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Meath GAA discussion thread

Hammer Archer

Well Galway has a thread, Mayo has one, even Cavan has one so why not us?

Two one point defeats in a row means we're back into relegation trouble especially if we lose to Derry next week. Having said that, beat Derry next week and promotion is still a (remote) possibility. Joe Sheridan leaving for the States certainly isn't going to help.
Thought the performance yesterday was easily the worst of the league. Our away form is killing us still.

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Green_Tae

Hammer Archer wrote: »

A good chunk of these players will almost certainly choose to focus on their other sports once they hit adulthood. And I honestly can't blame them.

Yeah but the GAA as a whole has to take some responsibility here. We could see alternative competition structures put in place which would keep the spotlight on gaelic football for longer and give second tier teams like Meath more exposure.

Of course in order to compliment this we would need our county board to do their bit. It's not easy to get such things to happen within the GAA. Even when there are good ideas (which is rare enough), you have to get that two thirds majority.

Hammer Archer

Trevor Giles will be the subject of Laochra Gael this Sunday at 5.55pm on TG4. Should be a good one.
If you're at a club game at that time and are afraid of missing it, it's repeated on Monday at 8pm.

snowgal

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Trevor Giles will be the subject of Laochra Gael this Sunday at 5.55pm on TG4. Should be a good one.
If you're at a club game at that time and are afraid of missing it, it's repeated on Monday at 8pm.

Have that noted in my diary since January!!! Bit of a Trevor fan here!

rpurfield

Green Tae wrote: »

Yeah but the GAA as a whole has to take some responsibility here. We could see alternative competition structures put in place which would keep the spotlight on gaelic football for longer and give second tier teams like Meath more exposure.

Of course in order to compliment this we would need our county board to do their bit. It's not easy to get such things to happen within the GAA. Even when there are good ideas (which is rare enough), you have to get that two thirds majority.

The whole system is mental especially at adult level, there's no reason why lads can't be given a fixture list in January that doesn't change and they plan a life around. I seen Fergal Lynch tweeting in the week Meath have played 12 games in 13 weeks between league and O'Byrne Cup and now they've no competitive game for ten weeks,that's pure madness. Generally speaking if a lad goes playing rugby or soccer they know they've a game every week (weather permitting) and can plan around it, the GAA in general is just all over the shop.

Obrieski

After last night night's games, and an early prediction of course which is bound to come back to haunt me, i would see Blackhall as major contenders for the drop, especially if Tobin is now out for the foreseeable.

paul0103

Big win for the minor hurlers against Wicklow in first round of Leinster. 8.18 to 6pts. Now play one of the losers of Wexford v Westmeath and Laois V Offaly.

paul0103

Correction, looks like it was 10.20 to 7pts!

Hammer Archer

How bad must Wicklow be?

Duleek were pretty atrocious as well today. Dunboyne looked good once they got going. Certain teams are very lucky the mass relegation was scrapped.

Obrieski

Was in Dunshaughlin yesterday evening for the Ratoath - Summerhill match.

Can I start by saying what a nice job Dunshaughlin have done, pitch (as usual to be fair) was in great shape and it's a pity the wind was so strong across the pitch as it ruined the game somewhat.

As for the match itself, Ratoath will be disappointed. Should have won in the position they were in but Summerhill's experience really shone through. Also Ratoath missing so many stand-out players, and losing a few more during the game shows that strength in depth is not great there. Little Joey Wallace had a marvellous game, hopefully he keeps that form up and instils some belief in himself as on his day he is almost unstoppable. Felt the ref made a few decisions when Ratoath were ahead to try bring Summerhill back into the game a bit but maybe that is a bit of bias shining through, a comedy of errors in the defence led to the winning Summerhill goal.

All in all, Ratoath will have learned a lot, and will need their best players back for the next round. Missing Bryan Mac, Eamon Wallace, Darragh McGill and then Power mid-way through the match made it almost impossible.

As for Summerhill, a few decent players, Dalton looked sharp in corner forward, both Daltons actually but surely Davy would be better suited out around the half back line. Can't see them challenging for senior honours, or Ratoath for that matter yet but the season is only young.

Hammer Archer

Our lack of experience really showed in the last 10 minutes or so when Summerhill started getting on top. Having said that, we had some gilt edged chances to draw level in injury time. Joey had a very good game but will be kicking himself with his last minute miss.
But a one point loss to Summerhill without 3 first teamers and losing two more during the game isn't the worst result. After seeing Duleek on Saturday I can't see us in relegation trouble at least.

Obrieski

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Joey had a very good game but will be kicking himself with his last minute miss.

Think the ref had blown for a free out just before that miss so wouldn't have counted anyway - think it was a throw ball.

In relation to other games, I made a prediction here about Blackhall Gaels and relegation the other day. I think we can throw Duleek/Bellewstown and Ballinlough into that category too.
Peadar Byrne didn't play for the 'Lough over the weekend, is he injured or is there something else up? Anyone from up that neck of the woods on these pages? He'd be a huge loss for them

Hammer Archer

I think Royal Legend is a 'Lough man. Maybe he can shed some light. It's hard to see past Duleek for relegation unless Peader Byrne or Donnacha Tobin are out for the season for Ballinlough and Blackhall Gaels. I didn't see anyone of any quality with Duleek. A 16 point loss was actually flattering as they got 2 late goals.

Didn't realise a free was given for Joey Wallace's chance. Makes me feel a little better. Eamonn should be back for the next game but McMahon could still be out for a while.

CrabRevolution

In fairness to Duleek/Bellewstown, they've survived in senior for 10 years now, sneaking into a QF or 2 in the same time (losing a pretty close QF to Rathkenny one year IIRC). They're more involved in relegation playoffs in recent years though but still hanging in there. All this was done while not having any real stand out players that I can recall. They're a real sum-of-their-parts team.

I remember watching them vs. Trim in a relegation playoff a few years ago and it was a ridiculous match. I think D/Bhad a man sent off within 10 minutes, and another sent off at half time, then they didn't even score in the 2nd half, but still managed to hold out to win and stay up. You'll have to claw senior status from their cold dead hands....

Obrieski

Mark Collins for Duleek was always an exciting player, right from underage and played for Meath at all levels i think. Is he still playing, he'd be mid-twenties now I suppose. A very good player

Floppybits

I was driving by Ratoath's ground on Sunday and I seen there was a match on in there. €8 entry fee is a bit much. I would have stopped to go in and have a look but not for that price.

Hammer Archer

Floppybits wrote: »

I was driving by Ratoath's ground on Sunday and I seen there was a match on in there. €8 entry fee is a bit much. I would have stopped to go in and have a look but not for that price.

Entry fee is set by the county board amd it's €8 across the board. Only went to 2 games but thought attendance was way down on last season when the price was a fiver.

Delealli20

Thought the €8 price was a bad call and it looks like that's the case going by the crowds. Could yet be reverted to €5 before the year is out.

Hammer Archer

Minor footballers through to the next round of the Leinster championship by beating Laois 11 points to 1-6.

mattser

Wexford 17-20 Kilkenny 0-00

Shameful GAA

Stoner

mattser wrote:

Wexford 17-20 Kilkenny 0-00

I had to look that up, that's unbelievable.

LeoB

mattser wrote: »

Wexford 17-20 Kilkenny 0-00

Shameful GAA

That is actually very sad. 20 Lads didnt get out of bed to get a hiding like that. The fault is not the G.A.A it lies with the Kilkenny Co Board. They need a better and more organised league structure for football. That said put out the Kerry minors against Cork minor hurlers or any northern team bar Antrim out against the top 6 sides and that score would be equalled.

That said I spoke to a chap from Kilkenny and he said lads simply wont play. They want to hurl and that is it. And over the years there have been a few decent performances from club football sides in Kilkenny.

iDave

Are we in a position to be high and mighty? What would Kilkenny do to our hurlers.

RugbyLover123

It's different, Wexford are hardly powerhouses in football. They're a Division 3 team, the equivalent in Hurling terms would put nowhere near that on our hurlers.

Can't stand how Kilkenny play a complete disinterest in Gaelic, not even fielding a team some years. Shouldn't be allowed play in the hurling championship if that's the case.

Hammer Archer

I think the difference between ourselves in hurling and Kilkenny in football is that there are pockets of Meath where hurling is very strong. That's not the case with football in Kilkenny.
And look at our result against Wicklow in the MHC last week. A 45 point win against a side supposedly at the same level as us.

The county board generally pay lip service to hurling and a large portion of the public are actually hostile to hurling (look at McEntee's comments last year). Luckily for us, 15-20 other counties do the same with hurling which means we can stay relatively competitive at our own level. Kilkenny are on their own at their level in football unless you include the teams they compete against in the British JFC.

CrabRevolution

It's amazing how people give out about Kilkenny but ignore how desperately poor some inter county hurling teams are. I saw Donegal play in Trim a few weeks ago and I'll state as fact that the likes of Kildalkey, Kilmessan, Dunboyne or Trim would beat them.

Fermanagh's "county" team is effectively the Lisbellaw team wearing Fermanagh jerseys. It's similar in Longford, only 2 or 3 clubs. Cavan don't even field a senior team. Leitrim have about 4 clubs.

Floppybits

There is something dodgey on the scoreline of 17-20. That's a goal nearly every 3.5 minutes and a point every 3 minutes. It would suggest that Kilkenny never got beyond their 45 metre line never mind the other half or that Kilkenny didnt field a full 15 players and Wexford did.

Green_Tae

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Luckily for us, 15-20 other counties do the same with hurling which means we can stay relatively competitive at our own level.

...so, basically the majority of intercounty hurling teams then.

Casting a cold eye on the standards of gaelic games on the island, realsitically there are about three counties that can compete in both codes: Cork, Dublin and Galway; potentially four if the GAA managed to get cross-commumity support for hurling in Antrim.

Why do we expect Kilkenny, one of the smallest counties in Ireland and predominantly rural to compete in both codes? Former president Nicky Brennan has already gone on record to point out how successful Kilkenny GAA's policy has been in concentrating on hurling.

However, as posters above have pointed out, there are good traditional football clubs in that county with good footballers. The only workable solution is to introduce regional teams to intercounty competition at some future date, e.g. a district/town team playing it's home games in Portlaoise would be able to draw players from clubs in Carlow, Kilkenny or even Wexford allowing those counties to concentrate on hurling.

iDave

3-18 2-12 win over Wicklow in the CR yesterday. A trip to Ruislip the reward.

Fergal Lynch tweeted Mickey Burke was stopped from playing.
That seems very unnecessary given the footballers aren't in action until June.

Kilkenny come in for complaint but then we do this to someone who just wants to play some hurling.

Hammer Archer

Think the same occurred with Micky Burke last year or the year before. Totally unnecessary.

Minor hurlers lost to Westmeath but seemed to make a great game of it. It was 15 points to 1-12 with less than 10 to go before Westmeath hit the last 5 to make it 1-17 to 15 in the end.

rpurfield

Anyone on here refereeing or know a referee in the county? I was talking to a friend who done the course in Dublin, as he's a Dub, and he was saying they'd to shell out for the kit themselves at the end of it. Just wondering if that's the case in Meath. I used to referee but gave up when I changed jobs as it didn't suit, but as far as I recall we were given the kits when we passed the course.