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Meath 2024

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Very late to this thread but delighted to see the Meath forum still going strong. Very excited about the coming inter-county season, possibly unrealistically excited based solely on a few Tailteann Cup wins. In the league the two promoted teams look in poor shape and Louth may struggle without Harte. Hard to be confident how we would do against Donegal, Armagh, Cork or Kildare. But I'd take looking competitive, with a clear gameplan in place and 5th spot. But hopefully there's more in us than that. Obviously we should be beating Longford. Probably too soon to expect an ambush of Dublin in the next round, though Kildare showed there's (slightly) more chance with the new All-Ireland group stage of catching them cold in Leinster. So the season will be mainly judged on the group stage. Think a passing grade for the season would be at least 5th in league, a couple of strong Leinster showings and progressing from the AI group stage (so Kildare's 2023 season essentially!). I'd bite your hand off if offered promotion and a last 8 appearance. MeathAbroad (Meath) - Posts: 92 - 20/11/2023 16:28:06 2513896 Link
There are two schools of thought regarding Meath as things stand - 1) A once great force in the game who has won the Tailteann Cup in 2023, re-emerged from a prolonged sabbatical, thrown off some of the frustrations of the past generation and now is waiting to compete in the Top 16 with a young and energetic team, as equals by merit. Managed by a great of the game and mentored by a legend of the game. A county which looks like it has gotten it's st together. 2) A once great county who won a tier two competition in 2023 by beating Down twice, Wexford, Antrim, Tipperary, and Waterford. Managed by a tired purist and mentored by a very tired vsionary of a dead era. A county which doesent know it's limitations or it's potential. The truth lies somewhere in the more modest interpretation of these two paragraphs. For me, I would take staying in Division 2, and a good showing in the Last 16, hopefully a win or two over higher level opposition than last year. That is the next logical step for this team and their progression. Personally, I couldn't give a monkeys about the Leinster Championship, or what is left of it. Young_gael (Meath)** - Posts: 596 - 20/11/2023 18:34:31 2513914 Link
Replying To Young_gael: "There are two schools of thought regarding Meath as things stand - 1) A once great force in the game who has won the Tailteann Cup in 2023, re-emerged from a prolonged sabbatical, thrown off some of the frustrations of the past generation and now is waiting to compete in the Top 16 with a young and energetic team, as equals by merit. Managed by a great of the game and mentored by a legend of the game. A county which looks like it has gotten it's st together. 2) A once great county who won a tier two competition in 2023 by beating Down twice, Wexford, Antrim, Tipperary, and Waterford. Managed by a tired purist and mentored by a very tired vsionary of a dead era. A county which doesent know it's limitations or it's potential. The truth lies somewhere in the more modest interpretation of these two paragraphs. For me, I would take staying in Division 2, and a good showing in the Last 16, hopefully a win or two over higher level opposition than last year. That is the next logical step for this team and their progression. Personally, I couldn't give a monkeys about the Leinster Championship, or what is left of it." yeah that's a fair assessment. Beyond results, mainly want to see evidence that COR has people on the sideline thinking about tactics and positioning. Every time he talks about how GF is a simple game I worry. It's not a simple game, the best teams just make it look simple because everyone on the pitch has a clear understanding of their role. Tactics were never going to be COR's strong point, but think/hope he's humble enough to accept it's important and to delegate it. MeathAbroad (Meath)** - Posts: 92 - 21/11/2023 10:53:36 2513988 Link
if were away to cavan id be shocked if we win, we an incredibly bad record vs Cavan in Breffni Park, I may be mistaken but I read in Meath Chronichle in February 2003 when we were beaten by 1-16 to 0-7 by Cavan in Breffni that Meath hadnt beaten them there since 1962 or something? thats over 60 years next year. someone will have to check that out considering meath had all ireland winning teams and NFL winning teams from 1966-1975 and 1986-2000 an amazing stat. i think we will do well to get 4th place, id take that now. Louth, Cork, Fermanagh and Cavan all there for the taking, i think we will struggle with Kildare, Donegal and Armagh. 7 to 8 points id take now. We really need to peak for Fe March and April I think and wouldnt worry after that, i wouldnt put much stock in all ireland group stages just put in a perfermonance its a road to nowhere for likes of us. If were in flying form in April/ May, i wouldnt be that shocked to beat Dublin in Navan in mid May. How much will Dublin be going for that? they may lose McCarthy, Cluxton, Mannion and McCaffrey also, maybe Kilkenny too. they will also have a lot of second string playing those games. I just cant see Dublin putting much into Leinster now with new format, they need to peak in late June and July, for quater finals onward dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 766 - 21/11/2023 20:31:56 2514094 Link
Replying To dickie10: "if were away to cavan id be shocked if we win, we an incredibly bad record vs Cavan in Breffni Park, I may be mistaken but I read in Meath Chronichle in February 2003 when we were beaten by 1-16 to 0-7 by Cavan in Breffni that Meath hadnt beaten them there since 1962 or something? thats over 60 years next year. someone will have to check that out considering meath had all ireland winning teams and NFL winning teams from 1966-1975 and 1986-2000 an amazing stat. i think we will do well to get 4th place, id take that now. Louth, Cork, Fermanagh and Cavan all there for the taking, i think we will struggle with Kildare, Donegal and Armagh. 7 to 8 points id take now. We really need to peak for Fe March and April I think and wouldnt worry after that, i wouldnt put much stock in all ireland group stages just put in a perfermonance its a road to nowhere for likes of us. If were in flying form in April/ May, i wouldnt be that shocked to beat Dublin in Navan in mid May. How much will Dublin be going for that? they may lose McCarthy, Cluxton, Mannion and McCaffrey also, maybe Kilkenny too. they will also have a lot of second string playing those games. I just cant see Dublin putting much into Leinster now with new format, they need to peak in late June and July, for quater finals onward" I don't know if the standard in div 2 is as high as people tend to make out and not sure even if the overall standard is brilliant based on matches in last year's league and championship. Meath obviously stayed up last year but it must be said that it was quite a poor Meath side at the time with a huge amount of transition. I think the team improved as the summer went on especially defensively with a few personnel changes and the introduction of better younger players. Perhaps a further improvement could even see Meath battling for promotion spots if O'Rourke and co introduce some further better players and overall improvement of existing squad continues. There is certainly no Dublin or Derry in this division and its unlikely Jim McGuinness has a magic wand. Armagh are quite a middle or the road team really too. We need to feel confident that we can compete strongly and win majority of games in div 2 otherwise it would be disappointing. I would be interested to know if squad of 30 odd players has been picked yet and what new players have been introduced as not doubt there is exciting young talent in Meath that further needs tapping into. winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 22/11/2023 17:41:55 2514207 Link
Replying To dickie10: "if were away to cavan id be shocked if we win, we an incredibly bad record vs Cavan in Breffni Park, I may be mistaken but I read in Meath Chronichle in February 2003 when we were beaten by 1-16 to 0-7 by Cavan in Breffni that Meath hadnt beaten them there since 1962 or something? thats over 60 years next year. someone will have to check that out considering meath had all ireland winning teams and NFL winning teams from 1966-1975 and 1986-2000 an amazing stat. i think we will do well to get 4th place, id take that now. Louth, Cork, Fermanagh and Cavan all there for the taking, i think we will struggle with Kildare, Donegal and Armagh. 7 to 8 points id take now. We really need to peak for Fe March and April I think and wouldnt worry after that, i wouldnt put much stock in all ireland group stages just put in a perfermonance its a road to nowhere for likes of us. If were in flying form in April/ May, i wouldnt be that shocked to beat Dublin in Navan in mid May. How much will Dublin be going for that? they may lose McCarthy, Cluxton, Mannion and McCaffrey also, maybe Kilkenny too. they will also have a lot of second string playing those games. I just cant see Dublin putting much into Leinster now with new format, they need to peak in late June and July, for quater finals onward" Oh don't know about that. Wife's family all heavily involved in Dublin Gaa. Dublin during league last year had a huge motivation to come to navan and beat Colm's Meath, for Farrell, it's no secret they don't like each other and apparently they wanted to not only beat us but humiliate us at home. It was their best performance of the league (massively helped by us going man to man ) I wouldn't be altogether too hopeful that if they should come for Leinster game they'd have changed that attitude too much. Many of that team were playing when Colm was expressing the view that dubs should be split in two. I hope ur right but for the life of me I can't see them just turning up under Farrell royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 22/11/2023 18:24:00 2514211 Link
Yeah maybe a long shot but going forward i think dublin will get very hard to be up for provincial games. i think Armagh will walk division 2, Donegal out of Ballybofey definitley no great shakes anymore, and when Donegal go bad they tend to self destruct and do a lot of navel gazing as a a county and feel sorry for themselves, so if they began to fall they could fall rapidly. still think if we bet Cavan away in Breffni in league it would have to be one of our greatest league victories outside of semi finals and finals. just given the stats alone. dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 766 - 24/11/2023 11:33:48 2514426 Link
Still no official fixtures for the league. Almost December and the league is due to start the last weekend of January! urizen (Meath) - Posts: 116 - 28/11/2023 10:55:23 2514827 Link
Replying To urizen: "Still no official fixtures for the league. Almost December and the league is due to start the last weekend of January!" The country board 100% have them but are withholding them for whatever reason. Wexford released their fixtures over the weekend, why can't we? hyperache (Meath) - Posts: 250 - 29/11/2023 14:27:16 2514991 Link
Replying To urizen: "Still no official fixtures for the league. Almost December and the league is due to start the last weekend of January!" extremely frustrating for loyal supporters as there would need to be planning put in for away games particularly if we're away to Donegal, Armagh or Cork LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1520 - 30/11/2023 14:24:12 2515092 Link
Replying To LeitrimRoyal99: "extremely frustrating for loyal supporters as there would need to be planning put in for away games particularly if we're away to Donegal, Armagh or Cork" Colm O'Rourke who was present for at the We are Meath team of the year in Kells on Saturday night went through the fixtures and dates. Sound wasn't great so couldn't actually hear everything but he did say that we have 4 at home and 3 away... 199710 (Meath) - Posts: 120 - 30/11/2023 16:09:28 2515111 Link
Replying To 199710: "Colm O'Rourke who was present for at the We are Meath team of the year in Kells on Saturday night went through the fixtures and dates. Sound wasn't great so couldn't actually hear everything but he did say that we have 4 at home and 3 away..." Yes I think it will be that way, we will be at home to Kildare and Cork as we travelelled to them last year, and will be away to Louth as this year was in Navan, we know we are home to Fermanagn and away to Armagh and I'm hearing Donegal is away so the three away should be Armagh, Donegal and Louth and home to Fermanagh, Cork, Kildare and Cavan Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 01/12/2023 11:49:13 2515168 Link
Replying To Richieq: "Yes I think it will be that way, we will be at home to Kildare and Cork as we travelelled to them last year, and will be away to Louth as this year was in Navan, we know we are home to Fermanagn and away to Armagh and I'm hearing Donegal is away so the three away should be Armagh, Donegal and Louth and home to Fermanagh, Cork, Kildare and Cavan" Louth home and Cavan away according to Chronicle Belt (Meath) - Posts: 272 - 01/12/2023 11:59:52 2515171 Link
https://www.donegallive.ie/news/donegal-sport/1360859/ballybofey-expected-to-get-two-of-donegal-s-home-allianz-league-division-2-fixtures.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR22vrhXi-wJbh6LugaXJ__e5E0DDOc1eUdSxqHvoWFnSLrJdC6RWFzj11E Donegal v Meath in Round 7 it seems in Ballybofey Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 01/12/2023 15:04:11 2515214 Link
Replying To Belt: "Louth home and Cavan away according to Chronicle" Strange to have Louth at home two years in a row, unless they reset the fixtures, no harm if so. Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3743 - 01/12/2023 15:08:47 2515218 Link
You'd have to do a thorough investigation on certain articles on talking to the right people about who we are playing and when. Surely the fixtures can be made available in full to the public somewhere or how do people find out about anything these days. winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 01/12/2023 19:46:57 2515242 Link
Meath playing the regional all stars today in Dunganny at 8pm. Been very little promotion, even a Meath team announcement would drum up some interest. And Dunganny on a Monday night in December isn't very glamorous! I can't attend the game this evening if anybody on here is going I'd very much appreciate a report of how it went LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1520 - 04/12/2023 09:14:21 2515416 Link
Replying To LeitrimRoyal99: "Meath playing the regional all stars today in Dunganny at 8pm. Been very little promotion, even a Meath team announcement would drum up some interest. And Dunganny on a Monday night in December isn't very glamorous! I can't attend the game this evening if anybody on here is going I'd very much appreciate a report of how it went" That's strange, they seemed to make a much bigger event of it last year! TigerKing (Meath) - Posts: 41 - 04/12/2023 14:24:14 2515479 Link
Meath play Cork this Sunday in PuC, fundraiser for late Teddy Mac. Game will be streamed live on Rebel Online. Good to see Meath taking part in this tribute, little to be gained other than a show of respect for former great. seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2195 - 04/12/2023 17:05:52 2515503 Link
Replying To seadog54: "Meath play Cork this Sunday in PuC, fundraiser for late Teddy Mac. Game will be streamed live on Rebel Online. Good to see Meath taking part in this tribute, little to be gained other than a show of respect for former great." Should have said the 9th Dec. seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2195 - 04/12/2023 18:34:12 2515517 Link