Bit odd that Dublin have one team and Meath have 2.

Surely the best of the 2 Meath games could give Dublin a game?

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 13/07/2015 17:49:04    1752762

All , that's two years (+) on the trot , that the Meath U16 teams have been split going into the Gerry Reilly Tournament . What is the purpose of putting split teams in against the likes of Dublin , Cavan . This is the only competitive outing for the U16 Development squad at this age level. Indeed it had to be fought at Leinster council to allow this to go ahead as a competition a number of years ago. If we are not going to seriously compete in this tournament , and to allow our players to play in a competition that they can win then what is the purpose . Do we think that its fine for our players to get used to been beaten by other counties . Do we think that it does our players moral any good to approach things at this level in this way ...... Winning is a habit , once you get into the habit of winning it becomes easier ... That's because it adds to the mental toughness that we hear so much off nowadays . I don't believe that we benefit as a County going into a competition such as the Gerry Reilly without our goal been to win it . Sending split panels to this competition is nonsense. Send a single panel of 40 players , pick the best players to be on this panel , And go in there to compete. To win , to allow our players get into the habit of winning . To allow them to be winners . Anyone will tell you that knows , a team that wins ( that learns to win as a team) gets stronger , the team spirit improves , they will go into to battle for each other . What do we do in Meath we build players up from U13-U16 for the Gerry Reilly , then handicap them by picking two evenly balanced teams to play against a Dublin /Cavan team that contains the best in their respective county at that level ( in one squad). That does absolutely nothing for the mental preparation of the team going into the crucial U17-Minor Development bracket . Its time we got a belt of the cop on stick.

An Mhi Abu

Chaisleain_Abu (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 14/07/2015 12:35:00    1753151

Was it Colm Coyles idea to enter two teams in Gerry Reilly or was he directed by Coaching & Games?
Both Meath teams did well in the competition with 40-50 players involved.... giving them a chance to Develop and this is a "local" competition not an all Ireland with focus on Development.
Winning is a good habit but it must be better to have 50 U17s with strong Development squad experience than limiting ourselves to 25-30 players. The star players at U14-16 may not even make the minor squad due to different rates of development of different players so better to spread the net wide.

MeathGAAHead (Meath) - Posts: 87 - 14/07/2015 13:47:32    1753196

MeathGAAHead- You are indeed correct and I would say two teams at that age is always better than one. You would think that winning or losing at that age mean much when you get to adult. Development squads should be for large numbers of young players to develop, be competitive and improve their skills-unfortunately that has not been the case in the not too distant past.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 14/07/2015 13:57:35    1753209

Chaislean Abu

Agree 100% the decision to put two split teams in is insane to be honest..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 14/07/2015 14:14:05    1753228

MeathGAAhead Player Development is a requisite for all Counties , and if that is the case why then do Dublin ,etc. come to this competition with only one squad . If anything the players involved with the Sky Blues would be more under threat that those from the green pastures of Meath (Foreign games etc.) . Your logic is not sound . And to wheel out the "Player development excuse" as to why we have the split panel situation is just a heading for the cave , or putting your head in the sand statement. Meath need to be competing at this level. There needs to be a foundation on which to work at minor level . If you have a good Development squad that can compete with the Dubs et al at U14/15/16 level then when you get to Minor level and things go totally array, then its the interventions/coaches in the interval years that have messed things up.
Do you think that Dublin only had 40 players at U16 level this year , and that's why they could only field a single panel . Do you think that Dublin don't want to develop as many players as possible...

When things had gotten beyond rescuing in one of the weekend matches , substitutions were made from one team to the second team to try rescue something . Do you think that using players from the second panel as subs instead of the using the plyers/subs from that panel would do anything for player development.Or would you think that maybe , one or two of the subs that were overlooked might throw their hat at it now , and throw their lot in with a foreign game ..... What do you reckon MeathGAAhead . Fail to plan , Plan to fail ... When things are down , you need someone/something to grasp the moment to lift everyones heads out of the sand . I believe an opportunity has been missed again with the Gerry Reilly Tournament . I don't know who's idea it was but I think that after so many years lacking success in this competition following this model . that has to be finally put to bed , and Meath enter it next year with designs on winning it..... 1 strong panel , of 40+ players . Trained to and focussed on winning this tournament. Maybe Martin McHugh et al are right . maybe we have gotten soft.Remember There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to win , to want to compete . have we forgotten these traits .
An Mhi Abu

Chaisleain_Abu (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 14/07/2015 14:38:38    1753258

One last word , The Gerry Reilly is a COMPETITION . It is recognised as a Tournament . Its there to be won ..... Blitzs are for development ....

Chaisleain_Abu (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 14/07/2015 14:41:09    1753260

Look sending two different panels to get whipped is of NO benefit.Get a squad together of all the best players and create one team.I hope they change this idea for next season.It also undervalues the competition doing this too..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 14/07/2015 15:50:54    1753322

Who's idea was it to send out 2 teams anyway instead a single Meath team, are other counties doing this aswell?

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 14/07/2015 16:41:13    1753365

Send one team. Its a competition not a blitz . Some very basic things done wrong.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 14/07/2015 20:19:16    1753475

MeathGAAHead
County: Meath
Posts: 35
You are are the only one speaking sence here
It is indeed better to develop talent ,this is not an all ireland but a local tournament and the more young lads we keep involved now receiving coaching the better pick we have at minor when we have an all ireland to challenge for
I wonder about the people on here looking to go all out and win a nothing tournament , have you ever coached ??? Have you ever played ??? You are probably the guys screaming on the side lines at under 10 matches.

head4dblackspot (Meath) - Posts: 513 - 14/07/2015 21:53:29    1753552

A few years ago, the Dubs were able to put 2 teams into this competition. All changed when there was a big hoo-haa about running all these competitions as a blitz over a single weekend. Eventually, common sense prevailed (took about a year to sort out) and this tournament and a couple of others around the country got the go ahead to run over multiple weekends. Not entirely sure of the details but since then the Dubs have only had 1 team, think it's part of the rules from HQ but am not sure. The problem as I see it with Meath having 2 teams in it, is that neither have a realistic chance of competing as they're not organised as an A and a B squad, so both perform badly. From the point of view of player development or even accessing players, how does this help if you get cobbled together teams, with radical line up changes every time they line out. This tournament is taken seriously by every other county that participates. Have to say I'm not sure how serious Meath are about it, which really doesn't make a whole pile of sense to me.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 484 - 15/07/2015 10:02:41    1753613

A simple question to posters?
How many of you can answer yes a or b? (bear in mind I was going to add a couple of additional points but decides against
(a)Have coached young players for over 10 years with a club
(b)Have coached young players for over 5 years with a club

You do not have to state your club and the answer yes to a or b tells me how serious you are about helping with the development of our youth. Development squads should not be about competition but about development.Too much competition at a young age has little value except for parents who have their son or daughter on a county panel (and the associated nonsense that goes with it when bags and socks become more important than the game. Most good players develop through their club and local school.

PS When Dublin were putting in two teams their underage was at its best. I agree with the minority posters on this

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 15/07/2015 10:23:18    1753624

Lads, have a look at this. It's a list of minor finalists over the last 15 years. Look at the number of lenister counties making it. Even the mighty dublin are not overly present. Take out the golden generation of 11/12 and its poor. The running of development squad system in leinster has been poor for a long time.

Year Winner Opponent
2014 Kerry 0-17 Donegal 1-10
2013 Mayo 2-13 Tyrone 1-13
2012 Dublin 0-14 Meath 1-05[5]
2011 Tipperary 3-09 Dublin 1-14[6]
2010 Tyrone 1-13 Cork 1-12 [7]
2009 Armagh 0-10 Mayo 0-07
2008 Tyrone 0-14 1-20 Mayo 0-14 1-15
2007 Galway 1-10 Derry 1-09
2006 Roscommon (0-15) 1-10 Kerry (0-15) 0-09
2005 Down 1-15 Mayo 0-08
2004 Tyrone 0-12 Kerry 0-10
2003 Laois (1-11) 2-10 Dublin (1-11) 1-09
2002 Derry 1-12 Meath 0-08
2001 Tyrone (0-15) 2-11 Dublin (1-12) 0-06
2000 Cork 2-12 Mayo 0-13
1999

doseire (Meath) - Posts: 35 - 15/07/2015 11:09:46    1753657

Now go look at the ted web cup fixtures, the Connacht version of the Gerry Reilly, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon and Sligo all enter 2 teams. In Munster cork and kerry both enter two teams in their u16 competitions. How it's done in the rest of leinster may not be the yardstick to use.

doseire (Meath) - Posts: 35 - 15/07/2015 11:17:14    1753668

I think the problem with entering two teams,is if none of your teams are competitive enough. Its always a great boost for a youngster to win anything,and I can assure you they do not like getting hammered.You are trying to build many traits in kids at this age. You should be trying to build their confidence,winning mentality amongst other things.By not taking it seriously and sending two teams to play county first teams,you are essentially getting them used to hammerings early on and saying it is ok to get hammered.You are building an inferior complex that they may carry on into minor etc.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 15/07/2015 11:59:21    1753714

Have coached for over 20 years. So i guess that puts me into a, have also won county championships. However all this is of no benefit to Meath club or county as for majority of that coaching (barring 5 years) has been done in Westmeath, i actually have coached a very talented young lad who unfortunately had a excellent game against Meath in semi, he also was one of the best v dubs. It wa the only up side of loosing semi final for me personally.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 15/07/2015 13:14:47    1753774

Royaldunne -that is good and could I not now call you a west meath man, or is it north meath man. At the end of the day it is all about football and I see where B. Flynn is heavily involved in your corner also!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 15/07/2015 13:55:26    1753807

Browncows , never could i be called a Westmeath man, i mean as my kids would say "like ever" :)
I am a Meath man through and through, my line of work took me to Westmeath, and i never go to any of there games unless they playing Meath. I will return home one day, i was hoping to retire there in a few years but unfortunately the recession hit and it probably will be another 10 years at least. But that is the day i live for

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 15/07/2015 14:55:49    1753857