Meath Forum

Armagh V Meath. Rd 2.

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Seriously have to wonder what the likes of Monaghan, Mayo, Galway, Kerry are doing that we somehow aren't or won't do. You can argue we don't have Dublins population and money but there's no logical reason why we aren't a division 1 team. Our approach might be ok in Tailteann Cup and Division 3 with the players we have but we should be at the cutting edge of football given our tradition but for some reason we're not.

LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 04/02/2024 10:43:12    2524148

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Replying To contributingtoamelee:  "Who said it was wonderful? In andys third year we had the best league campaign in 15 years, next year we will be in Division 3. You can't seem to understand that sometimes you have to look past results, in every game we were seriously competitive bar Donegal, would you call yday competitive ?"
Leaving yesterday match walking beside a Armagh couple he turns around to me and says ",eye you've gone back a good bit since we played ye in the wind in navan "
We aren't competitive anymore. 1 year no wins.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/02/2024 10:59:46    2524151

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Replying To Borderroyal:  "We have pretty decent players but no Poacher, Tally, Rochford figure coach that knows systems like it or not that's the key to having a steady plan.
With players known there roles communicating this on field.
We're like a jnr b outfit, shar it'll be grand type of stuff.
I'd worry for div 2 status now"
Why does everyone keep saying we have the players. What has this team shown or the majority of players shown to suggest that? Granted a few have had underage success but they are only starting out. People keep quoting Sigerson but every intercounty player over the age of 24 are more or less ineligible for this competition and we have also had star Sigerson players in the past that didn't achieve at IC level. It's unfortunate in that it looks like not alot of work was done over the Autumn/Winter period in developing what we have or at least it is not working but I also think people underestimate the loses of Harnan and Ryan defensively. The lads that have come in are just not at that level whether people like it or not but again perhaps other players should have been found in the off season defensively. I think in transition we are too loose in possession particular at midfield even though they also do promising things at times. Our current full forward line are too lightweight and inconsistent and agree Walsh and Moriarty must play and perhaps Kinsella too. Looks like it will be a rocky road but let's see.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 515 - 04/02/2024 11:07:43    2524153

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I thought O'Rourke's appointment was a step back for us to try and progress and this is been proven over the last 15 odd games, a group players who look completely rudderless out on the pitch. Andy Mc's team weren't too pretty to watch at times but you could see there was some sort of game plan and approach there. It's absolutely disheartening as a fan to go up to these games to watch what I would deem a very capable group of young players and for them to go out and look like they've never played along side each other before. With the right coaching I think we could be battling for the top 2 Div2 spots and causing teams a lot of problems in the championship, I'd love to see the likes of a Davy Burke or Vinny Corey come in and really lift the team and get us playing with structure and purpose, but our county board refuse to appoint a manager from outside the county where we just don't have coaches at this senior level. Last years league we pot lucked 2 wins in the opening two games and completely fell apart for the rest of it, don't have that luck this time and with the way we're currently playing I'm struggling to see where the remaining 4-5pts minimum that we'll need to stay up.

LowerHogan (Meath) - Posts: 25 - 04/02/2024 11:22:14    2524157

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Replying To LowerHogan:  "I thought O'Rourke's appointment was a step back for us to try and progress and this is been proven over the last 15 odd games, a group players who look completely rudderless out on the pitch. Andy Mc's team weren't too pretty to watch at times but you could see there was some sort of game plan and approach there. It's absolutely disheartening as a fan to go up to these games to watch what I would deem a very capable group of young players and for them to go out and look like they've never played along side each other before. With the right coaching I think we could be battling for the top 2 Div2 spots and causing teams a lot of problems in the championship, I'd love to see the likes of a Davy Burke or Vinny Corey come in and really lift the team and get us playing with structure and purpose, but our county board refuse to appoint a manager from outside the county where we just don't have coaches at this senior level. Last years league we pot lucked 2 wins in the opening two games and completely fell apart for the rest of it, don't have that luck this time and with the way we're currently playing I'm struggling to see where the remaining 4-5pts minimum that we'll need to stay up."
Here here

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/02/2024 11:52:57    2524163

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Replying To royaldunne:  "Leaving yesterday match walking beside a Armagh couple he turns around to me and says ",eye you've gone back a good bit since we played ye in the wind in navan "
We aren't competitive anymore. 1 year no wins."
let's not start the i was talking to someone!!

Harnan6 (Meath) - Posts: 32 - 04/02/2024 12:18:38    2524170

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At least now we can stop having the TC as some sort of success story. Clearly did not learn or benifit from it....

Ed2010 (Meath) - Posts: 93 - 04/02/2024 12:36:02    2524174

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Replying To Harnan6:  "let's not start the i was talking to someone!!"
Repeating what was said to me. Am I not supposed to mention it ? Anyway it's a forum.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/02/2024 12:47:18    2524176

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Replying To Ed2010:  "At least now we can stop having the TC as some sort of success story. Clearly did not learn or benifit from it...."
I feared that last year.
And who would bet against Longford takin us in Leinster? We could be in for the worst ever year in Meath football.
What's worse while it is unlikely the previous manager could take our spot in division 2 next year. Something needs to be done NOW. cb must bring in a coach regardless of who they are and must do it asap.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/02/2024 13:11:12    2524177

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Okay now that I've had a chance to sleep on it and calm down a bit. Positives from the game, the start was good, lead 0-4 to 0-2 and should have been more. A few clever moves such as isolating McBride at 14 for a mark. We got 2 scores from long kickouts even though they had left one of our full forward free, as soon as the long kickout was won we gave it straight into the man who was being marked by the keeper because the keeper was heading back into his goals. Smart heads up football. The negatives, after the first 15 minutes the option taking was so so bad. Lads swinging pot shots from 40 metres, lads shooting who you never want shooting. Kicking into 4 v 1's, just floating in terrible balls that are never on. Defensively still so bad collectively. So many times the ball swung by the opposition from one side to the other and there's a gaping hole. For their first goal it was a sidestep infield and suddenly 3 or 4 of our players were now not goal side of the man in possession and were completely out of the game. What concerned me most though is the lack of energy from our players to get up and down the pitch. When we would win the ball back we would often have 5 or 6 players behind the ball just catching their breath. The best chance of scores is when you get a turnover, you have to show urgency to get up the pitch before their defence can set up. O'Rourke's entire philosophy seems to be get your head up and kick the ball forward, this is absolutely fatal if you have 5 of your own team behind the ball marking nobody. And it's not like it was a tactic to keep the players back to stop ourselves being hit on the counter. The attack would be slow, we'd then push everybody up to match their defensive structure, inevitably not go anywhere and then get hit on the counter anyway because we'd have pushed everybody forward. I don't think it's a fitness issue, I think the policy is to keep forwards up, but if opposition backs fly forward you have to follow them, and there seems to be no plan for how we attack in situations where our players have followed their men into defence. The reality is we probably need a minimum of 2 wins over the rest of the league and a bit of luck. I don't see where the 2 wins come from. I just pray we can stay up, because dropping to division 3 is now a death sentence as it makes it likely you'll play Tailteann cup again the year after

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1470 - 04/02/2024 13:13:11    2524178

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Dear God, Can you all stop slating management and players, they are all doing their best for their county. I keep saying it year after year, we have not got the talent other counties have but that doesn't mean they are no good. They are doing their best everyone.

We won the Senior B championship last year, big step up this year, we not near the top 8 and possibly 12/14 teams in the country. We are barely a division 2 team, barely.

We simply don't have forwards to put a score on the board to win a game against these sort of oppositions.

Game next week against Louth is a huge game for the lads, a win is a must which could bring a bit of confidence however we are in a relegation dogfight and that's the reality, anyone who thought we had the forwards to get out of this group are obviously not watching club football in Meath.

Although saying that we are good enough to win the next 2 games at home against Louth and Kildare and 4 points might be enough to survive

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1049 - 04/02/2024 13:34:08    2524183

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Louth after beating cork

9774739191637399 (Meath) - Posts: 18 - 04/02/2024 15:16:22    2524214

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Replying To 9774739191637399:  "Louth after beating cork"
Ahh at least next year we can see can we regain the tall chin cup.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/02/2024 15:43:43    2524224

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Replying To thelutch:  "Dear God, Can you all stop slating management and players, they are all doing their best for their county. I keep saying it year after year, we have not got the talent other counties have but that doesn't mean they are no good. They are doing their best everyone.

We won the Senior B championship last year, big step up this year, we not near the top 8 and possibly 12/14 teams in the country. We are barely a division 2 team, barely.

We simply don't have forwards to put a score on the board to win a game against these sort of oppositions.

Game next week against Louth is a huge game for the lads, a win is a must which could bring a bit of confidence however we are in a relegation dogfight and that's the reality, anyone who thought we had the forwards to get out of this group are obviously not watching club football in Meath.

Although saying that we are good enough to win the next 2 games at home against Louth and Kildare and 4 points might be enough to survive"
We are getting beaten by teams more adept to having a good defense with quick transition to score.its not rocket science but it seems to baffle our management

Borderroyal (Meath) - Posts: 488 - 04/02/2024 15:47:38    2524227

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Replying To 9774739191637399:  "Louth after beating cork"
That makes next game even more important. Think we also have worst score difference ?

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/02/2024 18:49:36    2524302

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Replying To grahamc9897:  "Can see us losing every match in the league"
Don't know if you missed the game last week but we drew so we can't lose every match in the league.

Maestro (Meath) - Posts: 569 - 04/02/2024 19:27:24    2524319

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Some people really revelling in this defeat to have a go at the manager, one poster in particular who probably has more than one profile on here....
Not a great start to the league alright, first defeat of the season for this young team.
Big game now against Louth in 2 weeks...

Maestro (Meath) - Posts: 569 - 04/02/2024 19:35:32    2524322

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Not to derail the thread too much, but it's interesting how some posters on here who were in denial about McEntee for years are gunning for O Rourke in just over a year of his management. Maybe, just maybe, both did and are doing their best with a fairly limited set of players.

Yes overall McEntee's league campaign was good, but don't forget the bad losses in championship, almost whitewashed in div 1 and we were no more any closer to beating 'The Dubs'. That is total revisionism.

O Rourke has picked up a squad in a low ebb. Last year had ups and downs. Let's just see how the Louth game goes. The Sigerson excuse may be a valid one. A weeks rest and training could play into our hands. If we win, it's a win, draw and a loss which would probably be par for this current group.

Spoofer (Meath) - Posts: 49 - 04/02/2024 19:49:23    2524335

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Replying To Spoofer:  "Not to derail the thread too much, but it's interesting how some posters on here who were in denial about McEntee for years are gunning for O Rourke in just over a year of his management. Maybe, just maybe, both did and are doing their best with a fairly limited set of players.

Yes overall McEntee's league campaign was good, but don't forget the bad losses in championship, almost whitewashed in div 1 and we were no more any closer to beating 'The Dubs'. That is total revisionism.

O Rourke has picked up a squad in a low ebb. Last year had ups and downs. Let's just see how the Louth game goes. The Sigerson excuse may be a valid one. A weeks rest and training could play into our hands. If we win, it's a win, draw and a loss which would probably be par for this current group."
That's how it works on these forums , it has its own politics to it from past to new management . People don't like being wrong because the way the brain is hardwired to seek that all important dopamine hit :)



That said Louth is a big game , they a steady , but I am looking forward to it , got to love sport.

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 878 - 04/02/2024 20:23:49    2524349

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Replying To thelutch:  "Dear God, Can you all stop slating management and players, they are all doing their best for their county. I keep saying it year after year, we have not got the talent other counties have but that doesn't mean they are no good. They are doing their best everyone.

We won the Senior B championship last year, big step up this year, we not near the top 8 and possibly 12/14 teams in the country. We are barely a division 2 team, barely.

We simply don't have forwards to put a score on the board to win a game against these sort of oppositions.

Game next week against Louth is a huge game for the lads, a win is a must which could bring a bit of confidence however we are in a relegation dogfight and that's the reality, anyone who thought we had the forwards to get out of this group are obviously not watching club football in Meath.

Although saying that we are good enough to win the next 2 games at home against Louth and Kildare and 4 points might be enough to survive"
You are correct, but some posters think otherwise-probably guys who do not know whether there is air in the ball or feathers. I know there are guy complaining about management (I do not know how good or bad the present management is)- it may take 5 years!). If you are a genuine supporter you should support the team. Some folk in the past supported the manager. I always support the team first and the manager. Now over the last 15 years we unfortunately did not have the players. Andy did his best and now Colm, I assume will do his best so please stop the whinging.
I ask the question again in what year did we last beat Armagh in the Athletic Grounds?

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 04/02/2024 22:24:56    2524396

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