What challenge matches? I have heard of none in recent weeks bar the Donegal one that a few people are referencing here. Are there no pitch openings or am I out of the loop.

I am encouraged by the reports that the team are playing well. But what team? Does anyone know the formation being played or is that a state secret?

Another 4 weeks to the game is just too long imho.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 17/05/2016 09:54:55    1855517

pretender

both teams are very different from 2010,I don't think this will come into it.Louth had that chance in 2011 and in fairness Meath hammered them.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 17/05/2016 10:30:38    1855534

Meath beat Offaly easily in a challenge match,drew with Cork and lost narrowly to Mayo as well as beating Donegal.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 17/05/2016 10:31:35    1855535

ziggy
any team news..
who's in who's out
who's showing well
who's scoring heavily
is there a defensive structure in place??

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1981 - 17/05/2016 11:00:29    1855563

brian

Thats all I know I'm afraid.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 17/05/2016 11:52:03    1855593

I am feeling confident about this game. Louth conceded a lot against Carlow and will need to step it up a lot. I understand they have momentum but thats coming from playing division 4 teams in the league you would be hoping as a louth fan they would have wins under their belt playing there and I don't mean that with any disrespect to Louth. Parnell park is a disaster of a venue but louth will never agree to play us in navan.... understandable! The only aspect I am worried about is like everyone else mentioned the cobwebs of not having a game until the 12th. If it was a LF against louth yes I'd be worried, but it's not. An Mhí Abu

Beautiful.Meath (Meath) - Posts: 537 - 17/05/2016 12:07:25    1855601

Fair enough Ziggy...
and this is no slight on you when I say this cos I know you're a genuine and good contributor here

but none of us have any idea of what's going on with the team at present, we're hearing all this rumours of beating teams and getting close to top teams etc but no one seems to have witnessed anything to give us an idea of what way things are shaping up...
I've heard it all before about us flying in practice and challenges but until we cross the line and perform well I'm not believing a word of it...
fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me... there's been too many false dawns and ultimately underperformance

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1981 - 17/05/2016 12:09:47    1855603

bad news mcgill broke his collar bone in on sunday in training will be out of the louth match

grouser (Meath) - Posts: 11 - 17/05/2016 13:21:02    1855628

Disappointing re Conor McGill
We've had no luck with full backs in recent times

Hope he recovers and isn't rushed back to senior intercounty. If he has to sit out 2016 let it be. Brian Power a more than capable guy to go into the no 3 jersey

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1981 - 17/05/2016 13:55:08    1855642

Thats bad news although he wasn't playing great we have very few options at full back..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 17/05/2016 14:11:57    1855652

more bad news on injury front, see in todays indo Meath have lost 12 players (for one reason or another) since 2015

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2212 - 17/05/2016 14:57:29    1855674

Before you ask
Meath, have also experienced quite an exodus between 2015 and 2016 with some 12 players who featured in competitive games last year no longer available.

Stephen Bray and Kevin Reilly have retired, midfielders Conor Gillespie and Adam Flanagan have long-term injuries while Davy Dalton, Jamie Queeney, David Bray, Damien Carroll, Shane O'Rourke and Brian Menton all made themselves unavailable at the beginning of the season. Three other players, Ciaran McConnell, Joey Wallace and Mark O'Sullivan, who saw game-time in the league in 2015, haven't been involved this year though Wallace is still part of the squad.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2212 - 17/05/2016 15:02:30    1855677

Louth in fairness have their own problems
Dessie Finnegan has retired, while Darren and Shane O'Hanlon couldn't commit because of shift work. Derek Crilly and Danny O'Connor have also been unavailable while Peter Kirwan and Owen O'Connor have emigrated. Gerry Hoey and Padraig Smith have had long-term injuries.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2212 - 17/05/2016 15:04:49    1855679

Not trying to annoy supporters of the aforementioned Ratoath duo. But full back is such an important position and one of our main problems of late. In my opinion neither is up to the task. Best wishes to Conor with a speedy recovery.

Auldfella (Meath) - Posts: 472 - 17/05/2016 15:05:05    1855680

Here's the bit from the Indo today

Stephen Bray and Kevin Reilly have retired, midfielders Conor Gillespie and Adam Flanagan have long-term injuries while Davy Dalton, Jamie Queeney, David Bray, Damien Carroll, Shane O'Rourke and Brian Menton all made themselves unavailable at the beginning of the season. Three other players, Ciaran McConnell, Joey Wallace and Mark O'Sullivan, who saw game-time in the league in 2015, haven't been involved this year though Wallace is still part of the squad.

From those 12 Bray and Reilly are losses but we could never rely on Kevin being 80% fit to tog out
Conor and Adam were out before championship I think
Dalton, Queeny, D Bray, Carroll, O'Rourke and the latter three guys barely saw game time so we can't say they're a massive loss
Of that list of 12 Menton is a huge loss.

So if the turnover is that high and these guys are all still about is this a managerial issue that so many are making themselves unavailable..

Under a different manager how many of them would still be involved??

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1981 - 17/05/2016 15:11:44    1855685

Ruari O'Colleainn is another.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 17/05/2016 15:20:15    1855689

Looking forward to a good game. Usually the difference between a Div 4 side and a Div 2 side is 10-15 pts, I think may be closer. Louth finish strong in all games down to a young fit side.

One of your posters

"Louth in fairness have their own problems
Dessie Finnegan has retired, while Darren and Shane O'Hanlon couldn't commit because of shift work. Derek Crilly and Danny O'Connor have also been unavailable while Peter Kirwan and Owen O'Connor have emigrated. Gerry Hoey and Padraig Smith have had long-term injuries."

I wouldn't rate any of them today to be honest. Paddy Keenan and John O'B are the big losses!

I have a funny feeling it may be Louth's day.

MR (Louth) - Posts: 2570 - 17/05/2016 16:13:13    1855719

Meath will need a good full back for louth game

11jm11 (Kildare) - Posts: 367 - 17/05/2016 16:25:18    1855726

who will be midfield?

MeathGaaLad15 (Meath) - Posts: 19 - 17/05/2016 16:47:32    1855738

Looking forward to a good game. Usually the difference between a Div 4 side and a Div 2 side is 10-15 pts, I think may be closer. Louth finish strong in all games down to a young fit side.

One of your posters

"Louth in fairness have their own problems
Dessie Finnegan has retired, while Darren and Shane O'Hanlon couldn't commit because of shift work. Derek Crilly and Danny O'Connor have also been unavailable while Peter Kirwan and Owen O'Connor have emigrated. Gerry Hoey and Padraig Smith have had long-term injuries."

I wouldn't rate any of them today to be honest. Paddy Keenan and John O'B are the big losses!

I have a funny feeling it may be Louth's day.

MR (Louth) - Posts:2284 - 17/05/2016 16:13:13 1855719

MR Razor Finnegan is another loss for the Wee County. One of my fav players to play for Louth in the last ten years.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 17/05/2016 16:48:01    1855740