Meath GAA discussion thread

vapor trails · 18-07-2021 08:06AM

With regards to the U20's, whatever progression process they are applying the Dub's seem to massively improve their players from 17-19. Meath and Kildare have won the last 3 Leinster MFC's between them but Dublin seem to keep on putting us away reasonably comfortably when it comes to U20's. As for the seniors today, the metric I want to see is us to be within 3/4 pts of them after 40 mins. That to me represents an improvement. Last year I fed myself a bunch of hopeful narratives along the lines of "Well if we do X/Y/Z we can pull something crazy off here" Then for Dubs to have the match over after around 15 minutes was so demoralising. The one thing I would say is the match has to be seen as the opportunity of a lifetime. There are some stories that etch you into GAA history. Beating Dublin and being the ones who have felled the beast, will be in its own regard one of the great landmark GAA achievements (Think Seamus Darby for Offaly 1982 but even bigger again). Also similar in a way to '91. The saga took on a narrative of its own and essentially turn into a test series that we won. That was the landmark GAA moment of the year (No offence to Down who won Sam that year) but that's all anyone can recount from that football season.

Just going back to last years fixture, it was softness and the fact we never came close to landing punch. Today I want to see a rabid, wild wounded animal hunger in the Meath eyes today. If you are going to go down, do so bravely.

enricoh · 18-07-2021 03:05PM

I know the game isn't the big draw it used to be but you'd think they could put it on rte news channel or something. No point trying to tell my oul lad about Chromecast n gaago!

Hammer Archer · 18-07-2021 03:49PM

Decent start from us but of course we're denied a blatant penalty (Dublin went down the other end) and Dublin get one for less.

mickrourke · 18-07-2021 04:48PM

Not a bad start to the 2nd half!

mickrourke · 18-07-2021 04:48PM

Hammer Archer · 18-07-2021 04:52PM

Hate these water breaks. Any momentum completely gone

enricoh · 18-07-2021 05:22PM

Fair play, they died with there boots on, could have gone hiding after half time.

It's a killer losing kickouts against the dubs, more so in that heat.

Hammer Archer · 18-07-2021 05:24PM

At least we showed fight and left the field with absolutely nothing left in the tank. That was Dublin's first goal they've conceded in Leinster since 2018 and their closest match in the province since 2013 when we lost by 3.

Had we gotten the deserved penalty, who knows, it could've been different. But at least we've something to build on instead of the usual surrender.

vapor trails · 19-07-2021 06:08AM

Have to be happy with that performance. Could have easily dropped the head after halftime. One moment I particularly enjoyed was McEntee's shoulder. It was a beefy but fair challenge and if I was a Meath player I would have taken a bit of motivation from it. Jordan Morris missed a couple of handy enough free's in the first half. He did dust himself off after halftime to kick some nice ones but I still don't think we have our free taking sorted. I was pulling my hair out when Thomas O'Reilly took a free towards the end a few minutes after James McEntee Kicked a quality 45. I was like "WTF is McEntee not kicking this"! In fairness to O'Reilly, he poached about 10 yards and improved his angle while he was hanging around to take it. Another high point was how Matthew Costello took his goal. I don't think he's missed a one on one in championship football yet. Really is a calm and composed finisher. The main thing is the performance should bring on squad unity and motivate us for another crack at them next year. Andy McEntee has to be given some credit too, the lads played for him in the 2nd half.

Hammer Archer · 20-07-2021 08:29PM

U20 hurlers into the All Ireland B final after beating Down 3-16 to 2-12.

rpurfield · 21-07-2021 08:06PM

Haven't been on here all week because I'm off work! I thought on Sunday we showed far too much respect in the first half. There were scores in the first half that Dublin got without a hand being laid on them. It's just a massive shame there's no back door this year. Taking that second half performance into qualifiers would've been huge.

Cavan_King · 22-07-2021 02:01PM

I'm hearing Dunboyne at 9/2 is a good bet for the Senior Championship lads. They absolutely annihilated a strong looking Kells team last night in the Feis Cup.

Hammer Archer · 23-07-2021 05:45PM

Dunboyne must be hurting after not getting out of the groups the last two seasons. Wouldn't surprise me if they won it this year.

For Ratoath, not sure if the Wallace's will be featuring (I've moved away from the area). If they do, then we've a great chance for three in a row. But can't see us doing it if they're not going to commit.

Hammer Archer · 24-07-2021 05:05PM

Minors through to the Leinster final again (less than a month after the last one). Good second half got us by Louth and we'll face Dublin in the final.

Hammer Archer · 27-07-2021 08:17AM

Still no fixture set for the U20 B Hurling final meaning the date for the 2020 hurling finals can't be set which in turn means the dates for the start of the 2021 championships can't be set. Wonderful.

Ladies are up against Armagh in the All Ireland Quarter Final in Clones on Sunday at 2pm. It'll either be on TG4 itself or streamed online.

Hammer Archer · 01-08-2021 02:06PM

Ladies doing brilliantly in the quarter final so far. 15 minutes to go and 8 points up.

Hammer Archer · 01-08-2021 02:54PM

3-15 to 1-14 it finishes. Excellent performance and it could have been more had they taken their goal chances. They've improved immeasurably, even since last year.

When was the last time the ladies team made a senior semi final? I seem to remember them getting to one in the late 90s but not sure about more recently.

LeoB · 01-08-2021 10:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117630635#Comment_117630635

I dont come on here very often but enjoy the passion Meath fans have.

There is not a huge gap between Dublin and Meath sides, just experience. Yeah it counts for a lot but that comes with time and will come with patience to Meath.

We can argue and debate frees and penalties but speaking to people they felt Meath focused too much on physically upsetting Dublin in second half? It was like a throw back to 20 years ago. The Dublin team and all top sides dont get phased like this or react as they would have previously. Passion gets you so far but calmness is vital. Sometimes with passion in heat of battle it can be damaging to team if not controlled. With so many young lads that is hard to control and why time is essential to this Meath squad.

More than anything Leinster needs a Meath/Dublin final. Meath have the players it just taking time.

rpurfield · 02-08-2021 04:24PM

Great result for the minors today. I haven't seen it but it looked comfortable enough. Hopefully the lads can go on one step further than last years minors at least and win the All Ireland Semi final. From what I seen previously Hughie Corcoran seems a talent and a half.

Also a savage result for the Ladies team yesterday. I wouldn't watch them religiously but every time I do I'm more and more impressed with them. It seems getting over the line in the Intermediate last year has just brought them on in spades. They won't fear whoever they play in the semi final anyway.

Great result for the Camoige team too. What way does that leave them for qualifying?

Hammer Archer · 02-08-2021 05:57PM

Minor game was basically won by the first water break when we were 2-4 to no score up. Scoring rate was a bit worrying after that as we only scored another point until half time, 2 points up to the second water break and 1-1 afterwards (the goal was a lob of the keeper after a bad kickout).

Hughie Corcoran looks like a very decent free taker. Some excellent long range frees from him.

All Ireland semi final will likely be against Roscommon (unless Sligo pull off a shock). No easy games at this point anyway, but Roscommon beat both Galway and Mayo (convincingly) in Connacht so we're likely going to need to massively improve to make the final.

Hammer Archer · 03-08-2021 07:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117693577#Comment_117693577

I'm confused about this. Having rolled out the welcome mat for Dublin for large parts of the first half, we upped the physicality and the quality of our play in the second half and outscored Dublin by 1-7 to 0-2 until the start of injury time. That, to me, was Dublin being phased as they're simply not used to teams actually putting it up to them in Leinster.

And there is a monumental gap between Dublin and Meath, indeed between Dublin and pretty much every team in my view.

Hammer Archer · 05-08-2021 04:47PM

2020 hurling finals on at the weekend.

Friday at 7:15pm is the Junior 2 final between Boardsmill and Dunderry.

Saturday at 4:15pm is the Junior final between Ratoath and Kilmessan followed by the Intermediate final at 6:30pm between Boardsmill and Wolfe Tones.

Sunday is Ratoath and Trim double header with the Minor final at 1:30pm and the senior final at 3:30pm.

All the games will be streamed free on the Meath GAA Facebook live page.

Hammer Archer · 05-08-2021 06:35PM

For some reason, the ladies' semi final has been fixed for Tuam. Who on earth decided to drag both teams way out of the way when it could have been set for somewhere like Portlaoise?

vapor trails · 06-08-2021 09:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117712065#Comment_117712065

It's a strange one alright. I wonder how many staff are needed to run a fixture like this? Perhaps Port Laoise said between Covid outbreaks to the grounds staff, available stock of Maor's etc they just couldn't commit to the fixture. There also could be small things like groundworks etc taking place in dressing rooms etc that we'd b unaware of. It has to be something along those lines.

Hammer Archer · 07-08-2021 07:48AM

Sligo did indeed pull off a shock in the Connacht minor final.

rpurfield · 07-08-2021 01:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117714312#Comment_117714312

I would think availability due to club games may also be a factor. I haven't a breeze where the club championship is in Laois now but maybe that's a cause too.

Hammer Archer · 07-08-2021 02:35PM

Perhaps Portlaoise didn't suit, but you still could have had the likes of Thurles, Birr (where the Cork game was a month or so ago), Tullamore etc. Cannot fathom why Tuam was chosen.

rpurfield · 07-08-2021 02:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117720100#Comment_117720100

Awh yeah I'm sure not every ground in a straight line between is in other use. Just on that note there was a bit of a flap on Twitter over the Dublin Mayo semi being on ahead of the mens game. This was Meath people making the fuss, the idea being it was Dublin getting preferential treatment. Maybe its just me but it makes infinitely more sense to double it up and let the fans from counties have the chance to see both games when crowds are restricted instead of shoving Dublin Mayo into Kingspan Breffni or somewhere as a stand alone.

Hammer Archer · 07-08-2021 05:09PM

Agree about the Dublin v Mayo ladies' semi final, just makes sense as a double header.

Ratoath won the junior hurling championship against Kilmessan 2-11 to 1-11. First time since 89 (I think) that Ratoath have won the junior championship.

Dunderry won the Junior 2 championship 5-8 to 0-11 against Boardsmill last night.

Hammer Archer · 08-08-2021 02:05PM

Wolfe Tones back to senior in a couple of weeks, beating Boardsmill 1-11 to 0-8 in the 2020 IHC final.

Trim absolutely obliterated our minor hurlers in the second half of the minor hurling final, winning 2-15 to 1-5 with Ratoath failing to score in the second half. I think if Trim fail to win the senior final today, it's only a matter of time before they do. Some ridiculous talent coming through over the last number of years.

Meath GAA discussion thread

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