Who will be heading up to Newry? Should be a straight forward win but thats not the Meath way!!

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 08/02/2010 18:13:33    555495

Gonna head up myself, was a good athmosphere there in the championship in 07.
Pub just on the way down to the ground too, McCoys or McGeoghs or something like that, was full of Meath support that day.
The Down people were 100% aswell, no nonsense outta them at all, & even after the game they still stayed for the crac.

As for the game, I think it will be far from easy & Id be surprised if we came away with a win. Id love if we did, but on the road in the league we have been poor & down will be on a real high after exposing Kildare for what they are last weekend.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6347 - 08/02/2010 18:50:48    555552

think a lot of people are underestimating Down, they will be tough to beat. Was great craic up there for the qualifier in 07.

Ochocinco (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 08/02/2010 19:02:34    555565

A lot of people are underestimating Down alright but more importantly people are underestimating Kildare-Already!!!!

proevo (Meath) - Posts: 296 - 08/02/2010 19:26:59    555599

should be a good test. down are on the up. have very good palyers.

db9 (Meath) - Posts: 283 - 08/02/2010 19:34:47    555615

Yes I too will be travelling north. Don't think the game will be all that easy. Down had a good win at the weekend and will be up for this one.

men_of_49 (Meath) - Posts: 2022 - 08/02/2010 20:26:46    555696

proevo

Dunno bout Kildare. I think there was alot of fuss made over them in the past few years. I firmly believe that Meath would have beaten any of the opposition that they did last year with the same amount of ease. I also think Grimley was the main operator there & will be a huge loss to McGeeney.
They shipped a bad beating at the weekend, on the back of throwing away a decent lead at home to Louth. That along with 7 red cards in the past 3/4 games isnt gonna help the overall morale in the squad which already seemed tender with Smith being axed!

Down will be very hard beaten in the League I think. They are very strong going forward & we have a porous defence at the moment. There one weakeness however is their own defence, which we should be able to punish. Thats leaving the balance between the sides decided at or around midfiels, & in not inspired by ours yet! Should be an open high scoring game sat night & hopefully a good turn out of support for the lads.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6347 - 08/02/2010 20:29:58    555705

Is Brian Meade back for this?

Coylers Elbow (Meath) - Posts: 1075 - 08/02/2010 21:11:28    555769

Think he got a month so will miss this also

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6347 - 08/02/2010 21:16:06    555779

I read recently about the average size of the Cork team in last years all ireland final. Now i know that they were beaten but this type of team is going to become more and more prevelant if they new rules are sustained. If we had to physically match them in all areas, i was thinking of a meath team that we could put out.
Brendan Murphy
Eoin Harrington
Kevin Reilly
Anthony Moyles
Caoimhin King
Brian Meade
Big new guy from Na Fianna
Marky Ward
Craw
Peader
Brian Sheridan
Brayer
Joe
Shane O Rourke
Queeny.


We have the players if we ever needed to put out a monstrous team that would rival anyone in the county. Now i know that either wardy or brian farrell would have to play to take frees but it is an interesting team sizewise!!
Brayer

James T (Meath) - Posts: 611 - 09/02/2010 13:36:34    556170

James T
County: Meath
Posts: 408

Surely if you were looking for a team sizewise Paddy O'Rourke would be your gk?

itsgreenandgold (Meath) - Posts: 312 - 09/02/2010 16:46:12    556502

if down beat meath do you think they will win division 2?

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 09/02/2010 17:08:44    556546

sori but caomhain king is past it. ollie lewis will get a place yet i tink he great player. if meath can win away to down id be confident of a promotion push

roll.on.sam (Meath) - Posts: 38 - 09/02/2010 18:20:57    556665

Lads, get over this fetish about big players. Noel O'Leary and Pierce O'Neill were made look very ordinary by their more diminutive counter-parts on the Kerry team. Galvin, Tomas O'Se and Darren O'Sullivan are small by todays standards but it doesn't affect their importance to Kerry.

Even if the mark is retained I don't see how it will create a game dominated by rugy footballers. Spoiling the mark will become the norm and players like Galvin and Tomas O'Se will become even more vital.

However JamesT I wouldn't be surprised if O'Brien had been influenced by Counihan's mid-field diamond - it's the only reason I can think of as to why he picks Joe Sheridan at no. 11, or why he played Meade in the half-forwards last year. But then again this could be a tradition that goes back to Boylan who used to add a big man like PJ Gillick or Charles McCarthy to midfield.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 09/02/2010 19:14:34    556727

Ollie,I`d say Noel O Leary is 5`11.Hardly a giant now is he

The Brickie (None) - Posts: 208 - 10/02/2010 09:12:28    557085

eh lads the team that has won most AIs the last decade were obviously Kerry and Thrown...lets have a look at the average height of their teams?apart from donaghy,tommy walsh,seamus scanlon and the mcmahon brothers there have been no huge me on either of them teams...all the players on those two teams are between about 5"10 and 6"1 in height which is average to a bit tall in height...so i dont think just focusing on height and strength is going to bring us too much success

proevo (Meath) - Posts: 296 - 10/02/2010 14:44:18    557529

This is going to be a very tough test for Meath, I have to say I was taken aback as to how easily Down disposed of Kildare last week.

theblindassasin (Meath) - Posts: 915 - 10/02/2010 15:36:27    557593

"The Brickie
County: All
Posts: 147

557085 Ollie,I`d say Noel O Leary is 5`11.Hardly a giant now is he"

Nollaig is a tank of a man. I wouldn't like to be responsible for spilling his pint. I don't mean bean-poles, I'm just pointing out that size isn't everything. I've heard more than a few Meath supporters going on about the need for a big half-forward line but right now, in my view Meath need a bit more cuteness around the 40. O'Brien gave Cian Ward a run at no. 11 during last years league and I thought he looked very promising there.

Down racked up a very impressive 3-63 in their four McKenna cup games. I've a horrible feeling given the slack marking that characterised the Armagh game that we could be seeing cricket scores down in Newry unless a few lads sharpen up.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 10/02/2010 21:17:53    558102

few cocky meath fans on here. the realistic ones will agree that the match in newry will be a tough game. i can see it bein a high scorin tight game, but i think and hope that home advantage will shade it for us.

ps. ye made many a down man happy beaten our neighbours last saturday!!!

macattack125 (Down) - Posts: 208 - 12/02/2010 08:56:44    559234

I dont think we will get away with the kind of messing this week that we got away with in Navan last saturday night. I was very disappointed with them and the win was only a small consolation. This Meath team needs to improve its attitude if we are to be taken seriously in the Championship. The truth is Armagh beat themselves last weekend and Meath had very little to do with it. I think there is a lot more potential in this team then they are showing. With the exception of the Mayo game last year, Meath teams just dont seem to be able to focus like they used to. The second half last week reminded me of that horrible day in Carlow 2 years ago, where we played fantastic football in the first half and then.....
Meath supporters this year are concerned about who will play full back and can Stephen Bray recapture his form but for me the burning issue is can a Meath team play to their potential for a full 70 minutes? I live in hope. Maybe Newry will be the turning point.

Maradonna (Meath) - Posts: 128 - 12/02/2010 09:38:36    559270