Ok, so given the fantastic achievements of the Hurlers over the last month. Where does the small ball stand in relation to the big ball at present? I for one have been involved in Meath GAA for over 30 years and have never seem such doom and gloom surround our footballers and the hurlers on such a high.

Granted the Meath footballers just played the All Ireland champions and the hurlers got by Antrim in a tier 2 competition by the smallest of margins AET. If roles were reversed how would the hurlers get on against Kilkenny in a similar fixture? If the hurlers had been training 5 nights a week since last October, went on numerous training weekends down the country, a week long holiday camp in Portugal, had all hurlers (including those playing Meath football) available and came up against a Kilkenny team playing in 2nd gear would they be closer than Meath were against Dublin on Sunday?

begining (UK) - Posts: 300 - 28/06/2016 15:28:32    1873366

It is still a football county..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 28/06/2016 15:33:29    1873372

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2151 - 28/06/2016 15:43:23    1873385

We were 20 years ago. We're nothing now.

begining (UK) - Posts: 300 - 28/06/2016 15:50:18    1873394

With the effort and support clearly to be seen this year, Meath should be a dual county. All it takes is time and effort and support at the highest levels. Was in Dunganny last night and the place was full of underage hurlers. The interest is there, so why not. Stop harping on about the past and what Meath did or was 20 years ago. Time to look at what could be and manage the resource right. The population is big enough to accommodate both codes. Time for Meath to be a GAA county.

3feetoftimber (Meath) - Posts: 113 - 28/06/2016 15:57:53    1873406

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 28/06/2016 16:00:55    1873410

Wexford have similar pedigree in hurling that we have in football. On top of that they have underage success at hurling, something Meath have little of in either code. They have a strong club scene which regularly produces Leinster finalists across all grades. They do all those things you're on about giving the hurlers (5 nights a week, holidays, strength and conditioning etc.).

Yet they still lose by 20 points pretty regularly to Kilkenny.

I love Meath hurling and have followed it all over the country from Arklow to Banagher to Tralee for over 15 years now, but Meath are still a whole world away from the top counties. A magnificent and hard earned CR victory vs. a self titled "traditional" hurling county doesn't change that.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1647 - 28/06/2016 16:16:35    1873421

I was talking to two of the Meath management team last Thursday in Dunganny and I asked them what was the story with training nights etc etc they told me , Meath hurlers have been training 3 nights a week since the 1/11/2015, they also had to do a S&C program two nights a week on their own !
Same effort goes int hurling as football and I'd suggest to you all after been in croker on Saturday and Sunday the hurlers were fitter team than the footballers.

duelplayer1 (Meath) - Posts: 97 - 28/06/2016 17:44:27    1873468

It was a brilliant win for the hurlers, and it was acclaimed by all GAA people in the county. Football is the main sport here, but it shouldn't be one against the other, just respect for both.
I remember when they used to play Allianz hurling and football games on the same day in Pairc Tailteann. The hurlers would be up first and then the footballers. Very few people watched the hurlers, a couple of hundred, bar the end of the game. Then maybe 6,000 turned up for the footballers. The thing that really struck me though was half the hurling people left after their game and didn't stay for the football. It would have been the same if the games were the other way around.
You can't go around comparing one to the other, they are two totally different sports under the same organisation. I'm a football person but my respect for the Meath hurlers has grown hugely. Onwards and upwards.

Roger (Meath) - Posts: 471 - 28/06/2016 17:56:34    1873471

I often thought Meath should do better at hurling than they do. While football is played everywhere in the county hurling is played in a lot bigger area than many people realise. I remember talking with someone years back and going through the 1996 All Ireland Meath team and how many were also very good hurlers. There is only a few counties where hurling is widely played so there is an opportunity to do well, I heard someone saying recently that Meath has the fourth highest number of hurling clubs in Leinster (this was said in a pub after C Ring final so not completely sure this is the case, maybe someone knows?)

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1360 - 28/06/2016 18:13:36    1873473

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1360 - 28/06/2016 18:21:05    1873474

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 28/06/2016 18:34:22    1873478

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 28/06/2016 19:53:05    1873511

Its the type of training in my opinion from playing both codes. Footballers nowadays train over long distances 30 -50 yards+ which in my opinion is not the right approach.. Hurling Is more done over 20 yards but at top speed. Its more sprint orientated..

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 631 - 29/06/2016 09:26:30    1873632

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 29/06/2016 09:29:11    1873633

duelplayer1 (Meath) - Posts: 97 - 29/06/2016 10:29:58    1873670

duelplayer1 (Meath) - Posts: 97 - 29/06/2016 10:42:21    1873678

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/06/2016 11:22:02    1873699

duelplayer1- there are exceptional players in both codes but a general rule footballers with their hand passing run more holding on to the ball-may not get them much success though some of the time. Much more use of the quick long ball in hurling although the short passing is coming in with a couple of counties. The hurling success will make for a good quiz question in future. What county won the Christy Ring Cup twice in the same month?-well done again.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 29/06/2016 12:22:56    1873749

Reading article about Martin Fogarty getting top Hurling Job. Why is Meath not part of the plan???? Christy Ring champions. 2 sides competing at div 1 standard at u16 and u17. Loads of work being done underage by GDA's and development squad managers.

Meath2010 (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 29/06/2016 13:17:48    1873788