On the U16 Hurling, there were to be two competitions this year. A league in the early part of the year and a knockout championship that was to start in September. This was on the master fixture list from early in the year. What happened to the knockout competition??????

3feetoftimber (Meath) - Posts: 113 - 08/10/2014 13:54:11    1661449

would it be in the best intrests of meath hurling to have a completly seperate county board? at first glance you would think so, but im not so sure. if for arguments sake there were seperate boards then surely both would have to fund themselves and their teams, with both cooperating for the likes of pairc tailteann redevelopment unless the hurling board move all big games en-mass to trim or athboy. then they shouldnt contribute. anyway so if there were a seperate board where would the money come from to fund these teams ? would they not be a lot worse off?

look at the gate receipts from meath county hurling games its about on average 400 compared to 4,000 for league games with the football, going up to 20000 if its a qualifier at home. if meath hurling went alone then 400 people wont buy many balls, hurlss food etc. for some reason meath club finals in hurling can draw 2000 people yet when the county plays a christy ring game at home your lucky to get 800 at it. i think at the end of the day you cant expect miracles from a minority sport where 75% of the GAA people in the county have very little intrest. Meath are in the same boat as kerry, derry, kildare and mayo all who you could argue achieve more than meath did. do people seriuosly tell me that those county boards throw the same amount of money at them than there footballers? and meath football is probarbly at least on a bar with kildare and derry. there very little apettite for the county team among meath hurling clubs so how can you expect much appetite from a county board whoo are traditionally football and naturally so. meath need to make the breakthrough off their own backs and then can start dictating terms to the CB

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 693 - 08/10/2014 14:40:21    1661479

There was an u16 league and knockout fixed but after the group stages of the u16 finished semi finals were not played for all of June and July and then semi and final played a week apart

tuppy23 (Meath) - Posts: 154 - 08/10/2014 16:27:51    1661532

Dickie10 is right, for all the talk of a hurling board I cant see it being self funding. There'd be no jersey sales, no TV money for any matches ever, plus pitiful inter county attendances. The club championships would be the only source of money and I cant imagine that paying for what hurling resources we currently have, never mind the grand expensive plans these people suggesting a separate hurling board have in mind.

I could easily see it ending a disaster where the hurling board pick and choose when they are independent and when they are part of the main board. I have a strange feeling when money issues arise, the hurling board would soon be crawling back to the main county board.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1646 - 08/10/2014 17:08:56    1661554

I don't think anyone is really considering being a separate entity. Anyhow I don't think that is allowed by the GAA as far as I know.

All the hurling clubs are looking for is some fair play. You wonder what is going on, when hurling clubs are being undermined by the county committee. There are a number of questions that must be asked.

1. What is Martin Ennis bringing to the table that makes him a better candidate than Kelly (who was nominated by clubs)?
2. Why is there so much confusion over his selectors? If it is that unclear, how is this a better solution to someone that has his backroom team, including selectors, physios, strength and conditioning coach already detailed to the county board?
3. Why is Paddy Kelly deemed unacceptable by the county board? If its not a personal thing as asked by one of the delegates on Monday night, on what criteria was he ruled out of favour. Is it a money thing? What is Kelly looking for that the county board are not happy with?

It all smells a bit funny to me, or maybe I'm missing something?

hurlinglad (Meath) - Posts: 45 - 09/10/2014 09:55:07    1661706

Lads does any of this surprise you! I can't believe there's a manager in place in time to prepare in the first place.The process is a shambles as usual. The least our candidates deserved is to know who is in for the position. The board is entitled to put forward a candidate so why wasn't this nomination brought forward. Id have sympathy for Paddy Kelly as i know well he'd want to put the proper structures in place to the grass roots. Like Colm O Rourke's 10 point plan i suppose but they were never going to go with that. After all why would they promote hurling, football development has literally just taken off this year.It's hardly their job to promote something that's going to cost money. Where would we find that!!
There's no foresight in there what so ever. caught up in the here and now. Remember the hard work of John Davis & Michael Duignan and the attention they brought to hurling within the county and nationally. Wins over counties like Offaly, Wexford, Laois, Dublin and close runs with Limerick are all a distant memory but showed what could be achieved.If we had a county board who were giving our teams the best opportunity to be the best we could we'd be a lot better off that where we are stuck today.
Dublin proved with foresight and dedication what can be achieved in both codes by getting focussed into the grass roots .Westmeath appoint the former Waterford manager and will find the best they can for their footballers, will they be better off and break through in either code, doubtful but they'll give their teams the best chance.Thats what i admire.
Best of luck to Martin Ennis, a worthy manager i hope he and the players progress from Div 2b and push on in the christy ring.I hope he gets the backing as he is there pick!!

leftnright (Meath) - Posts: 30 - 09/10/2014 13:07:45    1661786

A bit of a sham really!

sob (Meath) - Posts: 492 - 09/10/2014 16:43:29    1661907

it appears that the county board doesnt want kelly,if im not mistaken didnt ennis play with meath for as long as kelly and was involved with navan o mahonys when they won the junior a championship and the seniors got to the final , and went on to kitale to where silverware was scarse at and time, and if im not mistaken won junior league, junior a championship, and a senior championship, best year in the clubs history from what im told, all this in the last 4 years, and all in meath, good luck to him i will be behind him anyway, up trim

elguapo (Meath) - Posts: 51 - 09/10/2014 17:37:36    1661930

people seam to be missing the point about the manager appointment
its not a anti martin ennis issue
or even a paddy kelly v martin ennis debate
its how the county board handled the appointment with bully boy tactics
the hurling clubs were totally ignored

the meath hurling teams budget last year was around 10k, wouldnt be that hard to support that for a meath hurling board

the football teams budget was 20 times that, fair enough, they have much more income + support
thats without even going into players expenses and the double standards going on

hopefully somebody from the media has the courage to print the truth about these matters soon

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 416 - 11/10/2014 14:51:35    1662654

Any more news on Meath hurling manager front? Is Martin Ennis still the manager? I hear he has different selectors than ratified, also a new third selector, this true!!? Away from the politic's of the appointment is Martin a good manager/coach?

Redman7 (Meath) - Posts: 81 - 16/10/2014 16:51:01    1664364

go back 2 posts red

elguapo (Meath) - Posts: 51 - 16/10/2014 19:13:44    1664420

Hurlit is right it is all about the process - nobody wants it personnel against M. Ennis or P. Kelly it is not about theses two people it is about how it was done. Hurling Club deserve to know how the process was done as simple as THAT.

Sportfan (Meath) - Posts: 133 - 17/10/2014 16:33:19    1664755

Opinions john andrews as selector? couldn't argue it at all, great hurling mind who knows meath hurling inside and out. also heard lately that all kiltale players will refuse to play meath hurling over paddy kelly scenario? is this an over-reaction or are they right?

tuppy23 (Meath) - Posts: 154 - 18/10/2014 21:22:22    1665050

John Andrews a good addition. Is mike Cole still a selector now too

JoeJoej (Meath) - Posts: 73 - 19/10/2014 16:02:22    1665159

Agree with most here,the whole process was a farce and very disappointing..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 19/10/2014 19:47:42    1665247

I also heard Kiltale players will boycott county set up this year. could not blame them but this whole scenario is just comical.
the county board see hurling as a nuisance and want meath hurling to fall. if these lads were given a fair go I genuinely believe they could win a Christy ring.

overthehill72 (Meath) - Posts: 334 - 20/10/2014 10:40:22    1665365

I have to say, I can't blame Kiltale, they should concentrate on there club and forgot about the County until there is a change on the Board. It's very sad that the Co Board have no interest in Hurling because they could actually do something if they went about it right.

Euroman (Meath) - Posts: 34 - 20/10/2014 11:50:33    1665400

Hurling clubs are backing Martin Ennis appointment following hurling committee meeting. I beleive committee will be complaining to management over process of appointment of manager and look for change to future appointment process. As for Kiltale players not playing for Meath in 2015, I don't think they will do that. The few Kiltale players who would be asked into set up should fully commit to Meath and show their potential along with all the other top club players in the county. Commit and hopefully Meath hurlers will get their rewards in CR Cup.

Redman7 (Meath) - Posts: 81 - 20/10/2014 13:24:45    1665454

I agree with Redman. Despite the shambles of the County Board, I still think the Kiltale lads would go in to the county setup. Meath hurling needs them anyhow. Its all very unfortunate, but Meath hurling needs to push on irregardless of the fiasco that occurred.

hurlinglad (Meath) - Posts: 45 - 20/10/2014 14:34:47    1665489