Replying To bdbuddah: "I don't go to that many Meath hurling team matches (so I am certainly no expert on the county team) but I brought the family to the game on Saturday and delighted we won. Thought Meath were well the better team and Derry coming back into it was down to plenty of soft frees by the referee and a bit of nerves from Meath when we got close to the line. Seeing your post about it will be hard to survive in Joe McDonagh next year brought into my mind what I've always wondered. Coming from south Meath where there are plenty of either hurling only or dual clubs I've never understood why Meath can't be a bit more competitive in hurling. Recently in a discussion on Hogan stand the number of adult teams registered in each county for 2021-22 was put up (https://hoganstand.com/Forum/Details/112128?County=National&PageNumber=1&TopicID=112128) . In terms of adult teams Meath were well ahead of Kildare/ Westmeath/ Kerry/ Down and Carlow. We were only marginally behind Offaly and Antrim. Is there an opportunity in the coming years to push on to becoming a good Joe McDonagh Cup team?. Looking just at the figures for adult teams in various counties you would think Meath instead of always battling to stay in Joe McDonagh cup should be able to look at being competitive in it."
The biggest hurdle to meath progressing is the standard of refs at club level is so far off that of the better counties you mentioned in terms of skills and tackling as we get blown for stuff in meath that other counties dont even flinch for.
Replying To Irish_downunder: "The biggest hurdle to meath progressing is the standard of refs at club level is so far off that of the better counties you mentioned in terms of skills and tackling as we get blown for stuff in meath that other counties dont even flinch for."
And we also have the other extreme with one particular ref.
Proper reviews of performances and training may weel improve the standard and provide consistency.
i think meath should be able to stay in the joe mcdonagh next year westmeath, laois and offaly will be v hard but i definitely think down and kerry are beatable. Kerry are gone back quite a bit from what they were a couple of years ago. to finish fourth in the group is a realistic hope and to build for the future.
Replying To bdbuddah: "I don't go to that many Meath hurling team matches (so I am certainly no expert on the county team) but I brought the family to the game on Saturday and delighted we won. Thought Meath were well the better team and Derry coming back into it was down to plenty of soft frees by the referee and a bit of nerves from Meath when we got close to the line. Seeing your post about it will be hard to survive in Joe McDonagh next year brought into my mind what I've always wondered. Coming from south Meath where there are plenty of either hurling only or dual clubs I've never understood why Meath can't be a bit more competitive in hurling. Recently in a discussion on Hogan stand the number of adult teams registered in each county for 2021-22 was put up (https://hoganstand.com/Forum/Details/112128?County=National&PageNumber=1&TopicID=112128) . In terms of adult teams Meath were well ahead of Kildare/ Westmeath/ Kerry/ Down and Carlow. We were only marginally behind Offaly and Antrim. Is there an opportunity in the coming years to push on to becoming a good Joe McDonagh Cup team?. Looking just at the figures for adult teams in various counties you would think Meath instead of always battling to stay in Joe McDonagh cup should be able to look at being competitive in it."
For sure. Its up to your Board to promote the Sport properly its not like you are starting from nowhere.
Replying To Viking66: "For sure. Its up to your Board to promote the Sport properly its not like you are starting from nowhere."
I agree totally with you. Like it's very rare to have double home NFL and NHL fixtures. This is something that our County Board should push for when the National League fixtures are being made. I know it won't always happen but it could be managed better. The club scene here generates a lot of interest with good attendances even at the round robin stages of the Senior and Intermediate championships. Some Senior Hurling finals have attendances close to the Football equivalent. While the inter county football team usually get the top players involved it is not the case with the hurlers. It would appear to me that some excellent hurlers were not involved with the county team this year when a double was achieved.
Replying To MillerX: "I agree totally with you. Like it's very rare to have double home NFL and NHL fixtures. This is something that our County Board should push for when the National League fixtures are being made. I know it won't always happen but it could be managed better. The club scene here generates a lot of interest with good attendances even at the round robin stages of the Senior and Intermediate championships. Some Senior Hurling finals have attendances close to the Football equivalent. While the inter county football team usually get the top players involved it is not the case with the hurlers. It would appear to me that some excellent hurlers were not involved with the county team this year when a double was achieved."
That's definitely something to tackle sooner rather than later. Not good having your top players not playing for the county. Why is that? Are they playing intercounty football?
Replying To MillerX: "I agree totally with you. Like it's very rare to have double home NFL and NHL fixtures. This is something that our County Board should push for when the National League fixtures are being made. I know it won't always happen but it could be managed better. The club scene here generates a lot of interest with good attendances even at the round robin stages of the Senior and Intermediate championships. Some Senior Hurling finals have attendances close to the Football equivalent. While the inter county football team usually get the top players involved it is not the case with the hurlers. It would appear to me that some excellent hurlers were not involved with the county team this year when a double was achieved."
Who else would you have involved this year that wasn't involved out of interest? The only time i heard lads not committing was last year when trim fell out with the manager as he didn't want any time off for lads when they were on the football run to the all Ireland club. Ultimately he is not there anymore.
The issue with Top players not committing to the panel in the past has been similar to the above, in that either management don't care about other things players have going on, or they were promoted from within the county club scene and just flat out didn't like some lads or vice versa. Nicky in fairness picked the best of the best and we played some outstanding hurling so we are capable when all hands are pushing in the same direction.
Replying To Irish_downunder: "Who else would you have involved this year that wasn't involved out of interest? The only time i heard lads not committing was last year when trim fell out with the manager as he didn't want any time off for lads when they were on the football run to the all Ireland club. Ultimately he is not there anymore.
The issue with Top players not committing to the panel in the past has been similar to the above, in that either management don't care about other things players have going on, or they were promoted from within the county club scene and just flat out didn't like some lads or vice versa. Nicky in fairness picked the best of the best and we played some outstanding hurling so we are capable when all hands are pushing in the same direction."
Daragh Kelly, Alan Douglas, Sean Martin and I'd work on getting Keith Keoghan and Paddy Conneely back. Then you had James Murray and Damien Healy out injured. Shane Whitty travelling, that's nearly half a team.