Meath GAA discussion thread

MaroonAndGreen

Mayo 4/6 favourites to win the Minor semi.. What ye think lads?

Hammer Archer

Well if they play the way they did against Dublin, they'll be destroyed. I think they have a good chance though. Odds usually mean very little in minor matches. Much more unpredictable than senior games.
It's a pity that Eamonn Wallace dropped himself off the panel. He's a quality player but unfortunately he's a quality runner as well.

keane2097

Joe's latest piece for the website is here if any of ye are interested lads:

http://www.livegaelic.com/the-joe-show/cork-will-crack-the-donegal-code/

Think it's a pretty good piece this week.

Hammer Archer

Off to Croker for the minor game. Hopefully by 3 o clock we'll have a Meath team in an All Ireland final
Come on the Royals!

a7k10rf6z8buel

Meath working the ball into to some good positions but Mayo are packing the defense out. Hopefully we can carry a bit of that momentum into the second half. We might need to drop back a forward because we look a bit vulnerable at the back...

paddy no 11

Never a penalty

Tipperary animal lover

Congrats Meath minors ye kept plugging away ..... The ref helped ye a bit but ye don't care your in the final, best of luck..... I know a couple of lads in navan and your sound skins up there ...

Kristopherus

paddy no 11 wrote: »

Never a penalty

Woeful display by the referee. Should have been a free to Mayo for a push over the sideline in an earlier phase. But well done Meath. They kept plugging away and got there deservedly in the end, for persistance if nothing else. Don't think we'll see that ref again anytime soon. Boys on TV have slated him.

Hammer Archer

To be fair, from the hill, it looked a penalty. Looked like at least one of the Mayo went into the block feet first. Some strange decisions went against Mayo though in the second half I'll admit.
But Mayo have no one but themselves to blame for throwing away a 7 point lead well into the second half. They tried to defend the lead instead of building on it.
Well done lads! They'll be rank outsiders if/when they come up against Dublin again, but they'll want to redeem themselves after the Leinster final disaster.

Fireball07

Is Fiachra Ward Cian Ward's brother?

Didn't see the whole game but from what I saw he was woeful, from someone who was obviously an important player, free-taker and everything.

yop

Good luck in the final.

Can't say I am happy with the refs decisions, wasn't a penalty BUT going 27 minutes without a score is the main factor in the loss.

Good luck

a7k10rf6z8buel

Hammer Archer wrote: »

To be fair, from the hill, it looked a penalty. Looked like at least one of the Mayo went into the block feet first. Some strange decisions went against Mayo though in the second half I'll admit.
But Mayo have no one but themselves to blame for throwing away a 7 point lead well into the second half. They tried to defend the lead instead of building on it.
Well done lads! They'll be rank outsiders if/when they come up against Dublin again, but they'll want to redeem themselves after the Leinster final disaster.

The Mayo player didn't help himself by diving and sticking his leg out but he was too far away to really call it a foot block. We certainly benefited from poor Refereeing decisions but thought we were the better team overall. We lacked composure when we worked the ball into good positions. However we didn't look as predicable as we did against Dublin so hopefully we can put it up to them a bit more in the AI final (if they beat Kerry)

Bizzum

Fireball07 wrote: »

Is Fiachra Ward Cian Ward's brother?

Didn't see the whole game but from what I saw he was woeful, from someone who was obviously an important player, free-taker and everything.

Yep. From the same stable. He's a lovely striker of the ball.

Syferus

Bizzum wrote: »

Yep. From the same stable. He's a lovely striker of the ball.

:eek: Ye have some mad training methods over in Meath! Ward was lucky his penalty wasn't saved though, it was straight down the middle with no great amount of venom.

Bizzum

Syferus wrote: »

:eek: Ye have some mad training methods over in Meath! Ward was lucky his penalty wasn't saved though, it was straight down the middle with no great amount of venom.

Here's how them Ward lads train;)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhiOuY7L5Hc

And I'm not a Meath man, but I do like Meath football.

Hammer Archer

Thought Fiachra Ward did OK myself.
Man of the match was Flanagan at midfield though. He was absolutely immense and fielded some great ball throughout the game.

a7k10rf6z8buel

Any more news / rumours on the new senior manager? Last I heard Sean Kelly was a strong contender? Would love to see Trevor Giles get it. I know he has no experience but I think he would work great with the players, especially the younger ones and bring in some fresh ideas.

Mully_2011

Louisa Slow Superpower wrote: »

Any more news / rumours on the new senior manager? Last I heard Sean Kelly was a strong contender? Would love to see Trevor Giles get it. I know he has no experience but I think he would work great with the players, especially the younger ones and bring in some fresh ideas.

Couldn't see Giles taking it I don't think he was nominated. Just because he was a good player doesn't mean he'd be a good manager. Anyone who takes it deserves a pat on the back because its one job I wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

mattser

I would love to see Trevor in charge. Maybe not his time now, but I've absolutely no doubt he will someday take the reins, and make a bloody good job of it. The next Boylan IMO.

mattser

Quickly followed by.......This Dubs Minor team bodes well for the future in the capital. Good luck to Andy and the lads. Maybe we'll do a Mayo on them.

Hammer Archer

As mentioned on Hoganstand, think it's a very good thing that Dublin aren't playing in the senior final. Dublin support for their minors will be very small as a result without the boo boys that were present on Leinster Final. But to be honest, the only way I can see a Meath win is if Dublin are massively complacent. They were below par on Sunday and still ran away with it on the scoreboard.

With regards to the manager, I'm personally leaning towards giving GG a shot at it if Evans remains on in the backroom team. Not really sold on Trevor yet. Himself and Colm O'Rourke didn't exactly set the world alight in charge on the U21s.

A bit of a plug for my own club now: The All Ireland Intermediate Hurling 11s are being held in Ratoath this Saturday September 8th if any of ye want to pop by. It's basically 11 a side hurling on a full size pitch (with short halves of around 10 minutes). It's free in and it's usually a great spectacle (in the afternoon especially) and the weather is likely to be pretty good.

rpurfield

really dont think barney and the dinosaurs will venture down the outside manager road again but surely jason ryans worth a look??

with the last of the group games in the SFC this weekend(well its our one so i assume its the last round) there should be a manager in place asap to have a good look at players in a competitive enviroment. a gaggle of trial matches or playing second teams in the tailteann cup isnt going to unearth some new talent for the squad imo

Hammer Archer

Jesus Christ
http://hoganstand.com/meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=177054
RIP. Condolences to his friends, family and Meath Hill.

rpurfield

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Jesus Christ
http://hoganstand.com/meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=177054
RIP. Condolences to his friends, family and Meath Hill.

terrible sad to hear alright may he Rest In Peace

Hammer Archer

Meath camogie team are All Ireland Junior champions after beating Down today in Croke Park by 1-11 to 1-9. Fair play girls. Hopefully another All Ireland title this day next week.

What's everyone's opinions on the county championships?

Senior Quarter Finals
Navan O'Mahonys v Simonstown Gaels
St Patrick's v Wolfe Tones
Donaghmore/Ashbourne v Dunboyne
Summerhill v Seneschalstown.

Intermediate Semi Finals
Trim vs St.Michael's/Ballinabrackey
Na Fianna vs Ballinlough/Castletown

Junior Semi Finals
Ratoath v Simonstown
Bective v Donaghmore/Ashbourne

In the Senior, O'Mahony's are favourites but that tag doesn't usually sit well with them. I think Summerhill could do it again.
Just from looking at results, Na Fianna seem to be doing really well in the Intermediate this season so I'd be going for them to make the step up to senior. Trim and Ballinabrackey may have something to say about that though.
Two teams go up from Junior to Intermediate this year. Simonstown's second team did really well to beat Dunsany comfortably. They've got a good few of the Meath minors in their team as well as older players with senior experience so they'll be hard to beat. From seeing Bective against Ratoath, I'd say they'll have too much for Don/Ash, though I was shocked that Don/Ash pulled through against Cortown. Personally, I'd hope both Ratoath (obviously, being a Ratoath man) and Bective meet in the final as they both need intermediate football more than the other two. Though of course, both Simonstown and Don/Ash would deserve it if they happened to win on the day.

Hibbeler

With 2 teams going up from junior to intermediate this year does that mean that the two first teams left in the competition will go up or can ashbourne or simonstown go up from junior even considering that they are their club's second teams?

Hammer Archer

Hibbeler wrote: »

With 2 teams going up from junior to intermediate this year does that mean that the two first teams left in the competition will go up or can ashbourne or simonstown go up from junior even considering that they are their club's second teams?

As far as I know, there's no restriction. If Simonstown and/or Donaghmore/Ashbourne win their semi finals, they'll be Intermediate next year. If a second team happened to win the Intermediate championship, then I think they would be prevented from moving up to Senior with their first team.
I'd say with the new 'two up' rule, it's only a matter of time before a second team is promoted to Intermediate. O'Mahony's would have been promoted had this rule been in place last season.

Hibbeler

Hammer Archer wrote: »

As far as I know, there's no restriction. If Simonstown and/or Donaghmore/Ashbourne win their semi finals, they'll be Intermediate next year. If a second team happened to win the Intermediate championship, then I think they would be prevented from moving up to Senior with their first team.
I'd say with the new 'two up' rule, it's only a matter of time before a second team is promoted to Intermediate. O'Mahony's would have been promoted had this rule been in place last season.

Hmmm, could pose an interesting question when/if a team is relegated from senior, what would happen if that teams second team were intermediate. I could only assume that the first team would become intermediate and the seconds drop down to junior.

I presume that the "two up" rule will only apply for this year or until the county board succeeds in bringing the number of teams in the top two championships up to 18 each.

Hammer Archer

Think it's two up next year as well.
I'd doubt it if that situation would come up (though you never know). The only second teams that have made any impression on the Junior championship recently have been O'Mahony's, Simonstown and Don/Ash and their first teams aren't gonna be relegated from Senior any time soon I'd say. The likes of Trim and Duleek's junior teams haven't really gotten anywhere close to the knockout stages.
No doubt if it did happen, the county board would pull something out of thin air.

rpurfield

lads i remember years back when i was a young lad omahonys second team were in the inter championship because i remember the pats playing them in walterstown one year.thatdve been th eearly 90s id say.

is anyone managing to get tickets for sunday??wouldnt mind getting up to cheer the young lads on but the allocations will be dire for the clubs id imagine