Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1316 - 01/06/2019 22:35:38    2189691

Actually does anybody feel cork could challenge kerry in the final and make it competitive? RD's positivity might be rubbing off on me. Strange feeling.

@superbluedub
I wouldn't be so sure about that. What if Dublin keep pulling away over the next 20 years winning almost every leinster, all Ireland and most leagues?

What if your population and revenue keeps getting bigger? According to the stats Dublins population will grow at a faster rate then outside of Dublin over the next 20 years. It could reach a point where nobody can compete ever. Why wouldn't you be split? You'd still be the two biggest counties in Ireland maybe bar Antrim but we all know Antrim don't get the special money treatment so let's just forget about them.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 02/06/2019 01:07:19    2189704

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/06/2019 09:42:21    2189723

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/06/2019 09:45:02    2189724

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8585 - 02/06/2019 10:10:10    2189728

Delighted that we finally found a bit of form. Kildare's best performance this year.
Not that it will be enough to topple the Dubs but it should give the players the confidence to have a go after all the confidence sapping performances so far this season.
It's up to Kildare next week and then Meath in the final- no disrespect to Laois- to let the Dubs know that they have been in a game and that we both mean business in the coming years.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2987 - 02/06/2019 17:11:21    2189840

lilylanger (Kildare) - Posts: 758 - 02/06/2019 22:54:12    2190027

superbluedub (Dublin) - Posts: 2837 - 02/06/2019 23:10:58    2190033

Christ there is some scutter talk on this forum.

hurlinglad15 (Meath) - Posts: 36 - 03/06/2019 00:48:22    2190047

I think most pundits and people are anaylsising Meath wrong. When people look at teams they look at recent form. But they dont look at the full picture. It was obvious that Meath were going to get promoted this year, but people though this was not possible. Now people were predicting Meath will reach super 8 after the league, the poor performance v Offaly and people are saying they wouldnt. When you examine an up and coming team like Meath you need to look at the age profile of the team , how long the manager is in the job and, at what stage of development is the team at. If you use those barometers you would have predicted Meath promotion at start of the year. So this is where Meath are at. Overall all the signs are pointin that Meath and kildare will be much stronger in 2020s then this decade.

1 Most predicted Meath wouldnt get promoted this year . It was very likely that Meath wud get promoted.
2 Most predicted Meath would reach the Super 8 at end of the league. It is unlikely that Meath will reach Super 8 this year. Its not impossible, but unlikely. Not coz they are not good enough, but at their stage development as a team it will be hard to peak twice in one year.
3 If Meath have a poor championship, people will predict Meath will be relegated next year. The evidence would suggest Meath have good chance of staying in div 1 . Why? 1 Excellent record in Navan eg For example if they play Galway in Navan Meath have won last 8 games in Navan v Galway , an unbeaten run going back to 1982. 2 Meath would feel like they belong in div 1 3 McEntees 4th year in charge 4 Players peaking at age of 25 26 eg Sullivan McEntee 5 Mass group of panel players returning 6 Young exciting forward coming thru.
4 Most people will predict Meath will have a poor championship next year if they have poor championship this year. However it is very likely Meath will have a good championship.
So in a few posts I am going to explain where Meath are and where Meath are potentially going. People have completely misread Meath and I wud say will continue for next 12 months to do so.

This year it might be hard to peak twice in one year. There are so many examples of up and coming teams having great leagues and then poor championships in the same year. That cud be an issue for Meath this year. But next year with div 1 football Meath should reach super 8s and I think Meath have great chance of staying in div 1 which cud be a massive game changer for Meath football. But to peak twice in one year for upcoming team from div 2 is difficult. The examples are numerous

1 1986 Laois won div 1 league title. Poor championship followed knocked out of first round in leinster by Wicklow
2 1992 kildare reached first league final div 1 in over 20 years. They were knocked out in first round in leinster by louth.
3 In this decade kildare Derry Cork all had great leagues and followed up with poor championships.
4 In 2015 Roscommon were promoted from div 2 , they had a very poor championship following and the manager departed.
5 In 2017 Galway won the div 2 title. They were hammered by Roscommon in Connacht final and were very poor v kerry when they were knocked out of the following championship in the same year in 2017.
6 The last 4 promoted teams from div 2 had poor enough championships.
2017 Galway and kildare were promoted from div 2. Galway were hammered by Roscommon in Connacht and were very poor when knocked out of championship by kerry in the same year.
kildare played well v Meath in 2017 after promotion to div 1 , but were hammered by Dublin by 9 points in leinster final . The performance was hyped by the media but the truth is kildare were hammered by Dublin team in 2017 leinster final by 9 points. They were very poor when knocked out by Armagh in the folllwing qualifier.
In 2018 Cavan and Roscommon were both promoted to div. 1. Both Cavan and Roscommon had very poor championships afterwards. Both their managers departed after the championship.

So the odds are stacked against Meath. Up and coming teams who have good leagues can have poor championships. The Offaly performance fits that description. Its not impossible for Meath to have a good championship, its just difficult for an upcoming team to peak twice in one year. Next year I believe will be a good year for Meath football. Even if the championship ends poorly next year I expect a very positive year and be very confident Meath will reach super 8 and compete at that level. Look at Roscommon beating Mayo. Why ? They played a spring of div 1 football.A spring of div 1 football will bring this Meath team on leaps and bounds. Even if Meath reach Super 8 this year Meath cud face what Roscommon had last year. Bad hammerings. Next year after a spring in div 1 Meath will be better able for super 8 football.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 03/06/2019 06:24:41    2190061

Regards reaching Super 8. , laois will be very tricky and are Meaths only real true bogey team in championship over the decades. The county in leinster that has beaten Meath most after kildare and Dublin in recent years is laois with 4 big victories in 1985 , 1992 , 2003 and 2012. All significant victories. loais dont have an inferior complex and traditionally put it up to Dublin kildare and Meath. They are a div 2 team. No way shoud they have been in div 4. They reached leinster final last year. And have won 2 promotions in a row meaning they have won 11 or 12 competitive games in 2 years. Remember we only won 3 competitive games last year. We have won 8 competitive games this year.

Winning two games in leinster has helped Meaths confidence. Remember Meaths recent record in leinster is dreadful. At start of decade Meath reached 4 leinster finals in 5 years meaning Meath have been second most successful team in leinster in this decade by a mile , kildare will only reach 1 leinster final in this decade. However in the second part of this decade kildare and Meath in leinster have collapsed. kildare had record defeats to Dublin and loses to Westmeath and Carlow.

Since 2014 leinster semi final Meath had two records defeats to Dublin in 2014 and 2016. First time ever defeat to Westmeath in 2015 and a record defeat to kildare in 2017 and first defeat to longford in nearly 40 years. For me Meaths performances v Offaly and Carlow were hangovers from those defeats. Many of these Meath players have had real bad defeats in leinster in last 4 years. Offaly wud have seen Longford and Westmeath beating Meath recently and seen Meath as very beatable opposition in leinster. Winning two games in leinster for first time since 2014 and if Meath win 3 games it will be the first time in years Meath have won 3 games in leinster. Its alls about building up confidence.

Also Meaths record in Croker recently is poor. Meath havent won a match in Croker since 2014 v kildare. Kildare havent won a match in Croker since 2013 v Offaly. Since Meaths last win in Croker we have lost every game there twice to Dublin , Westmeath and Donegal . We have lost our last 4 matchs in Croker. So the laois game and victory wud be a very important so to get our confidence back in Croker. Laois have more wins in Croker then us in recent years. They won twice there last year. We are ahead of laois but it still is on paper a 50 50 game.

If we get over laois we all know the opposition we face..A Dublin team that have won probably 100 competitive in Croker , 4 All Irelands and 8 leinsters in a row in Croker v a young team from Meath which wud have only won 1 ever competitive victory in Croker as a team together. We all know the odds are stacked against Meath. If we lose to Dublin Meath r probaly facing strong Ulster opposition in the backdoor eg Tyrone Donegal or Monaghan..We will put it up to all.those counties. But we have been knocked out of the championship in last 5 years in row v Ulster opposition. And remember nearly 90 % of teams that lose their provicial final lose their following qualifier games. Its worst for leinster final losers as nearly 99% fail to win a game in the backdoor.

There has been 17 years of the qualifiers, 17 years of leinster teams playing qualifier game after losing a leinster final. 16 of those 17 teams who lost leiinster final, 16 of those 17 teams lost their following qualifier game. Dublin in 2001 when they beat Sligo in the backdoor after they lost a leinster final. won their next qualifiers game and r only team to ever lose a leinster final and win their next game in the backdoor.

So only one team , one time in history has a leinster team.lost a leinster final and won their next game in the qualifiers. So while many pundits predicted we wud reach super 8 after losing leinster final. In reality the odds are stacked against us. But the pundits have got it wrong about Meath. None of them predicted our promotion. And if we have poor championship this year most pundits will see us having a poor year next year even though the odds are we will stay in div 1 and even if we dont the odds r we will have a good championship next year.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 03/06/2019 06:28:35    2190062

Im not saying Meath wouldnt have a good championship this year. It just will be difficult. For me next year Meath will have good championship. Spring div 1 football will be the making of this Meath team. And if Meath stay in div 1 for two years our development as team will develop very quickly. Stay 3 or 4 years in div 1 Meath will break into top 6 teams in the country. Who knows what level.we can get to . But I do feel Meath are entering a more positive era which will have ups and downs but overall the 2020s will be a much better decade for Meath football then this decade.

Developing young top class coachs and managers as good as Dessie Farrells or Peter keanes that an area we must improve in . When McEntee leaves hopefully its not for another 5 or 6 years. We need to have sucessful Meath managers with proven sucess cv to take over. A Meath manqger who has at least reached an All Ireland final at minor club under 20 or schools level. The next Dublin manager is under 21 and minor All Ireland winning manager eg Dessie Farrell. Next kildare manager will be under 20 All Ireland winning manager eg Davy Burke or under 21 All Ireland finalist manager eg Glen Ryan. Thats the standard of manager we need to replace McEntee with. Hopefully someone like Kevin Reilly managing O Mahoneys at the moment becomes a quality manager. I believe we have player talent. I worry do we have the managerial.and coaching talent that is at level of Dublin or kerrys managers. Look.at kerry they could have picked for kerry senior job they cud have picked Jack O Connor Peter Keane Pat O Se all All Ireland winning managers and liam kearins and John Evans proven inter county managers. We need to see sucessful Meath managers and coachs sucessful at national at underage and at club level nationwide.
But overall I feel slowly and surely Meath football is on its way back. Just we need to be patient. This summer might not be the sucess we all hope for. But I believe the signs are next summer and next year will be a good year for Meath football and the long term signs for future of Meath football are very good.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 03/06/2019 06:29:57    2190063

Meath are going to be stronger next year. If Meath were promoted any year in alst 5 years Meath would have been relegated . However next year Meath are been promoted as Meath are getting stronger. How?

1 Allot of the Meath players will be peaking as footballers reaching ages of 25 26 27 eg McGill , Harnan , Sullivan , Gallagher , lavin , J McEntee, S McEntee, Flanagan , Forde , Dardis , McMahon , E Wallace, J Wallace. Basically allot of the class of 2012 who reached minor final. And players like J Conlon , Campion and Devine in their second year. With all.the above developments, the Meath panel and team should be stronger next year for div 1 football. Thats one of the reasons I think Meath will stay in div 1. And will reach Super 8 next year and have good championship next year. If we went up any year in last few years we would have went straight down. Next year I think we are going in a position of strengh in terms of panel of players.

2 In the last few years players have been leaving Meath panel every year. Next year no one will want to leave with division 1 football on offer. And by coincidence we will have a big group some of them proven inter county players, all potentially returning to the panel. I can see 4 or 5 of the current under 20 playing some part with our seniors next year. If we went up to div 1 anytime in last few years we wud have went down straight away. Next year we are going up just at the right time. Add Ronan Jones to our midfield and Lenihan to the forwards and Kane to half back line. Add the Wallaces and O Coilean as options from the bench. A fully fit Alan Forde wud be pushing starting place. And players like Shane Walsh and Matthew Costello and others from this years under 20 team maybe also could have the same impact as Conlon and Campion this year , or have an even bigger impact. We will only get stronger next year.

3 For example by coincidence a pile of Meath players will be returning on mass to the panel, returning from travelling college or work abroad of injury . The players are So if u add Donal lenihan, Ronan Jones, Niall Kane , Alan Forde , Paddy Kennelly, Joey Wallace , Eamon Wallace and Ruari O Coilean.
Next year in defence you will have a fully fit hopefully Niall Kane. And maybe someone like James O Hare cud be an option.
At midfield Paddy Kennelly and Ronan Jones could all come onto the panel. Jones and Kennelly r back next year.
In the forwards Donal lenihan will be on the inside line. While Joey Wallace Eamon Wallace Alan Forde and Ruarai O Coilean should be all back.

4 The final part is I will explain in separate post new exciting forward talent coming thru the Meath ranks

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 03/06/2019 06:37:16    2190064

Theres is so allot of exciting young forward talent from the age 16 to 21 , young exciting Meath forwards coming through. Meath always have produced quality forwards especially the end of the 00s when after kerry and Tyrone we had the best forwards in the country, much superior to Dublin eg Sheridan, Ward, Farrell, O Rourke, Geraghty, D Bray, S Bray, Reilly , Byrne. The changing managers every year or two meant they never reached their true potential as a group, but the 5 goal hammering of the currrent great Dublin team in 2010 and beating the great Tyrone team in a q final in 07 and a draw with Dublin in 07 and reaching two All Ireland semi finals in 3 years and winning Leinster in 10, showed their potential and we had on paper the best team in leinster from 2007 to 2010. They should have won more.

Our forward line currently is good, but I feel allot of these Meath players had bad experiences at underage v Dublin kildare longford and Westmeath and this led to bad defeats at senior to these above counties. They lack confidence. but slowly and surely McEntee is building up their confidence. But the new forwards coming through have that old Meath swagger cockiness and skill. Campion and Conlon have a real confidence to them and skill. Both have impressed me greatly. Beating kildare and Dublin at underage and winning Leinster titles helps confidence.


There is some serious forward talent coming through who are going to on the Meath club scene for most of the 2020s really lighting up the Meath club scene.Many of them will be called up to senior team. We need maybe 4 or 5 to step up, but if 2 or 3 where to turn into top inter county forwards I think it would be massive for us. Lenihan/ Newman duo will be strong combination next year, but both r in late 20s , so we need new young talent and we have some exciting new talent coming thru like players like Niall Finnerty, David Bell, James Conlon, Daire Campion, Ethan Devine, Shane Walsh, Eoghan and Conor Frayne, Connall Aherne, Luke Mitchell, Matthew Costello, Cathal Finnegan, Aaron Lynch, Saran O'Finnagan and Jordan Morris. They are all under the age 21. Im really looking forward to these young exciting talents develop over the coming years. It does feel like Meath football is heading into a positive exciting era in 2020s. And another player like Daire Rowe who is I think 23 , he is a very good talent, if we could get him committed next year, our options up front really are improving.

One player that really looks like a real exciting prospect is Shane Walsh. Andy asked him onto the senior panel at the start of the year , but he is concentrating on his studies. Which is the right thing to do . When he is finished his exams at end of June , he is coming straight onto senior panel. Which shows how much Andy McEntee rates him . James Conlon and Dara Campion have been excellent this year. I have been very impressed by both. But I rate young Walsh the best forward on last years under 20 team. I think he has huge potential. He offers something different to the forwards we have produced lately. We have produced allot of pacy skilful small in stature forwards. Shane Walsh is very skilful but also could be an excellent target man.

We havent really produced quality target man since Graham Geraghty. Every sucessful Meath team has had a quality target man eg Noel Curran in the 60s , O Rourke in 80s , O Dowd and Reilly in 90s and Geraghty in 00s. Now Im not comparing young Walsh to the above. He needs time to develop as a footballer. But I think Shane Walsh could be the type of player we need in the full forward line. I expect him on the senior panel next year , if he is on the senior panel this year. And of course he needs time and we shouldnt be putting to much pressure on him eitheir.

But I think he is excellent talent. I wouldnt be surprised to see a Donal Lenihan Michael Newman Shane Walsh full forward line next year. Two experienced inside forwards with lenihan and Newman and Conlon Dardis Toibin T O Reilly and young Walsh could be option for the final spot. We have some really good young exciting forward talent coming through. If 2 or 3 of them were to make an impact it would be brillant for this team. 5 players from last years under 20 team have played senior this year eg Conlon Campion Devine Reilly Scully. I can see 4 or 5 from this years team also. The Dunshaughlin two of Costello and Mitchell are also great prospects I can see them being giving a chance. While Trims Aaron Lynch and young Jordan Morris are also young talents worth looking out.

Anyway we should be winning leinster under 20 title this year, I would be very disappointed if we dont. But u never know with young teams and underage teams, many a strong underage team failed to deliver . Hopefully this Meath team does . it is made up of two minor leinster teams. Callaghan is in his third Meath underage job , so no excuses he should have the experience now to win this group leinster . We have to be ruthless thats how the Dubs and Kerry operate.Meath football winning when it counts thats what we did in the past , its now time for a new generation to stand up and deliver when it counts in the present and future. But overall there is some really exciting forward talent coming thru.


So with players peaking, mass group of players returning, young exciting forward talent coming thru, McEntee in his 4th year, next year I believe Meath will have good year, especially in the championship. They cud this year but it wud be unlikey for div 2 team up and coming team to peak twice in one year, its not impossible but will be difficult. But overall Meath are going in the right direction.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 03/06/2019 06:45:37    2190065

My final point , In summary

As I said alot of players will be peaking next year. P Harnan is 24 also..Shane McEntee, Adam Flanagan Andy Colgan and Conor McGill were also on that under 21 Meath team in 2014 and are also 24. While players like James McEntee Cillian Sullivan Barry Dardis are 25 or 26. So in next 2 to 3 years there is a group of footballers on Meath team that are going to peak if you take 27 as an age a footballer peaks. Just as Meath are promoted to div 1. And players returning and new young exciting talent coming thru. All the signs are Meath will be stronger next year whatever happens this year. Even if Meath were relegated next year the team are young enough to get promoted again and have another stab at div 1 football. Cavan and Roscommon had two attempts and failed on both occasions ( even though Roscommon did stay in div in 2016 or 2017 ). But Galway are the county that have shown the way to stay in div 1. If we stay in div 1 everything changes for the positive.

This is how I see it. I will put it really simply. Galway are the best example for Meath.
1 Kevin Walsh achieved very little in his first two years in charge of Galway. McEntee the same with Meath. It was the same for Eugene McGee Mick Dwyer and Sean Boylan the three top most sucessful leinster managers outside Dublin. It takes years to turn a traditional county around thats being in the doldrums.
In year 3 Walsh achieved promotion but had a poor championship. In year 3 McEntee achieved promotion will he have a good or poor championship.
In year 4 Walsh makes the breakthrough stays in div 1 beat kerry in championship.
In year 4 McEntee makes the break through?. Time will tell. I think we will.

For me McEntee will be only half way through his tenure this year. This job is a 6 year job at least. Lets say Meath get relegated next season. Meath sud be aiming for promotion the following season. Cavan and Roscommon got promoted then relegated and promoted again. They have yo yoed. But it has helped both counties development , Roscommon have won Connacht title beating Galway in a final for first time in 20 years , beat Mayo in castlebar first time in 33 years and reached 2 super 8 / q finals. And Cavan defeated Monaghan. Its all down to div 1 football. If Meath could stay in div 1 for 3 seasons Meath wud close the gap with Dublin dramatically. If Meath were relegated next year and get promotion the year after, Meath spend 2 out of 3 years in div 1 Meath close the gap.with Dublin dramatically also. Players peaking , players returning , new exciting talent coming thru. This is possible Winning leinster title in 2022 could be attainable achievement.
Definatly feels things r going in the right direction. This year it would be great to have good championship but next spring is the big one. Sucess next spring could be the turning point for Meath football.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 03/06/2019 06:50:02    2190066

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 03/06/2019 07:44:47    2190068

Be hanging for Ham sambo come 5:30 next, Sun.

To be fair to Tegral, i never wanted a new roof when they sponsored Kildare.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/06/2019 14:12:02    2190171

Andy (Laois) - Posts: 371 - 03/06/2019 15:15:36    2190200

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 03/06/2019 15:35:51    2190207

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/06/2019 15:40:59    2190213