Would it not stop all this that if a player plays in any championship be it senior or junior then he is stuck playing in that same championship till the end of the year, so once a player starts a junior game he's not allowed to be called to his senior team, although this would strengthen the second teams more bi it would be fairer, or you could pull all second teams from intermediate and junior A down and create a reserve championship like in the soccer and then pull up the junior B first teams such as slane, moynalty Kilbride to balance out the junior

green99 (Meath) - Posts: 9 - 27/08/2015 15:36:45    1777158

Mawmouther, I don't understand how you can't get your head around this. Nobody has said they don't want the senior second teams in the junior championship and nobody cares how strong they are as long as it stays that way for the whole championship not just for 2 rounds.

weekendwarrior (Meath) - Posts: 27 - 27/08/2015 15:44:21    1777164

The real problem with junior clubs is that they were hit hardest by emigration. Top Senior clubs typically have three teams or about 65/75 adult players. While I understand some junior clubs think its an unfair system in my experience all players want to play for the first team and there is no plan to bolster the second team. What happens is players come into form and are moved into the first team or they replace a guy whose injured or gone on holidays or indeed emigrated.These second teams also want to win a championship and they are in that division on merit whether its intermediate Junior A or Junior B.

Poormouth (Meath) - Posts: 204 - 27/08/2015 16:03:52    1777170

No,I don't "get it". Sounds like a load of moaning to me

mawmouther (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 27/08/2015 16:16:05    1777176

The Easiest and best solution as mentioned MANY times before by other's, is to have all the reserve/2nd teams in one group snd keep the other 1st teams in another group. Provided there are not enough 2nd string teams to make up a large enough group in the 2nd team group, boost the numbers by making the previous years runners up and 1 of the semi finalists play in that group. I.E Seeded teams from the previous year.

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 631 - 27/08/2015 16:16:07    1777177

i dont see what the problem is when is the last time a second team has one the junior championship ?? the best junior team always wins just accept that the likes of meath hill and st brigids just arnt good enough to compete to win it simple as

meathman20 (Meath) - Posts: 83 - 27/08/2015 16:25:54    1777184

I don't agree with your plan. There are three groups in junior not two and your plan only makes provision for two groups

mawmouther (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 27/08/2015 16:34:47    1777189

I'd be of the opinion that a first team will always win the championship too! Despite the fact second teams are losing players you'll get a team who's first team are out of the championship by now and they basically put all their eggs in one basket! Dunboyne were a prime example of this and had a strong second string but still didn't manage to win it, Simonstown are the only one of the second teams left in the Junior who's first team are also out. The likes of Dunboyne, NOM and Summerhill will be going all out to win the Keegan.

Meathmaster (Meath) - Posts: 251 - 27/08/2015 18:41:23    1777252

The best team in Junior will always prevail. Usually this means a first team will lift the coveted Matthew Ginnity cup. This has been the case for as far back as I can remember:
Cortown, Drumbaragh,Ratoath, Ballivor, The Bracks, Longwood, Moynalvey, Clann na Gael, St. Ultans, St. Michaels, etc
(Check here for yourself https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meath_Junior_Football_Championship)
However by recently promoting both Junior finalists and removing relegation from the Intermediate grade in both 2012 and 2013, the Junior grade has been significantly weakened.
As a result of this weakened grade, the Senior reserve teams have become more prominent but these clubs deserve to challenge for honours just as much as first teams.

However my issue is that there is no consistency with these reserve teams in the group stages. Look at the first round compared to the final round of fixtures with the table toppers O Mahonys and Simonstown. *
O Mahonys
1st Round: Beat Meath Hill by 8
5th Round: Lose to "one-win" Skryne by 4

Simonstown:
1st round: Beat relegated Carnaross by 1 point
5th round: Lose to relegation threatened Clonard by 10 points
*Fully aware both teams were guaranteed top spot

This lack of a level playing field has knocked out teams like Drumconrath or Meath Hill who could cause more damage in the knockouts than weakened second teams.
O Mahonys have lost Cathal Smyth, Damien Moran, Conor Finnegan, Henry Finnegan and I think Mark Ward(not 100%) to their senior team since round 1.
Simonstown have lost Robbie Burlingham(midfield), Ian O Rourke (CB), Wayne Mc Carthy(Free taker), etc to their senior team.
I'm not asking for preferential treatment, I'm asking for a level playing field where all second teams are grouped together to ensure equality where no teams are at a disadvantage.

johnnytitelips (Meath) - Posts: 62 - 27/08/2015 19:30:53    1777267

johnnytitelips
County: Meath
Posts: 58

1725836
I proposed this new format earlier in this forum

Proposal for new format in Junior Championship:
3 groups
Group A to be made up of Senior second teams: Skryne, Dunboyne, Wolfe Tones, Simonstown, Dunshaughlin, O Mahonys, Summerhill.

The remaining 11 teams to be split up into 2 groups: A 6 team group and a 5 team group.

Not ideal having groups of 7,6 and 5 but that may change depending on relegation/promotion.

3 teams qualify from Group A and B with 2 teams qualifying from Group C

This format would ensure that senior second teams play against each other in the group stages ensuring that no first team plays against them in the opening rounds of the championship and so aren't at a disadvantage. This works well in Westmeath in the Junior Grade, albeit with 2 groups.

johnnytitelips (Meath) - Posts: 62 - 27/08/2015 19:33:28    1777271

nobody has a problem with the second teams in the competition but has someone said its the inconsistency, someone gave the example of o'mahonys they played 3 first teams at the start of the championship and won them all, and now have drawn and lost to summerhill and skryne, effectively ruining meath hills hopes and plunging st brigids in to relegation trouble. if those teams had played now they might have one

srgt_slaughter (Meath) - Posts: 462 - 28/08/2015 12:45:47    1777447

Quarter Final Time
Curraha v OMahonys
Funny time to have a game but I suppose with Navan out of bounds for evening games we can expect this sort of thing. At the end of the day or night OMahonys who were so strong until the Summer exodus seen a bunch of Juniors move up to Senior are now a pale shadow of themselves. Are Curraha playing cute and not showing their hand recently only beating Boardsmill by a point and Moylagh by a few more all the while sure of coming second in the group ? I reckon the answer to that is yes and they will win bu 7 or 8 at least tonight as they plough on to winning 5 titles this year and are certs for Club of the year.

Bective v Dunboyne.
Dunboyne are another team like OMahonys shorn of players who have gone Senior. They are not a patch on the team that nearly made Intermediate in 2014 and that only lost by 1 to Kilmainham in 2013. Bective who are under achievers will not falter here and will will easy enough 7 or 8 at least.

Summerhill v Carnaross
Carnaross it seems have injury problems and so are under pressure as they where average enough to start with. I reckon Summerhill will be the only 2nd team to make Semi Finals with a narrow win here.

Dunsany v Moylagh.
Dunsany after a horrible year last year are going well. Moylagh have had a horrible year this year only winning 1 game in the League and 2 in the Championship and are now sitting close to a semi Final and a few games away from Intermediate. Amazing really. Whoever wins this will beat a Simonstown also ravaged by their Seniors. Dunsdany want so much to get rid of the static of never winning a 1st team Championship and while that weights heavy on their shoulders the fact that Kilmessan are gone it should lighten the load a bit. Willie McGrath back playing, Ollie Melia home and that OReilly chap home too have put Moylagh in a strong position that might just see them over the line.

I agree that the 2nd teams should not be in JFC just look at my predictions and with OMahonys, Dunboyne and Simonstown only a pale shadow of what they started with it is wrong that they are still in with the likes of Meath Hill Kilmainhamwoood Drumconrath Brigits and Clonard out. Change is needed but at the end of the day there are more Senior/Intermediate Clubs that are happy with the suitation than Junior Clubs who are not to ever get it passed at County Board

glenny (Meath) - Posts: 1108 - 03/09/2015 10:23:18    1781040

Right Glenny, where should second teams play their football then?

mclovin96 (Meath) - Posts: 40 - 03/09/2015 12:35:59    1781181

Don't panic lads it's bye bye second teams in tis round of fixtures

otherlad (Meath) - Posts: 137 - 03/09/2015 13:52:35    1781284

with regards to the second team scenario could they not make the junior b the high rank for that and push the remaining 1st teams up?

srgt_slaughter (Meath) - Posts: 462 - 03/09/2015 15:01:58    1781358

Curraha v OMahonys - curraha

Bective v Dunboyne - bective

Summerhill v Carnaross - carnaross

Dunsany v Moylagh - dunsany

seasiderblues (Meath) - Posts: 344 - 03/09/2015 15:49:37    1781414

Good start to the weekend for Glenny Curraha handy win last night word from Duleek is that they wont win any Junior I am not too sure about that.

Mcloving..... Simple I counted it up there are 60 reserve teams in the Adult Championships. Keep the Real Junior Clubs both A and B in the JFC and divide the rest up into 5 different Championships Reserve A,B,C,D & E...Two Divisons of 6

glenny (Meath) - Posts: 1108 - 04/09/2015 13:09:09    1782050

Bit of a slip there 12 teams in each reserve grade with promotion and relegation between each grade 1 up 1 down. No promotion from Reserve A
This would leave 17 clubs to battle it out For JFC no relegation in Junior this is the way it is done in many other counties.

glenny (Meath) - Posts: 1108 - 04/09/2015 13:13:03    1782057

Oh yeah I pick St Brigids to win 1st relegation game by beating Clonard

glenny (Meath) - Posts: 1108 - 04/09/2015 13:14:44    1782059

I agree with your restructuring of the championship glenny. I've always disliked the fact that first and second teams can be found competing for the same piece of silverware. Not sure why really, just takes away prestige of the competition perhaps? Just have Senior, Intermediate and Junior for first teams only and like you said a reserve championship for second, third and even some fourth strings.

MarkMyWords (Meath) - Posts: 498 - 04/09/2015 17:15:09    1782299