You can see both sides of the debate depending on which rule suits you best:)

Score difference (1st) before head to head (2nd) is probably the fairest as the team that lost the head to head match have to make up two points elsewhere in the group. And that is a more meritorious reason when they also have a superior score difference as well.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 30/03/2015 15:17:45    1708438

I'm going to be brutally honest here, Meath are just not good enough to compete in the top division so I for one hope they don't get promotion. Look what has happened to both Kildare and Westmeath after they experienced life with the 'top dogs' last year?. People could argue that we can only improve by playing the best, but, by playing the best and getting well beaten all/most of the time is of no use to anyone in my opinion and only serves to kill/drain confidence.

AthboyGael (Meath) - Posts: 75 - 30/03/2015 15:43:34    1708458

Athboygael. Two things for you, firstly no one should ever be afraid of playing at the top level, look at what Monaghan have done, and ni one should hope there county gets beat EVER.
Now ill ask you a few things we beat Down (who will go up if we don't) on sat, are you afraid of them??, how do you think we will cope against Derry? How do you think we will get on against Kerry or Tyrone? After all if we afraid of either of them in division 1 then surely we have to be afraid of them in div 2? Also how do you think we will get on against Armagh? Lets be honest they had our measure last year and are only improving same could be said of Fermanagh, also could we beat Galway since we couldn't this year?
Looking at next years possible div 2, i would say we would fair just as good in division 1.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 30/03/2015 15:59:34    1708464

madmeath
County: Meath
Posts: 10

1708165 What a crazy, complicated and more importantly unfair way of deciding who gets promoted should teams finish level on points, it should have been a simple score difference as the first decider. It is very unfair if Meath lose out on promotion to Roscommon if Meath have a better score difference than Roscommon but lose out because Roscommon beat Meath in the league tie. Meath had to travel to Roscommon to play that game so having promotion based on that result where Roscommon had home advantage is not fair resolution.
Meath have a much better score difference than Roscommon and that is how it should be decided should they finish level on points.
Well done Meath on a great 2nd half display on Saturday night, finally get to see them win on the road.

In 2011 Meath just avoided relegation to division 3. The Royals and Sligo had 3 points each. Sligo had a better points difference but went down because they lost the head to head battle with Meath.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 30/03/2015 16:04:51    1708466

Listen, I am just stating my honest opinion based on this years league performances, they would fall way too short for div1. Just remember Monaghan have given us some right hidings in league matches in the last 2 yrs so you can hardly compare us to them. I do think if Kerry fall down to div2 they would try out younger players and if they wanted would still get promotion to div1, all of the other teams left that you mentioned would offer Meath a chance of winning. Could you honestly see Meath getting points off Cork, Mayo, Monaghan, Dublin, Donegal (yes we got close last year but it was a poor Donegal performance)

AthboyGael (Meath) - Posts: 75 - 30/03/2015 16:23:36    1708480

Have we completely dismissed the possibility of relegation or am I being completely pessimistic? You wouldn't know with this Meath team...

mclovin96 (Meath) - Posts: 40 - 30/03/2015 16:31:28    1708485

Rd you are assuming that micko would still be in charge, which if we don't get promoted he will not be.
Under a new energetic management team few if any of those teams would we fear. Its not promotion we need its a new voice in dressing room.

foreverroyal (Meath) - Posts: 349 - 30/03/2015 16:33:13    1708488

There are actually about 10 different scenarios possible including 3, 4 or even 5 teams finishing level on 8 points, which would then come down to score difference which would favour Meath and Down.
For the 5 teams to finish level on 8 points it would mean Meath drawing with Cavan, Roscommon drawing with Westmeath, Galway beating Kildare and Down losing to Laois, with results in this division so far anything is possible.
Of course if Roscommon and Down win, no matter what Meath do we will stay in division 2.
The Hogan stand live match tracker will be closely watched this weekend!

madmeath (Meath) - Posts: 50 - 30/03/2015 17:40:19    1708541

Obviously It would be great to get promoted but if we don't it is not the end of the world. We are getting important players back from Injuries at the right time and hopefully Tormey will be back soon. I really think when we have everyone back we are a match for anyone. Either way promotion or not Micko will be here come Championship and so he should. The League is the best time for trying out young lads and different Styles of Football and he would have learnt a lot this campaign.

RoyalToon (Meath) - Posts: 13 - 30/03/2015 20:37:58    1708654

I think meath could do ok in div 1 as they score a lot in matches and some of the top 4 can be caught cold especially early on in the league whereas cavan dont score highly and would struggle in div 1

prideof85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 851 - 30/03/2015 21:03:45    1708670

For now all that matters is that this panel of players plays to its full potential. Thats all that we can achieve now ,and see where that leaves us. I wont get too carried away with Newry result. Ok we are going in the right direction,but we have a long way to go. Lets face it Down were poor, especially forwards. Gilespie back and playing like that is good news. Kevin back is good news,assuming he stays injury free! Concentration was better ,and thats good news. Cavan match if we can win it,and up the performance by 20% could give us some confidence for the championship. I hope i do not see any ball kicked into the goalkeepers hands from here forward. I expect forwards to have the confidence to have a go for a score when its on at inter county level. Again when players are more mentally prepared maybe we will see less of this opting out.

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1227 - 30/03/2015 21:43:39    1708691

This is taken from today's Irish Independent, no mention of head to heads here, the mystery continues......


No team in the second tier is certain of what situation they will be in by 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

Not one team is guaranteed a place in the bottom two or the top two going into the final round of fixtures.

Down top the Division on eight points but Roscommon, Meath or Cavan or both (though unlikely) and Galway.

If Down beat Laois in Newry, the second promotion place will almost certainly be decided by points difference.

Meath look favourites to advance with their +14 points difference and their home advantage against Cavan. If Cavan prevail in Navan and Roscommon beat Westmeath, it will be time to break out the abacus.

In the relegation battle, Westmeath and Kildare must win to have any chance of avoiding the drop.

Westmeath's -22 scoring difference means they will most likely need to beat Roscommon and hope Kildare and Laois are beaten.

Kildare need to beat Galway by at least four points and hope either Laois or Westmeath lose. They could get away with a draw but only if Laois lose by at least seven in Newry.

A draw will be enough for Laois to be safe, while a draw or a defeat to Kildare by three or less will keep Galway in the Division.

It is going to be quite a scramble for survival.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 31/03/2015 11:46:35    1708786

Yes, was just about to post the article from todays Indo....more confusion. anyone share any light on this? hears hoping the Indo is correct!

Patsman09 (Meath) - Posts: 35 - 31/03/2015 12:05:24    1708799

The Indo unsurprisingly is wrong as far as I am aware.
Basing this on the fact that Galway stayed in Div 2 in 2014 (despite having an inferior score difference of -16) due to the fact they beat Armagh (-9 score diff) in Tuam. Unlikely this has changed for 2015, im open to correction though

highking12 (Meath) - Posts: 184 - 31/03/2015 12:35:24    1708831

The indo got that badly wrong. Wish it were true as it would be in our own hands but everything I've heard is to the contrary. This is the indo though so shouldn't be surprised about them messing up.

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 31/03/2015 12:37:14    1708834

Cavan to win pulling up which means roscommon needing to hockey your better half to go up.

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 31/03/2015 13:23:43    1708869

sceptical

Cavan to win pulling up which means roscommon needing to hockey your better half to go up.

I agree we're not good enough to beat Cavan but we'll try to make it as competitive as possible, honest questions, who do you's then play in the Div2 final? and how do you think you's will get on?

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 31/03/2015 13:48:31    1708901

The Indo hand just revised their permutations, left a comment on their facebook page questioning their accuracy.....


No team in the second tier is certain of what situation they will be in by 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

Not one team is guaranteed a place in the bottom two or the top two going into the final round of fixtures.

Down top the Division on eight points but Roscommon, Meath or Cavan or both (though unlikely) and Galway.

If Down beat Laois in Newry, the second promotion place will almost certainly be decided by points difference.

Meath have a +14 points difference and home advantage against Cavan but if Roscommon beat Westmeath, they will be promoted because they beat Meath at Dr Hyde Park earlier in the league and the Royals will then be hoping for Laois to beat Down.

If two teams finish level on points, it's decided by the head-to-head result. If three teams are level on points, it reverts to points difference.

In the relegation battle, Westmeath and Kildare must win to have any chance of avoiding the drop.

Westmeath's -22 scoring difference means they will most likely need to beat Roscommon and hope Kildare and Laois are beaten.

Kildare need to beat Galway by at least four points and hope either Laois or Westmeath lose. They could get away with a draw but only if Laois lose by at least seven in Newry.

A draw will be enough for Laois to be safe, while a draw or a defeat to Kildare by three or less will keep Galway in the Division.

It is going to be quite a scramble for survival.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 31/03/2015 14:00:01    1708911

Richieq ... you should tell them - wind them up:) that their article still needs work! If Meath and Roscommon win we only need Laois to draw against Down. Ditto their relegation permutations. Westmeath only need a draw if Laois and Kildare lose. Kildare also only need a draw if Westmeath and Laois lose.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 31/03/2015 14:54:06    1708942

GlasagusOr
County: Meath
Posts: 979

1708942
Richieq ... you should tell them - wind them up:) that their article still needs work! If Meath and Roscommon win we only need Laois to draw against Down. Ditto their relegation permutations. Westmeath only need a draw if Laois and Kildare lose. Kildare also only need a draw if Westmeath and Laois lose.

Yeah I noticed that Glas, it's pretty shabby by the Indo to be honest they done the same for all divisions and totally discarded head to head options, it's one thing for the lay person to be confused but the sports section of a leading daily publication has no excuse.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 31/03/2015 17:22:59    1709048