We have a couple of very good players but this is arguably the worst Meath team of the past 30 years

pim (Meath) - Posts: 119 - 07/02/2016 19:12:37    1823178

Was it one point from play? If we cannot up our scoring rate we are in big trouble. Was not at game so cant in fairness comment on performance, but six points was the lowest score of any team today. Cavan game a must win, but even though they have lost two games they seemed to be very competitive in both, they will have no fear of us. Going to be a real dogfight from here on in, have we got what it takes? May have to depend on other results.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2149 - 07/02/2016 19:26:19    1823184

Meath fans over react with victory and over react with defeat. Fermanagh are tough to beat up there and they had not lost in their last 10 home games at Brewster. The pitch and the ref were bad. We were not very good. Was thinking if we could Nick a win with 14 men it would help build character.
It is early days - 3 weeks before Cavan at home which is a must win for us and a must win for them. I fancy Meath to beat them. Meath are not as good nor as bad as fans think. We are somewhere in between. Hopefully players Learn from playing a tough game like that and will stand to us in the summer

Meathmen (Meath) - Posts:29 - 07/02/2016 18:40:40 1823155

A sensible opinion, I couldn't make today's game but from what I could hear on the radio it was tough stuff. Always felt Fermanagh away would be a tough one as they are a well organised and tough nut to crack although I would expect a far better return than 6 points. Anyway the Cavan match now takes on added importance and at home we are well capable of winning. I feel the three week break will do the squad good, it's been a fair old slog on tough pitches the past 6-7 weeks

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 07/02/2016 19:52:53    1823199

Yes. COS scored from a sideline. Donal Lenihan scored a lovely point from play just as he was about to be substituted. So on a narrow enough pitch, it is an awful statistic. Last week's second half vs. Armagh with a strong wind behind them, highlighted this shortcoming. I have more fingers with chilblains that Meath have scores from play! And those wooden beams/seats in Brewster Park are hard on the nads.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 07/02/2016 20:04:39    1823205

Initial retraction I taught we did ok , there was plenty of effort today. especially when we got a man sent off. I wasn't close to the black card incident I didn't think it was. I taught your man ran in Tormey and Tormey was standing his ground. After that it was always going to uphill struggle. I taught we worked very hard off the ball. Reilly and Mc Antee were poor. We will re group and go again the next day. Pity would have won but for sending off. I would be pining this one totally on the management.

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1263 - 07/02/2016 20:05:40    1823206

There is no doubt about this is the worst Meath team since before the Boylan days. We are physically way of the pase off compared to about 14 15 teams who are ahead of us. The size of this Meath team height wise is very worring. I noticed last week against Armagh how much we got turned over when we brought the ball into contact, very few tackles were broke then and today was the same. And the team's coming up are not the most physically inposing either with the exception of 2-3 individuals. We are a middle of the road team and the sooner supporters realise that the better. We will not be in Division 1 for a very long time and that could well be 10 years the way things are going. My rankings on current form would be:
Top 4 -
1. Dublin
2. Kerry
3. Donegal
4. Mayo

Next best -
5. Tyrone
6. Monaghan
7. Cork
8. Roscommon
9. Galway
10. Derry
11. Cavan
12. Fermanagh
13. Tipperary
14. Kildare (they have more talent and manager)
15. Westmeath(they beat us when it counted?)
16. Down (Div 1)
17. Meath

Can anyone really argue with this position?

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 935 - 07/02/2016 20:25:37    1823219

1 to 10 spot on but after that it's just,a quagmire of mediocrity and inconsistency with no real form line too even rank them. My worry is kildare with a decent underage recently and a good manager could push hard for top 10 while we thread water

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 890 - 07/02/2016 20:33:39    1823225

We didn't get much of a game in the end
Ref was poor to both sides
Some crazy "tackling" from Meath
We made hard work of the win and should have been 8 points clear
Welcome to Ulster

AnBuachaillGlas (Fermanagh) - Posts: 287 - 07/02/2016 21:08:26    1823249

On our current championship form and our inability to win a tight game in the championship I would not fancy our chances of beating any team among us in the mediocrity bunch from 10-17 and we definitely would not beat any team from 1-10. The lack of an apparent game plan is what bothers me and above all that is how poor our basic skills are like kick passing, hand passing and our full forward line wining possession and laying it off. Even looking at Roscommon today they looked very comfortable on the ball and there kicking was accurate and to the chest. I don't see that at all with Meath unfortunately. It's nearly lump any sort of ball into the forwards and slow backwards hand passing. Short kick outs are dreadful as well. I know this is very negative but unfortunately most of it is true. Even in the years after 2001 from 2002 to 2010 we had decent players who had good skill levels like Stephen Bray, Moyles, Brian Farrell, Shane O'Rourke(2007-2010), Ward, Kenny etc. We don't have a forward anywhere near the level of Stephen Bray or even Brian Farrell in his pomp in 2007. If we have a poor league or even get relegated, which is now a possibility, I would be worried about beating Louth in the 1st round of the championship.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 935 - 07/02/2016 21:09:29    1823255

I have to take my hat off to Pete McGrath,he is now two years in charge of Fermanagh and you would have to be blind not to see the progress he has made with Fermanagh, remember Fermanagh football or club football is the same as north Meath or if not just as bad and yet Pete is getting the very best out of what very little he has,there under age success over the last few year is right here if anybody wants to read it " 000000000000000000000000000" lot of duck eggs there,I wonder what would little Pete do with a county like Meath if he had them for 4 years? We can talk about we don't have the players until the cows come home but what about little Fermanagh who were brave and more important they have a plan and structure to there play!

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 876 - 07/02/2016 21:27:05    1823265

I couldn't argue with us being ranked 17th to be honest, we're certainly well outside the top 10 which is depressing. Even though we went on a good run of wins could anybody honestly say we looked particularly good?

One bad defeat doesn't make you a bad team but under MOD we've had many bad defeats and today was a bad day. The next few weeks will tell us whether there is new found grit in this this team or whether we're in for yet another bad season, I'm desperately hoping for the former but I'm expecting the latter.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 07/02/2016 21:35:42    1823271

we are no good and that not all mod fault we are just not up to it simple as that we dont have good enough players

thecraw1 (Meath) - Posts: 106 - 07/02/2016 21:43:20    1823280

Whythelongface - If I understand you correctly, you are saying that a good manager improves a team.

That's an interesting theory. I wonder have the county board considered it?

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 08/02/2016 08:33:55    1823297

WhyTheLongFace
Mc grath might be doing a good job with Fermanagh, But they were awful yesterday. I think they only got 4 points from play with 14 men they will struggle to stay up. We would have won with a bit to spare if we have 15 and losing Tormey one of our physically strong players was massive it decided the game basically.

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1263 - 08/02/2016 08:55:10    1823302

A question possibly more for the Ratoath posters,but with us been short in midfield,would Bobby O'Brien be worth a go there?

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 08/02/2016 09:08:00    1823306

I would not argue with that ranking, McGrath has done a fantast job with a small pool of players, a very committed bunch with a game plan.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2149 - 08/02/2016 11:19:07    1823374

Ziggy at this stage I think Ratoath may aswell field out representing Meath at this, too many Ratoath on it at the moment in my opinion, not enough of a spread and it can't be good for other clubs. I understand if players are good enough then they should be there but Ratoath were an intermediate team with at least 5 county players. Interested to see how they do in Senior this year and in turn find out is Meath a team full of good intermediate footballers or a team full of Average senior footballers

GlenTheGAAMan (Meath) - Posts: 9 - 08/02/2016 11:30:20    1823383

Step 1:Sack MOD,

Step 2:Bring back Boylan.

Step 3: Graham Gerathy definitely still has a good 20min in him. Get him back

Step 4: Book the week off after the all Ireland

Step 5: Credit Union Loan

Step 6: 19th September, Celebrate Meaths first All Ireland of this century

An Mhi Abu

begining (UK) - Posts: 300 - 08/02/2016 11:45:23    1823396

Very frustrating result and performance I have to say, there was an awful lot of bad to be said about Meath but I also think that was one of the worst refereeing performances I've seen in a long time. Even some of the Fermanagh supporters in front of me were shocked at getting some of their frees at the end, Corrigan and Harnan both tried to pick the ball off the ground ref gave them a tap over free. Keoghan held Corrigan up at one stage, Corrigan slipped and clattered off the turf ref gave a tap over free. A very questionable free seemed to go wide (not one Fermanagh player protested it being a point, even Corrigan). That's just 3 instances I can think of off the top of my head.

Meath were very poor up front (although it has to be considered that we played the vast majority of the game with 14 men) but I thought Fermanagh were equally as poor and some questionable decisions from a Tyrone referee who, lets not ignore, might see Meath as a direct rival to Tyrone for promotion this year.

Uncle_Fester (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 08/02/2016 11:48:34    1823399

Oh lets not start the whole rathoath thing going again, yes its bad for clubs and county if a manager is so depending on one club, it put particular pressure on that club. But that's mod, he is in his own words is building a team that is made for croke park, however what he seems to be forgetting is we really dont play that often in hq these days and indeed this year might be first in while we wont get to, we have 3 chances 1st is to get into top 2 in league after yesterday that is remote, beat Louth? At this stage that's 50/50 or get to quarters again remote chance due to draw etc, so my questions to mod and indeed cb is why not have a plan to actually play outside hq? Is it such a mad idea? Apart from cillan o Sullivan yesterday there wasnt one dangerous looking forward, biggy appeared tired and if I'm honest not fit, be it he still not fully recovered, but i said it millions of times if graham Reilly plays bad Meath lose , tormey ? Hmm I dont want to be too hard on the lad, but their is better players not playing and actually better not on panel, Harnan did better yesterday, but I think it says all when burke who plenty wouldn't even have on team along with keoghan is one of our most consistent players. Over to you mod, but if we relegated I will be demanding action from cb prior to championship.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 08/02/2016 11:55:30    1823403