I fancy Sydan to cause an upset or two with Daire Rowe in flying form, Ballivor on recent showings will be very hard bet, St. Colmcilles depending on if they can keep their bottle or not, Nobber, Ballinabracky and Ratoath to battle it our for the 4 semi final spots, after that its anyones championship to win!!

hashtagbarryout (Meath) - Posts: 9 - 22/04/2014 12:04:27    1578366

What about the huge reserves of talent in the club and great manager. Simple as this they will just have to get on with it. Rural clubs struggling to field one team never mind two. 6/4 favourites, simple as this league form means nothing when it comes to championship. Also cannot understand how the management pick the team like the did last Saturday night. Bobby O Brien in the full forward line, brian mc centre forward. Don't see how that gets the best out of either guy. Anyway one result doesn't change things a whole lot and if meath go will this year, the local championship will be shut down for the whole summer so it might not be a big as deal as you think.

Adamski (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 22/04/2014 12:08:51    1578370

Huge reserves?? With the exception of 1 player, the oldest player Ratoath have was 25!! And most of their players from successful Minor teams are heading away for the summer!! Team selection was quite odd alright from a positional sense, poor managemnet in my opinion. Hopefully Meath do well in the championship and the lads will be back for the later rounds but a summer away with no consistent training is hardly going to be beneficial to the lads either

hashtagbarryout (Meath) - Posts: 9 - 22/04/2014 12:29:48    1578392

Good result for cilles last night, they definitely have the talent to win inter and I'd expect them to make semis at least this year.

Expected more from Nobber this year, they were very unlucky to get relegated last year and have a strong enough squad to challenge for inter again.

Hank_Scorpio (Meath) - Posts: 60 - 25/04/2014 12:11:45    1579808

Nobber deserved to win the intermediate the time they did, but they have gone back a lot since that with players away and injuries etc. I wouldnt expect any more from them as to hold their own in the intermediate. Im not belittling them at all, just highlighting the fact that all teams need their full panel, and without a few players it can weaken them considerably.
On the other hand, i would agree that Colmcilles def have the ability to win it. I would argue the point that they under achieved last year when beaten by a Saint Michaels team on top of their game in the quarters.
Ratoath, despite been beaten are the strong favourites and maybe this was the catalyst they needed to boost their campaign.
Others who are impressing are Castletown, who have 6 classy forwards and are physically strong and seasoned.

tackleberry (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 25/04/2014 12:55:14    1579823

The grade is very tight as always. Impossible to predict what will happen. Stating the obvious here but St Colmcilles's challenge is to deliver on the big day. There is no doubt that the players are there. The difference this year might be that in Mickey Conlan we seem to have a top manager. Even given the unpredictable nature, I would still be of the view that this is Ratoath's to lose. Ballivor did them a huge favour last weekend. In the meantime, Castletown and the Bracks are probably smiling to themselves as very little is being said about them.

seasiderblues (Meath) - Posts: 343 - 25/04/2014 13:19:22    1579835

As a 'Wood man I like to go and see how Nobber are getting on and after last nights show they will be nowhere near winning intermediate. They still have the problem that Brian Farrell is their only option for scores and the spine team is aging. They'll be lucky to stay intermediate for the next few years as they don't seem to have much coming through underage..

nmsmithy96 (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 25/04/2014 15:32:50    1579920

I was at the Ballivor Carnaross game and I'm not remotely surprised to see them beat Ratoath. People on here seem to think it was some type of fluke but it wasn't. The team that beats Ballivor will win the intermediate.

hootervillian (Meath) - Posts: 308 - 26/04/2014 08:11:19    1580131

Ballivors biggest test will be when the Hurling starts but if they can stick together avoid agro between the 2 clubs they will be serious contenders,ratoath will bounce back but the pressure seems to get to them at the business end,dunderry would still have a shout as would castletown & the bracks,castletown are always there at the end but with another year on the clock you would be thinking they have missed their chance to move up to the senior ranks,the bracks have lost some very experienced players to retirement and emigration but with carroll & o connor on the team along with some experienced & and youth they could be there also.Its just too hard to call to be honest,a lot of luck will be required to win this championship.

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1047 - 26/04/2014 11:27:32    1580190

Got to see the second half of the Castletown bracks game,and have to say I was very impressed by Castletown they won very easy against a strong intermediate team and missed at least 3 clear goalscoring chances plus d.carroll was kept quiet in that time as well,it was a Gud hard game of football though..

bullet11 (Meath) - Posts: 52 - 26/04/2014 20:54:03    1580466

I was at the Castletown-Ballinabrackey match last night. Very good match, after 20 minutes I could only see a bracks win but Castletown stuck with it and frustrated the bracks until Ballinabrackeys discipline started to go. Once that went they lost their shape and also one of their players about 5 minutes into the second half. The same player could have been sent off twice in the first half but was rightly given the benefit of the doubt by the ref, how the bracks management seen fit to send a player who'd so obviously lost the plot and was on a yellow back on to the field for the second half defies belief. Sure enough after 5 minutes he was gone, the positives Bracks can take from this is on their day, with the players they have, I think they're capable of beating any team in the intrerediate. The negatives are their line needs to open their eyes and Damien Carroll needs to be a bigger player for them, heplayed well for first twenty minutes bu the pink haired number 5 for Castletown ended up putting him in his pocket for the last 40 minutes of this match.
Positives for Casletown is the same as the Bracks, I think they're capable of beating any team on their day, the only negative I can think of is a small bit of verbal indiscipline. If Finnerty at number 11 stays fit they'll be hard bet.
One other honourable mention is the number 5 for Ballinabrackey, best footbaler I've seen in intermediate so far this year.

hootervillian (Meath) - Posts: 308 - 27/04/2014 09:23:35    1580552

Hooter that fairly accurate there all right I went along to this game also and your views are correct , Carroll was playing wing forward and Jimmy Finnerty ran the show for Castletown at 11 how bracks management left Carroll out there for the full match when they were cleaned out at midfield is baffling (he usually runs the show for them at midfield) .bracks disipline also let them down and yes that number 5 was excellent all right .that number 5 should of went on finnerty after 10 mins .

RogerRabbit (Meath) - Posts: 46 - 27/04/2014 10:57:10    1580585

Great win for Castletown two form two now! Pink haired no.5 was called Ross Blaney also.

castletownboy (Meath) - Posts: 3 - 27/04/2014 15:30:59    1580695

Number 5 was marlin no.10 for Castletown and he scored 1-4 from play! So he didn't play that well

Dermot1 (Meath) - Posts: 47 - 27/04/2014 16:54:47    1580747

Number 5 for the bracks was Nicky Judge.. class act, was in with 21's a few years ago. Had Ross in his pocket 1st half when all he scored was a point from a free and when the bracks had the full 15, castletown boys were queuing up for goals after the sending off in second half so wouldn't judge it on that. That group is wide open now

kyleg649 (Meath) - Posts: 3 - 27/04/2014 17:20:51    1580768

I see the drums beat ballinlough last nite pretty easy,no body is talking about them at all plus I see they have a couple of lads getting back from long term injuries that will be a big boost when fully fit..dark horses

bullet11 (Meath) - Posts: 52 - 28/04/2014 15:42:14    1581554

bullet11
Drumbaragh won against a poor enough Ballinlough outfit, they won a poor junior championstip also. When they are playing Division 2 Football and comepeting against senior teams, I will consider them then, until then its hearsay im afraid.

tackleberry (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 30/04/2014 17:31:50    1582604

I'd say drumabaragh are similar to the ratoath team last year.
Definitely got the talent, but to win it in the first year is some hurdle though I think they will definitely upset a few

dubsout (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 01/05/2014 11:26:20    1582863

Not blowing up my own team , but if Niall Ronan joins up with our senior squad this year he will be a huge addition.But after serious injury he still has to make up his mind up.

cilles man (Meath) - Posts: 142 - 01/05/2014 13:31:57    1582942

cilles man
Regardless if he joins or not, the Cilles have a serious opportunity to win it providing everyone stays fit for yee.

tackleberry (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 01/05/2014 16:07:07    1583054