Meath Forum

How Do We Improve Meath Inter County Hurling?

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Replying To CastleBravo:  "I was thinking that too. Are we proposing to disband our leagues and form a new one with Westmeath? Can't see why Westmeath would want to give up their league to help us out.

Or are we disbanding our leagues and moving into the Westmeath/Dublin system entirely? More doable but I'm not sure how desirable it is to outsource our entire league to another county.

Talk of Meath clubs playing with Na Fianna, Lucan Sarsfields or St. Brigids is laughable considering Bray Emmets (who've beaten our Senior champions in 2 of the last 3 seasons) are near the bottom of Dublin's Division 3."
I think laughable is a stretch. Na Fianna, Lucan, Boden and a few others are obviously out of reach, but I can't see why the better Meath clubs shouldn't be aiming to get to Brigids, Castleknock, Plunketts, Faughs, Judes etc level.
Dublin structure wouldn't allow Meath clubs in, but any combination of a LH, WH, MH and Kildare mix is worth exploring, if practically possible!
One issue at the moment is teams are continuously playing the same teams, be it cup, league then champo. I wouldn't dispand our own league, but introduce one somewhere that would provide a new challenge. If that lead to an amalgation of two counties leagues, then so be it.
As said previously, stagnation will ultimately leave us lagging even further behind so something new is required.
Naas play in Kilkenny and Dublin leagues at different underage stages, I assume they still play in their Kildare structure?
Bray are where they are because they generally do not have half their panel during the Dublin league due to Wicklow county commitment (hurling and football). So their ultimate goal there is to get meaningful competitve games into their squad when the hurling programme in Wicklow is on a down-low. If they had a full panel playing all year round they would certainly be competing a lot higher up. You generally see their results improve drastically towards the end of each league season

hurlingcowboy101 (Meath) - Posts: 34 - 11/06/2025 09:29:47    2616589

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Replying To CastleBravo:  "I was thinking that too. Are we proposing to disband our leagues and form a new one with Westmeath? Can't see why Westmeath would want to give up their league to help us out.

Or are we disbanding our leagues and moving into the Westmeath/Dublin system entirely? More doable but I'm not sure how desirable it is to outsource our entire league to another county.

Talk of Meath clubs playing with Na Fianna, Lucan Sarsfields or St. Brigids is laughable considering Bray Emmets (who've beaten our Senior champions in 2 of the last 3 seasons) are near the bottom of Dublin's Division 3."
Catlepollard beat the KK Senior champs Thomastown in last years Leinster club SHC. Clonkill took Ballyboden to extra time a few years ago too.

begining (UK) - Posts: 323 - 11/06/2025 09:57:43    2616592

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Replying To begining:  "Catlepollard beat the KK Senior champs Thomastown in last years Leinster club SHC. Clonkill took Ballyboden to extra time a few years ago too."
Castletown Geoghehan beat Thomastown and Raharney lost by a point to Oulart the Ballagh in a Leinster semi final.If you want to play Westmeath clubs in league matches,Meath need simply to coordinate your football week hurling week with Westmeath and reach an agreement where all WH clubs will be involved.If we could run Leinster leagues it shouldn't be beyond us to run a cross border league.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1742 - 11/06/2025 18:12:20    2616756

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Not sure it's about disbanding county league systems but rather more cross county partnerships to grow the skill base, advance the level of hurling and attract more hurlers in geographical areas.

It can work with all neighbouring counties where you get 6 or 8 clubs sharing skill shops, coaching, closed challenge games of mixed teams purely to advance the sport.

Royalio11 (Meath) - Posts: 802 - 11/06/2025 23:47:49    2616810

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Unfortunately as much as it is entertaining reading the last few posts even though it makes sense to possibly join up with other counties for the betterment of our own standards, the fact still remains that the people who control Meath hurling(aul club heads) would die roaring before that happens. They cant even agree that half the clubs in senior are not senior grade clubs.

Until all the hurling clubs in Meath get realistic about their standards, and the championships get graded into proper cut throat setups, then nothing will improve. Imagine asking Naas or any of the Dub clubs from Div 3 up to waste a days travel to come to Meath to play one of our Senior B clubs. No offence but we wouldn't keep it pucked out to them.
IMO we have got to raise the standards internally first and bite the bullet and be realistic about our own setup.

Another huge blocker to improvement is the standard of referee's although this seems to be a nationwide problem.

From a county perspective we are failing the youth by using in county coach's/legends of the past. If our county teams are to do better we need our underage teams to be playing in the top comps and being coached by ex players with liam McCarthy experience and brought through as a group like the u21 footballers.

The Talent is there in Meath but its not being nurtured. Our senior team is evident of that as we have been relying heavily on the same 6 lads now for the past decade and no one has come close to competing with them for a spot and the ones who could wont commit as they know the standard/setup is pox.

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 655 - 12/06/2025 07:14:03    2616824

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Replying To begining:  "Catlepollard beat the KK Senior champs Thomastown in last years Leinster club SHC. Clonkill took Ballyboden to extra time a few years ago too."
And....?

If anything that strengthens my point; we're talking about joining the Westmeath league because we're desperate. But what's in it for Westmeath to open up their league to a standard of team worse than what they have themselves?

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1686 - 13/06/2025 15:33:27    2617221

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Looking at Div 1
On Thursday
Trim
Na Fianna
Moynalvy
Ratoath
All play crucial games in the football leagues. 2 days later they're all expected to go out and play the final round of league hurling.

This situation plays out across so many teams across all divisions, has played out all year and will continue to play out throughout the championship where players are expected to play 2 games in less than 7 days.

The people in charge of improving hurling and indeed the standard of club football keep getting in each others way.

mlc800 (Meath) - Posts: 65 - 16/06/2025 08:15:37    2618028

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Replying To mlc800:  "Looking at Div 1
On Thursday
Trim
Na Fianna
Moynalvy
Ratoath
All play crucial games in the football leagues. 2 days later they're all expected to go out and play the final round of league hurling.

This situation plays out across so many teams across all divisions, has played out all year and will continue to play out throughout the championship where players are expected to play 2 games in less than 7 days.

The people in charge of improving hurling and indeed the standard of club football keep getting in each others way."
yep, that has been the case and issue for years. Boils down to football divisions consisting of 10 or 12 teams and hurling only with 8.
Not enough weekends to go 1 on, 1 off resulting in ridiculous mixed weeks. I cannot see why 2 football games cannot be played in 1 week if football requires extra space to be played instead of eating into the condensed hurling weeks.
That's the way other counties, with as much if not more fixtures being played, operate. And if you take Dublin club scene as an example, you would have a much lower instance of dual player to accomodate but they still go simple week on, week off.

hurlingcowboy101 (Meath) - Posts: 34 - 16/06/2025 16:52:54    2618427

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Replying To hurlingcowboy101:  "yep, that has been the case and issue for years. Boils down to football divisions consisting of 10 or 12 teams and hurling only with 8.
Not enough weekends to go 1 on, 1 off resulting in ridiculous mixed weeks. I cannot see why 2 football games cannot be played in 1 week if football requires extra space to be played instead of eating into the condensed hurling weeks.
That's the way other counties, with as much if not more fixtures being played, operate. And if you take Dublin club scene as an example, you would have a much lower instance of dual player to accomodate but they still go simple week on, week off."
Surely they could off give clubs some time to recover. Kells, wolfes tones who have Rathkenny players playing hurling are all out in football tomorrow evening and have to go play hurling on Friday.
Ridiculous by Meath fixtures committee no wonder lads don't want to play hurling. Would it happen if hurling was on and football next day not in a millon years. Again same old story with Meath and they wonder what's happened when lads don't wanna play hurling.

Meathgaafan25 (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 18/06/2025 21:51:41    2619101

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Replying To Meathgaafan25:  "Surely they could off give clubs some time to recover. Kells, wolfes tones who have Rathkenny players playing hurling are all out in football tomorrow evening and have to go play hurling on Friday.
Ridiculous by Meath fixtures committee no wonder lads don't want to play hurling. Would it happen if hurling was on and football next day not in a millon years. Again same old story with Meath and they wonder what's happened when lads don't wanna play hurling."
Have those clubs lodged a complaint? Ultimately the clubs have the responsibility to look after their own player welfare. Unless the clubs start collectively lodging complaints to the county, CCC and Leinster Gaa then nothing will change. They shouldn't fulfil the fixtures but then again Imo there's too many dishonest clubs that wouldn't turn around and pull a quick one and say they showed up and take the result.

The players will show up regardless as they just want to play even if they cant perform and unless the clubs raise the issue on their behalf your going to get this happening.

The Club committee's need to come together and set down a clear time period that they will except for fixtures to be fulfilled.

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 655 - 19/06/2025 07:22:18    2619129

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Replying To Meathgaafan25:  "Surely they could off give clubs some time to recover. Kells, wolfes tones who have Rathkenny players playing hurling are all out in football tomorrow evening and have to go play hurling on Friday.
Ridiculous by Meath fixtures committee no wonder lads don't want to play hurling. Would it happen if hurling was on and football next day not in a millon years. Again same old story with Meath and they wonder what's happened when lads don't wanna play hurling."
All done by design , crazy few days of fixtures.
And lads on here suggesting a summer league with another county for extra fixtures!
Nearly Impossible balance the load for any dual club as it is and with most of the top hurling teams bar kilmessan playing with high standard football teams also.

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 433 - 19/06/2025 16:45:45    2619300

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I have been told both clubs asked Meath ccc and where told to talk to clubs they where playing to try move to another day and them clubs wouldn't change the game for Kells and tones. Rathmolyon who have no dual players and that game means nothing to them as they already in the final.
But agree with the last post on the bigger clubs having a lot of dual players having to go out in two days to play another full game.

Meathgaafan25 (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 19/06/2025 21:21:00    2619346

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Rathmolyon gave tones some hammering on Friday. Kells give another walk over and go down. What did the Meath ccc think about having these games night after football.
What's going on in Glann na nGael are they putting out a junior team? In last 3 games they have got hammered and yesterday Na fianna put 4.36 past them to 1.08
Surely they are better then that up to round 4 they where doing okay.

Meathgaafan25 (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 22/06/2025 13:03:53    2619855

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Replying To Meathgaafan25:  "Rathmolyon gave tones some hammering on Friday. Kells give another walk over and go down. What did the Meath ccc think about having these games night after football.
What's going on in Glann na nGael are they putting out a junior team? In last 3 games they have got hammered and yesterday Na fianna put 4.36 past them to 1.08
Surely they are better then that up to round 4 they where doing okay."
Ashbourne only having 15 lads against Longwood too two days after two of their teams had a round of football.

Clann na nGael's seconds have been destroying teams in division 5 but I've no idea what the gap between the two is.

Navan finishing bottom of Div 2 wouldn't give them great hopes for the SHC but again, injuries/holidays look like they haven't even had their strongest 15 out once.

RR (Meath) - Posts: 170 - 22/06/2025 14:07:13    2619874

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Replying To RR:  "Ashbourne only having 15 lads against Longwood too two days after two of their teams had a round of football.

Clann na nGael's seconds have been destroying teams in division 5 but I've no idea what the gap between the two is.

Navan finishing bottom of Div 2 wouldn't give them great hopes for the SHC but again, injuries/holidays look like they haven't even had their strongest 15 out once."
Be interested see how championship will go. Kiltale seem to be going well and nice mix or young and lads who have been there and done it they have been excellent in league so far.
Ratoath had a good win yesterday and they will be a team who will get stronger now come championship. Micky Cole will work his Magic with them. Kildalkey and kilmessan along with trim and above teams will all be in with a shout.

Rathmolyon must be the favourites for the intermediate championship?

Meathgaafan25 (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 22/06/2025 18:40:50    2619951

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Replying To Meathgaafan25:  "Be interested see how championship will go. Kiltale seem to be going well and nice mix or young and lads who have been there and done it they have been excellent in league so far.
Ratoath had a good win yesterday and they will be a team who will get stronger now come championship. Micky Cole will work his Magic with them. Kildalkey and kilmessan along with trim and above teams will all be in with a shout.

Rathmolyon must be the favourites for the intermediate championship?"
Yeah Rathmolyon 100% favourites, a strong league and they're in the 'weaker' group - Kells, Tones and then three 'second teams'. Then you look at group A and you've Boardsmill, Drumree, Kilskyre and Kildalkey. One of them guaranteed not to qualify, could even throw Ashbourne into that mix.

Ratoath and Kiltale to kick off group A in SHC looks like it'll be the tie of the round.

RR (Meath) - Posts: 170 - 23/06/2025 09:15:03    2620101

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Replying To Meathgaafan25:  "Be interested see how championship will go. Kiltale seem to be going well and nice mix or young and lads who have been there and done it they have been excellent in league so far.
Ratoath had a good win yesterday and they will be a team who will get stronger now come championship. Micky Cole will work his Magic with them. Kildalkey and kilmessan along with trim and above teams will all be in with a shout.

Rathmolyon must be the favourites for the intermediate championship?"
your knowledge of Meath hurling is behind the times a bit, Micky Cole gone from ratoath with 4 months

ParcT (Meath) - Posts: 28 - 23/06/2025 10:26:36    2620152

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Replying To ParcT:  "your knowledge of Meath hurling is behind the times a bit, Micky Cole gone from ratoath with 4 months"
Is he? I was sure he went back with ex rathmolyon man Andrew Dermody as coach??

Meathgaafan25 (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 23/06/2025 11:42:27    2620211

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Replying To RR:  "Yeah Rathmolyon 100% favourites, a strong league and they're in the 'weaker' group - Kells, Tones and then three 'second teams'. Then you look at group A and you've Boardsmill, Drumree, Kilskyre and Kildalkey. One of them guaranteed not to qualify, could even throw Ashbourne into that mix.

Ratoath and Kiltale to kick off group A in SHC looks like it'll be the tie of the round."
Dunboyne 1st team are in that group. Youd expect them to be eagat to get back senior. They are in Div 2 league final so are battle hardened compared to rathmolyon who have had an easier divison 3 campagain

Islander21 (Meath) - Posts: 27 - 23/06/2025 11:54:36    2620220

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Replying To Meathgaafan25:  "Be interested see how championship will go. Kiltale seem to be going well and nice mix or young and lads who have been there and done it they have been excellent in league so far.
Ratoath had a good win yesterday and they will be a team who will get stronger now come championship. Micky Cole will work his Magic with them. Kildalkey and kilmessan along with trim and above teams will all be in with a shout.

Rathmolyon must be the favourites for the intermediate championship?"
Looks like the gap between the top 4 and the others is widening if latest league results are to go by. Killyon and Clanna Gael getting thumped recently, Na Fianna's league form not great but they may improve a little come championship.
Kilmessan's good league came to a grinding halt vs Ratoath. Ratoath didn't appear to have too many footballers playing the other night so throwing them in will strengthen them. Kiltale look to have a freshness but it is still the older guard that are carrying that team imo.

Rathmolyon are always tipped for intermediate but generally find one too good. Maybe their county contingent can carry them forward this year. I agree with above Dunboyne should have a say if they come together and play to potential.

hurlingcowboy101 (Meath) - Posts: 34 - 24/06/2025 12:33:32    2620659

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