Meath) - Posts: 137 - 24/09/2023 21:58:29    2505491

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Replying To Awaywin:  "You sure you are neutral??"
Well i wouldn't of said it if i wasn't… I can talk about plenty of other games where referees were absolutely terrible. The Tones lost the game themselves kicking wides from placed balls and ridiculous shot selection I stated that but the referee was terrible.

redracoon (Meath) - Posts: 57 - 24/09/2023 22:10:01    2505494

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at the game myself as a neutral also .
i thought the ref had a poor game decisions and his positioning for a lot of the big calls.

To be fair the standard of the championship is poor 12 teams would be enough and also the reserve leagues are killing all teams esp. the larger ones.

The structure is all wrong as you can win 2 games and get to a semi and win 3 and got out at 1/4 stage.

Why not go as far as E in the Junior. Look at the most successful counties Dublin and Kerry.

Dublin go all the way down too Junior ( What ever ), we dont have enough strong teams to have a reserve league.

Why not have Kilbride's 2nd team playing Championship v Ratoath 3rd or Drumbaragh 2nds playing Kells 3rds rather than getting walk overs.

Why not use the Feis cup for the regional teams and senior and still run the other cups at the same time so that if someone is picked on the regional teams that they cant play with their clubs in the other cup for the rest of junior and inter.

We need to do something because players deserve better than going training and then fingers crossed they will get a game.

Our games are for all what ever their level is other wise will we loose them to other sports.

dnewlad (Meath) - Posts: 137 - 24/09/2023 22:25:58    2505495

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Two very poor senior semi finals.

Ratoath are a very lucky side, not to score in the second half yesterday and pick up the 5 or 6 yellows for off the ball stuff was ridiculous. They biggest benefit will be they came through a battle which will stand to them.

Tones can definitely feel hard done by the ref but in the end it was their shot selection and reliance on Cian Ward which cost them.

Summerhill will be happy to be in another final, they showed this year they can win by playing nice skillful football but they got through a dogfight on Saturday.

On Ashbourne, they were toothless up front, no direct play or hard running. If Brady or Deegan didn't get the ball first time around they didn't make that second or third run. If I was an Ashbourne person I would be asking what they have to do to win a championship as they have so much potential but can never build on it. The last 10 years they have been the biggest pretenders and have no clue as to why they can not get over the line with the individual talent they possess

UsernameInvalid (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 25/09/2023 13:22:56    2505610

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4 well balanced finals to look forward to in 2 weeks.
Moynalty vs Slane..

Moynalty have beaten them in the group I'd fancy them to beat them again in navan. Moynalty by 1 or 2 in a brilliant game.

Kilbride vs Clann na gael

Kilbride are after simmering nicely over the last few weeks think on a big pitch with all their speed will be very hard to stop. Kilbride by 5

Duleek/Btwn vs Rathkenny

Duleek have been here last year and faced the impossible task of playing dunshauglin this year they face a rathkenny team that was unlucky not to knock dunshaughlin out last year. I think rathkenny cam get it done here. Rathkenny by 1-3

Summerhill vs Ratoath

Think summerhill will be very hard to beat this year and ratoath haven't hit the heights of the last few years. Summerhill to finally get over the line. Summerhill by 4

CMAN1570 (Meath) - Posts: 56 - 25/09/2023 13:23:32    2505611

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Moynalty are Slane's bogey team but the Junior B is Moynalty's bogey competition.

Slane to hand another Junior B final defeat to Moynalty.

Belt (Meath) - Posts: 272 - 25/09/2023 13:58:44    2505623

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Replying To Utdroyal:  "Nobody wants to watch 2nd team football, give it a rest"
Based on yesterdays evidence, give me a second team game all day. Even though we lost the Prem1 final, it was fast and positive and much better than the dreadful stuff offered up the Seniors.

Ratoath were awful, spent the entire second half passing it around and going nowhere. Nearly got mugged in the FB line twice. I don't remember a team going through a half without scoring. If they were there for another 30 mins they still wouldn't have scored. How can Jack Flynn be so anonymous having lit up Croke Park so recently?

Tones were even worse, winning direct back up front and not being able to use it. Wardie was a sad reflection of the sharp-shooter that used to put them over from any position in Croke Park.

If these are two of the best teams in Meath then we have a very low standard at the moment. Hopefully S'hill will pull us all back up again.

aghref (Meath) - Posts: 150 - 25/09/2023 15:37:27    2505661

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Junior football these days is becoming far more interesting and a great style/flow to the games. It's far more direct, kick pass, move the ball fast and decent scoring games. I was at Summerhill vs Trim, left at half time absolutely terrible stuff. Wolfe Tones v Simonstown wasn't much better, The two senior semi finals were horrible to watch for what's meant to be the top of the crop in Meath football it's almost jaw dropping that this is the best teams we offer in meath. The style played in senior football is defensive, 15 men behind the ball, hand pass over and back which is rubbish. How can anyone expect Colm o'rourke to look at that and think these are the best teams in the county, who do I pick off this? Judging on yesterday there wasn't one player from either side Tones or Ratoath that as an outsider you'd look and pick out the "county men". It's very disappointing and not a good look going forward. Junior football is great to watch and there's no reason why senior football can't be played the same positive way. It's far too negative and needs to change for the better of everyone

redracoon (Meath) - Posts: 57 - 25/09/2023 16:46:30    2505681

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Replying To aghref:  "Based on yesterdays evidence, give me a second team game all day. Even though we lost the Prem1 final, it was fast and positive and much better than the dreadful stuff offered up the Seniors.

Ratoath were awful, spent the entire second half passing it around and going nowhere. Nearly got mugged in the FB line twice. I don't remember a team going through a half without scoring. If they were there for another 30 mins they still wouldn't have scored. How can Jack Flynn be so anonymous having lit up Croke Park so recently?

Tones were even worse, winning direct back up front and not being able to use it. Wardie was a sad reflection of the sharp-shooter that used to put them over from any position in Croke Park.

If these are two of the best teams in Meath then we have a very low standard at the moment. Hopefully S'hill will pull us all back up again."
I think most people know Meath senior football is a very poor standard, Ratoath are and have been shocking for most of the championship. It's very poor to watch the way they try and play keep ball. Went a long time without scoring against Dunshaughlin, didn't score in the second half yesterday - can only assume it's coming from the management given the Ratoath also won the Prem Div 1 final yesterday with a huge scoreline of 0-8 to 0-7...

I know conditions are poor, but they've shown a few times this year that they are arrogant enough to think it's okay to go ahead and try to keep the ball for 60 mins. It's shocking to watch. Hope Summerhill try to play football against them, but it'll undoubtedly be 0-9 to 0-8 win for Ratoath,

At least in the Intermediate championship games over the weekend, you have teams actually trying to play football and going for it.

hyperache (Meath) - Posts: 251 - 25/09/2023 17:01:54    2505683

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Replying To redracoon:  "Junior football these days is becoming far more interesting and a great style/flow to the games. It's far more direct, kick pass, move the ball fast and decent scoring games. I was at Summerhill vs Trim, left at half time absolutely terrible stuff. Wolfe Tones v Simonstown wasn't much better, The two senior semi finals were horrible to watch for what's meant to be the top of the crop in Meath football it's almost jaw dropping that this is the best teams we offer in meath. The style played in senior football is defensive, 15 men behind the ball, hand pass over and back which is rubbish. How can anyone expect Colm o'rourke to look at that and think these are the best teams in the county, who do I pick off this? Judging on yesterday there wasn't one player from either side Tones or Ratoath that as an outsider you'd look and pick out the "county men". It's very disappointing and not a good look going forward. Junior football is great to watch and there's no reason why senior football can't be played the same positive way. It's far too negative and needs to change for the better of everyone"
Have seen even In my own club, it's coming from management teams. Players who try to play football are being dropped for players who are experts in the backwards handpass. More and more time being spent in watching video analysis and playing to a 'system'. A 5 point win these days is like a hammering, the future is in a bad way and our county team will not develop if it allowed keep up.

Meathgaalad (Meath) - Posts: 171 - 25/09/2023 18:43:54    2505697

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Replying To hyperache:  "I think most people know Meath senior football is a very poor standard, Ratoath are and have been shocking for most of the championship. It's very poor to watch the way they try and play keep ball. Went a long time without scoring against Dunshaughlin, didn't score in the second half yesterday - can only assume it's coming from the management given the Ratoath also won the Prem Div 1 final yesterday with a huge scoreline of 0-8 to 0-7...

I know conditions are poor, but they've shown a few times this year that they are arrogant enough to think it's okay to go ahead and try to keep the ball for 60 mins. It's shocking to watch. Hope Summerhill try to play football against them, but it'll undoubtedly be 0-9 to 0-8 win for Ratoath,

At least in the Intermediate championship games over the weekend, you have teams actually trying to play football and going for it."
Do you think the scoreline of 0-10 to 0-8 for Summerhill v Don/Ash was any better?? Do you think the set up of Wolfe Tones contributed anything ti tje overall display yesterday?? A rather coloured view of things I would suggest

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 25/09/2023 20:43:49    2505718

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Senior semi final yesterday was probably the worst game ever played in pairc tailteann. If our senior champions with the wealth of talent at their disposal can't come out and play what traditionally would be an attacking brand of football , what hope is there for us as a county. This team has been on the go now for 4/5 years adding more and more talent ever year and have been worthy champions but yesterday was worrying. Semi finals are there to be won. If winning at all cost turns to this style of football , final should be boycotted or maybe Summerhill can save us all and win playing their brand of football. Tones inability to break at speed when they did turnover ball cost them, but feel sorry for them . Some crucial flash points went against them yesterday.

fitspert (Meath) - Posts: 25 - 25/09/2023 20:54:54    2505719

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"Judging on yesterday there wasn't one player from either side Tones or Ratoath that as an outsider you'd look and pick out the "county men"………..

Actually there was one player. Ratoath's no 8 Ben McGowan was excellent throughout, by far the best player on view.

aghref (Meath) - Posts: 150 - 25/09/2023 22:03:45    2505729

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I was at the tones ratoath game, and the ref was not favouring anyone. He was fair

rubia (Meath) - Posts: 26 - 26/09/2023 02:19:36    2505735

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Replying To hyperache:  "I think most people know Meath senior football is a very poor standard, Ratoath are and have been shocking for most of the championship. It's very poor to watch the way they try and play keep ball. Went a long time without scoring against Dunshaughlin, didn't score in the second half yesterday - can only assume it's coming from the management given the Ratoath also won the Prem Div 1 final yesterday with a huge scoreline of 0-8 to 0-7...

I know conditions are poor, but they've shown a few times this year that they are arrogant enough to think it's okay to go ahead and try to keep the ball for 60 mins. It's shocking to watch. Hope Summerhill try to play football against them, but it'll undoubtedly be 0-9 to 0-8 win for Ratoath,

At least in the Intermediate championship games over the weekend, you have teams actually trying to play football and going for it."
Ratoath are entitled to play whatever way they want. Wolfe Tones parked the bus, so why would Ratoath give them what they want and kick or run into their mass defence. Yes, Ratoath should have put more pace into it at times but they were doing the right thing, against a team with fifteen men behind the ball. Wolfe Tones are the ones with the biggest questions to answer as to why they couldn't score at all for the last twenty minutes of a Senior Championship Semi Final with a gale force wind at their backs. Missing the amount of deadball shots as they did was unforgiveable.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 997 - 26/09/2023 08:57:14    2505738

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Unfortunately its the current rules that are dictating the standard of football throughout the country. Coaches are getting paid for results meaning that retention of the football is what is being coached. Full on defense until ball is won back and worked up slowly to the scoring zone. From there then its is over and back until they either squeeze and opening or loose the ball and then retreat. Unless rules are changed nothing will change. Its not just mean its everywhere.

Ruel change required where by there is no going back over the half way line which would make the squeeze easier or trams must retain 4 players in each half at all time. Obviously this would be hard to police but some radical changes are required.

Foley91 (Meath) - Posts: 418 - 26/09/2023 09:11:04    2505742

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Replying To fitspert:  "Senior semi final yesterday was probably the worst game ever played in pairc tailteann. If our senior champions with the wealth of talent at their disposal can't come out and play what traditionally would be an attacking brand of football , what hope is there for us as a county. This team has been on the go now for 4/5 years adding more and more talent ever year and have been worthy champions but yesterday was worrying. Semi finals are there to be won. If winning at all cost turns to this style of football , final should be boycotted or maybe Summerhill can save us all and win playing their brand of football. Tones inability to break at speed when they did turnover ball cost them, but feel sorry for them . Some crucial flash points went against them yesterday."
Again, I would refer you to the semi final involving Summerhill before wondering if they are going to "save us all" the inadequacies of that game are being largely ignored, as for crucial flash points going against Tones i find that debatable but then that's just my opinion, ultimately Tones had several chances with a gale behind them in the second half that they missed, hence they lost, regardless of how people view the officiating Tones had adequate chances.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 26/09/2023 11:11:51    2505767

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Replying To fitspert:  "Senior semi final yesterday was probably the worst game ever played in pairc tailteann. If our senior champions with the wealth of talent at their disposal can't come out and play what traditionally would be an attacking brand of football , what hope is there for us as a county. This team has been on the go now for 4/5 years adding more and more talent ever year and have been worthy champions but yesterday was worrying. Semi finals are there to be won. If winning at all cost turns to this style of football , final should be boycotted or maybe Summerhill can save us all and win playing their brand of football. Tones inability to break at speed when they did turnover ball cost them, but feel sorry for them . Some crucial flash points went against them yesterday."
Summerhill to save us by winning playing their brand of football?

I've seen them several times this year . Good side and although they are certainly not playing a puke football style they are not exactly playing swashbuckling gung ho champagne football either so they are not the saviors of Meath football that you seem to think they are.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1003 - 26/09/2023 11:29:45    2505777

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Replying To rubia:  "I was at the tones ratoath game, and the ref was not favouring anyone. He was fair"
Well said Father

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1489 - 26/09/2023 11:30:56    2505778

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