I saw enough in his cameo on Saturday night to confirm to me that possibly Meath's best ever footballer is no longer up to inter-county football in on or off the bench. Rarely to 20 year olds recover fully from achilles injuries never mind a man of his age.

One of the only possessions he got he was perfectly poised to deliver into the Joe but opted instead to put the ball under his arm, charge shoulder and push thus getting turned over. As one of my clubmen mused 'you'd think the selector would know the game plan.'

I want to remember Graham for the footballer he WAS. Not for staying around too long and stunting the development of others.

rath_togh (Meath) - Posts: 740 - 05/03/2012 10:51:03    1122798

Yep i agree,he was clumsy against westmeath bar one shot.think hes tested the waters and i feel its not for him and it prob cost us the game with g reilly having to make way when he was having a great game.better to knock it on the head now ,even if the crowd yern for the majic but i think its gone with the celtic tiger .

royalpainter (Meath) - Posts: 874 - 05/03/2012 12:38:00    1122903

agree re Grahm Gerathy a legend in his time he was a great player for meath when they were down and needed scores he always came good but that was the man of then NOW he should stay on the sideline with the management team and give advice to the young guns, the kildare boys left him struggling for pace a few times Banty should know better let supporters remember him for his brillance of the past.

well done a great game saturday night was edge of the seat stuff. looking forward to the next time we meet and the craic and banter

lillymadfan (Kildare) - Posts: 1085 - 05/03/2012 15:07:37    1123065

totally agree. i dont know what the management team were thinking of bringing on a man of 39 against the fittest team in the country. the call subsequently lost us the game. geraghty has so much experience and i think he should use that for coaching and giving advice to younger players rather than playing

JohnnyD85 (Meath) - Posts: 39 - 05/03/2012 17:43:53    1123216

The goal against Kildare last year went to the management's heads.

There are at least two dozen forwards in the county who I would have on there before Geraghty at this stage of his career.

Was it his man who ran up the field and scored the winner?

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 05/03/2012 17:49:55    1123221

I would hope Graham would put the best interests of Meath football first and focus purely on his role as a selector.
If not, Banty has to step up and make the decision for him.

Coylers Elbow (Meath) - Posts: 1075 - 05/03/2012 19:20:43    1123304

Anyone know if GG has featured in either of Clann na NGaels A-league matches so far? Im pretty sure he didnt play in the second round, anyone know if he played in the first round?

Thunderstruck (Meath) - Posts: 474 - 05/03/2012 19:48:23    1123334

Rath-togh..it is absolutely possible to recover from Achilles injuries.. the ould RICE treatment (rest ice compress elevate) works...
Agree sat night not GG's finest, but he demonstrated he still has the nous in d other games...would we be talking like this if we had no other forwards? We're lucky we have so many..speaking of which..where is young O'Rourke this year for midfield?

RoyalSt.Pat (Meath) - Posts: 333 - 05/03/2012 21:22:52    1123417

It would appear to me that Geraghty came on v Louth and Westmeath when the games were won, specifically looking to score a goal. No interest in coming off the bench v DCU. Then again maybe the management knew it was a lost cause that night and weren't that keen to meet the flourbags in the O'Byrne cup, ahead of a league match.

But to arrive on the scene v Kildare last Saturday night, when the game was very much in the balance was more about ego than good judgement.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 05/03/2012 21:40:30    1123433

Lads i said it already about 2 mths back its a pointless exercise having GG on the panel, if i was a selector/player from my club team i would be choping at the bit to get on , thinking i can do better, Unfortunatley thats not the way.

GG should retire with his head held high

dnewlad (Meath) - Posts: 137 - 06/03/2012 14:09:35    1123720

Disagree. Who else could you bring on with 515-20 minutes to go with Meath 6 points down to lift the team and more importantly lift the supporters. Last year against Kildare in Navan GG would have been the perfect sub. Its early days in the year yet. Mr G will bring his best football when we need it most (in Croke Park) YAAAoooWWoo!

BelieveinMeath (Meath) - Posts: 121 - 06/03/2012 15:27:15    1123802

BelieveinMeath

I agree when GG comes on he lifts the players heads and gives them a bit of support to give it there all for the remander of the match and anyway when he came on this year he was as fit as anyone of them

RossiesRock (Meath) - Posts: 369 - 06/03/2012 15:47:42    1123824

I know where you're coming from and part of me was giving him the same hope until Saturday night for the simple reason that because of work I hadn't been to the other games he's appeared in this year. If he's to come on in the vast expansive spaces of Croker in the white heat of championship football he may get a lift out in a golf cart because he was like a man who had ran a Marathon on Saturday night. I hate to say it, the man's a legend, but when you see him in the flesh its hard to be convinced. He may prove me wrong yet....

rath_togh (Meath) - Posts: 740 - 06/03/2012 15:51:44    1123830

He did look off the pace alright, but probably about right considering he is 38 and is only back training a few weeks as far as I know.
He doesn't look as lean as normal, he might just need 5-6 weeks more heavy training to get up to the level physically.
They have a sprint trainer on board this year, I am sure the stop watch will be telling them how far off the pace he is just now.

matrixroyal (Meath) - Posts: 96 - 06/03/2012 16:20:21    1123869

some of the Nonsense being spoken here. in my opinion he cost us the game saturday night. we have to move on. he was a great player. no disputing that. however his best days are behind him.

db9 (Meath) - Posts: 283 - 06/03/2012 16:25:11    1123873

Performances not reputations (nor indeed cheers) win games. In the past Geraghty would lift the Meath team like no other, but that was then and this is now. Years ago you knew anything was possible with him on the field, but such hope has now dwindled. It's almost five years since his last significant goal (that counted, three year absence of course), and every time he reappears recently, he has been trying to add to his collection. If he continues to make numerous cameo appearances and positions himself as the sole out and out full-forward, by the law of averages, he will eventually score and the hype will start and false hopes with it. But even I a forty-somthing would fancy my chances of scoring a goal given enough appearances (chances) and a bit of open space, based on a situation where only a full-back and goalie is left to beat. Every player should play for the team and scoring is only a part of that. Graham should bow out with good grace. Just like a heavyweight boxing champion is best remembered if they call it a day at the top, when there's a new era of champ in town. Not as someone who wants to rekindle the past, when they are long past their prime. Even the great Sean Boylan grasped eventually, that at some point you have to call time.

GG (the player) owes the game nothing, it has bestowed many great achievements, coupled with magical memories and I'm sure life-long friendships. It would be selfish to defer others from reaching their full potential, sooner rather than later.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 06/03/2012 16:32:21    1123884

Yeah, agree that the energy should be invested into coaching at this stage. Still an inspirational figure to have around the dressing room, even as a trainer. I would rather see younger players like Brian Sheridan, Mickey Newman or Jamie Queeney getting game time at full-forward.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 06/03/2012 17:21:22    1123949

I'd agree with Rossies Rock and BelieveinMeath
When he came on in Croker last year he was electric and scored a perfectly legal goal, that was disallowed. I know he wasn't great on Saturday and that he has had an injury but it's early days and if we were a few points down with 10 minutes to go there would be no better man to bring on.

seamusmac (Meath) - Posts: 379 - 06/03/2012 18:25:52    1124042

Paddy Gilsenan got some proper game time last year and look where he is now. It's time to show some faith in more up and coming players and bring them along too. We want to be able to mount a serious challenge for major honours in the years head. Nurturing younger talent offers something that is sustainable and a brighter future. If we are so hell-bent on achieving success in the current season year in, year out, without planning for nor having an eye to the future, we will remain well behind. Chasing certain achievements or instant success with a quick fix mentality (refusing to break up teams or omit certain players when they were past their prime) have resulted in perennial failure. It's high time we did things differently.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 06/03/2012 19:37:15    1124116

Glasagusor-spot on. We absolutely must look to the future, and paddy g is the perfect example.

Enough with the past...it's time to unleash the future and give some young lads with hunger a chance to impress.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1823 - 06/03/2012 20:48:26    1124200