This arguement that if your club can't beat a second team then thats your fault is not looking at the big picture. St Pauls are on the brink and it seems a lot of you would say tough luck, its up to them to get themselves out of that hole. So will we let all the people in Clonee play football with the new Dublin club there? Let them go down to junior D, sure it's their fault. You don't kick people when they are down.
When Meath win All-Irelands there are no players from second teams playing in Croke Park but there are always players from junior and intermediate sides. Hang the junior clubs out to dry and the repercusions will come. Drumree football are gone, that was Evan Kelly, St Paul's produced Anthony Moyles. In '87 Meath had PJ Gillic from Carnaross, John McDermott came from Curraha who were a Junior B side at the time. Poor old Curraha with Skryne taking all their good men back then, going back to Player Whyte. Skryne's second teams beating the lard out of Curraha and then the Taramen's first team poaching their players. Look at O'Mahony's recruitment from Dunsany and Bective in the last few years.
Yeah, let's keep our foot on the throat of some of our junior clubs and look the other way. That's the easy option, that's what that tool Trump would do alright.

49erroyal (Meath) - Posts: 65 - 26/10/2016 17:56:41    1929280

"Yeah, let's keep our foot on the throat of some of our junior clubs and look the other way. That's the easy option, that's what that tool Trump would do alright."

I have been on this site for a good number of years, and that is undoubtedly the most brilliant comment I have read in the entire time. I tip my hat to you sir - you made my evening!

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 26/10/2016 18:07:54    1929286

Like I said before, the likes of St. Pauls and Kilbride will always be near the bottom of the pile 95% of the time, whether it be in a 12 team junior C or in a 50 team senior championship. The entire point of making the grades smaller is to light a fire under teams and to make them work harder to earn their place. This would lift every team in every division and lead to a general increase in standards across the county.

The idea that a club should be allowed stay in a higher division because it gives them a warm feeling in their stomach knowing they are in junior B is ridiculous.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 26/10/2016 18:20:31    1929293

Who said there should be 50 senior clubs? Nobody or at least nobody who hasn't been surrounded by folks in white coats. Warm feeling in my stomach, are you serious at all lad!
Kilbride are at the bottom of the pile 95% of the time you reckon.
Let me tell you it's time you checked with your oul lad about what happened before 2000. Kilbride have more senior titles than all but a handful of clubs in Meath, mighty men they were. Things ain't so rosey now but a lot of that's down to pencil pushers in Meath County Council who won't let any new houses be built in the area. Gibshites the lot of them, wouldn't know real life if it came up to them and kicked them in the arse. Some clubs have problems that are not of their making that people know nothing about yet those same people are happy to spout off the top of their head.
Kilbride have produced All-Ireland winners for this county, more than most clubs. Nobody wants bloody charity but don't be all condescending like.

49erroyal (Meath) - Posts: 65 - 26/10/2016 21:35:57    1929335

The biggest problems that I could see with the proposal are not being discussed here at all. Group winners went to a quarter final proper while 2nd played a 3rd place from another group.
Problem1: 24 championship games being played over 4 groups after which 16 teams are reduced to only 12.
Problem 2: A team could finish 2nd with 2 wins and a draw and end up playing a 3rd place team that finished with 2 losses and 1 draw. Crazy, just have straight 1/4 finals after the groups.

longhighball (Meath) - Posts: 24 - 26/10/2016 21:36:01    1929336

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 630 - 27/10/2016 08:16:27    1929385

You see you my friend are what the problem is in this county. Stuck in the Past. You are blaming the county council and all and everyone else bar the people running the clubs.
Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts:284 - 27/10/2016 08:16:27

Listen here, nothing annoys a fella like an ignorant comment. Now, that's not calling you ignorant as you can obviously use a computer but ignorance is making a statement about something that you have no knowledge but think you are an expert.
It is a fact that there is no new building in Kilbride. That means that unless a house is sold then there are no young families or new players. That's a social and planning issue. You don't give them a ten point advantage at the start of the game because of it, this ain't pansy playing golf, this is GAA. BUT you are aware of it when looking at how a club can survive.
Those Dublin feckers are creating new clubs and the county board with their Bazillions of Euro are helping that. Erin Go Bragh in Clonee is new, they are getting fecking people from Meath involved.
Dublin are creating new clubs and we have lads who want some of ours to go out of existence and they call me 'Stuck in the Past'.
I think I need to go for a walk outside to cool down. Too many loothers around here.

49erroyal (Meath) - Posts: 65 - 27/10/2016 15:03:53    1929553

It's actually hilarious that some people are so naive... ''If a 1st team isn't good enough to beat a 2nd team then tough luck'' that's a ridiculous answer to the problem within the structure and the people with that opinion are obviously the same jokers that stand roaring and shouting outside the palings of games, arguing with opposition supporters and maybe even, if they're lucky, to be a selector at what I can only assume is one of the kingpin clubs in Meath (I say selector because its usually those people who are always the bridesmaid and never the bride). I'm from a senior club location with more than one team and I can assure anyone that if you ask any player who has played 2nd team football for the last few years if they would prefer a 2nd team championship, they would jump at the idea. Think about it, even in their unfortunate situations, the likes of Kilbride, St. Mary's and St. Paul's may not get the result they want from each game in the championship but that grade, whether its the lowest grade or not can be played off without the championship being held up because of the county set up as can the 2nd team championship. If the possibility of success in whatever the championship is realistic to players, then that keeps more interest for the players and also brings a buzz to whatever parish it happens in. Yes the current structure needs a shake up, but last years idea was extreme and was never gonna work. I think each club individually should be given options by the county board on how to help change the structure for the better, which every fully paid member of the club internally gets to vote on. When the club gets a result of the vote, they should then give the results to the county board, then everyone who actually cares enough gets there say even if it doesnt go in their favour.

bowza123 (Meath) - Posts: 42 - 27/10/2016 16:02:28    1929572

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 630 - 27/10/2016 16:35:43    1929579

Irish_downunder

You had me listening to you until you said in caps, The small club always signs the transfer. So Dunsany and Bective signed transfers for their two best players to go to O'Mahony's? They did in me hole, they fought it like wild animals until all the clubs of Meath voted against them. And you wonder why junior clubs don't roll over and let their bellies get tickled? Curraha fought like hell over Player Whyte and Skryne pulled a fast one by saying rivers and roads meant he was in Skryne parish, every dog on the street knew it was waffle.
Then you talk down at junior clubs and say they wouldn't accept being graded in the right division. 44 clubs voted to throw the new system out. That's more than just the junior clubs, thats all the junior clubs, all the junior B clubs, all the intermediate clubs and half the senior clubs. Only 11 voted to keep it!

49erroyal (Meath) - Posts: 65 - 27/10/2016 17:26:48    1929602

Quick question. Say we did exclude all 2nd/third teams form the Junior A and B championship, and out them into a separate competition for 2nd teams. Who would the likes of St Pauls, or Kilbride play against then? There would be no teams of their standard left to play against.
This year there were 7 first teams in Junior B, or whom St Vincents, Slane and Moynalty were comfortable better than the other 4. So how would it help them in any way to exclude the 2nd/3rd teams and have them just play among each other?
In their last 3 games in the championship, St Pauls were hammered by Kilbrides first team, gave a walkover to St Pats 2nd team, and got hammered by Boardsmills first team. . Kilbrides only victories were over St Pauls and a walkover from Dunderry. How would excluding 2nd teams from the competition make any difference to those clubs?

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 27/10/2016 18:00:23    1929615

I was thinking about parallel junior B championships, one for 2nd teams and one for 1st teams, with both teams promoted to junior and 2 coming down from junior each year. Like you said though there aren't enough first teams at that standard to make a viable championship.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 27/10/2016 18:21:11    1929622

I don't think anyone wants to create championships that Kilbride or St Paul's can win straight away. I personally think there need to be a safety net so they don't slip from the fourth grade to the sixth at the expense of second teams from highly populated urban/commuter areas.
Last year Paul's fulfilled every fixture and won some games. This year they didn't but if things improve they could beat teams again.
There are 18 teams in each grade from senior to junior B. That's 72 teams yet there are only 52 football clubs. I'd break it up from senior down - 16, 16, 12 and 8 in junior b.
How many second teams are we disrupting, eight based in this year in junior and intermediate. Two of those didn't take the championship seriously this year.
You might disagree with me totally but can you understand that there is huge frustration out there over this issue? The football review committee ignored this and it ended up being one of the things that came back to haunt them.

Roger (Meath) - Posts: 471 - 27/10/2016 19:39:45    1929638

Whatever about junior teams, what are the county board doing that St. Paul's or Kilbride are so frustrated about? They beat almost nobody, whether it be a first or second team. In fact the 2nd teams are keeping them afloat by giving walkovers when they run out of players. Is finishing bottom of a relegation proof junior B any better than competing and possibly winning a junior C title?

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 27/10/2016 19:59:14    1929642

meath1967 (Meath) - Posts: 56 - 27/10/2016 21:29:07    1929678

Trevor Giles,
is anyone else a bit surprised at the timing & some of the content in the highly publicised comments of Trevor Giles today. http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/trevor-giles-passion-wont-bridge-the-talent-gap-in-meath-427743.html
While he makes some good points, I cant see the point of highlighting today MOD as a passionate man and how only Keogan of the current players would in his opinion be of exceptional standard. Belief is so important for inter county players to be successful. McEntee's new management are just starting to put in place the basis for the future Meath team.
How do these comments today help progress this?

meath1967 (Meath) - Posts: 56 - 27/10/2016 22:19:04    1929693

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 28/10/2016 08:15:43    1929742

David (Meath) - Posts: 567 - 28/10/2016 23:03:11    1929960

I'm just bringing this back to life after reading the two match reports on this page from Skryne this morning. They are a fine club and looking after their own interests but the reports shine a light on why junior clubs have a problem with second teams participating in the JFC.
The Skyrne match reports include a complaint over the fact that their first team had an AFL Division 2 game the day before their second team had a JFC match. They are unhappy that seven/eight players had to play in both!

Roger (Meath) - Posts: 471 - 23/06/2017 10:41:38    2003896

I'm just bringing this back to life after reading the two match reports on this page from Skryne this morning. They are a fine club and looking after their own interests but the reports shine a light on why junior clubs have a problem with second teams participating in the JFC.
The Skyrne match reports include a complaint over the fact that their first team had an AFL Division 2 game the day before their second team had a JFC match. They are unhappy that seven/eight players had to play in both!

Roger (Meath) - Posts: 471 - 23/06/2017 11:19:46    2003914