4 pts in the entire game

Lowest tally in decades

Poor wides

Very poor free taking

Very poor ball into forwards

Strange positional decisions from side line

I know conditions were terrible but..

Meath are a Div 1 team!!

I think Meath just completely collapsed yesterday, they built a decent platform early on defending well in poor conditions but Jaysus after that.. simply not good enough and they let themselves down.

Surely they'll be any to rectify that and put in a good performance for themselves and the fans

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 24/06/2019 10:27:52    2199706

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 24/06/2019 10:53:40    2199733

In a way they did, but it wasn't an unnatural collapse. When preparing for yesterdays game I'm sure there would be many things going through their minds. They would be carrying thoughts of first Leinster final in some time, a Dublin vs Meath rivalry, a progressing team that want to throw down a marker against the best team in the country, carrying the expectation and hopes of a traditionally strong football county looking to get back to the big boys.

They were fully aware they are playing the best team in the country and a team that are a massive step up to anyone they have played so far. When you have that mindset you prepare for the game mentally as if you need to take every chance, every score and make the right decision each time. Even if you achieve that you know it might not be good enough. It obviously affected them yesterday. That mindset can lead to little mistakes: snatching at shots, lacking composure, doubting and delaying your actions as you want to make sure the next decision is the right one. They know they have to do everything right to have a chance and that leads to it's own pressure.

When a team starts letting chances go and coughing up possession in good attacking positions then the confidence and belief gradually ebbs away. It's pretty natural. You know you haven't been taking your chances so a sense of inevitability sets in.

Meath competed well for a time yesterday in the basics of the game: competing and scrapping for possession and defending. It was the more advanced skills they struggled with which require that composure such as shooting.

lady_gaagaa (Westmeath) - Posts: 97 - 24/06/2019 11:35:24    2199768

Did Meath Mentally Collapse Yesterday?

Occum's razor.

They're probably just not that good yet.

They're not a Division 1 team yet. They're a team that has played all their football for the last decade in Division 2 or Division 3.

Plenty of teams that won't be in Division 1 next year that have more experience of playing at a higher level, league or championship, than Meath.

Cavan, Roscommon, Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Tipperary, Clare, Down, Derry, Fermanagh all have more big time experience in the last decade than Meath, in terms of league and championship.

It's a long road back, Meath have done the easiest part of it in getting out of Division 2 but the hardest part is to come and it isn't certain by any means that they'll be successful.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 24/06/2019 11:54:02    2199790

Of course they did. The players really want to beat Dublin but deep down they know they can't. It was a first leinster final for a lot of the squad. The pressure got to them. Next time we play Dublin it can't be as bad but you'll definitely see a nervous meath team well beaten again.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 24/06/2019 12:37:13    2199835

Meath looked like a team that were just going out on a damage limitation exercise, and failed miserably .

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1909 - 24/06/2019 13:09:25    2199869

The only way to win against Dublin is to show them no respect.. play the game, not the team

Farney (Monaghan) - Posts: 801 - 24/06/2019 14:19:24    2199945

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 24/06/2019 14:36:24    2199957

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 876 - 24/06/2019 15:00:57    2199980

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 24/06/2019 15:18:56    2199989

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 24/06/2019 15:27:15    2199995

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 876 - 24/06/2019 15:27:56    2199996

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 876 - 24/06/2019 15:51:45    2200013

The main differences between Dublin and any other team is No 1 accuracy. Their sh*t hot when it comes to kicking the ball over the bar. Meath , Cavan , Cork are miles and miles behind in that regard.
Work rate, speed and winning turnovers their also No 1 at but it's the accuracy in front of goal that puts them miles ahead of the rest.
Typical example Dean Rock ... hadn't played in a while but slotted in as if he never was away. Kicked some beauties.

Inaroundehouse (Cavan) - Posts: 975 - 24/06/2019 16:42:02    2200047

Monkeycatcher (Meath) - Posts: 155 - 24/06/2019 16:43:46    2200049

In my opinion, collapse isnt the right phrase. I dont think they were mentally right for the game at all, before the ball was even thrown in. I was sitting three rows from the pitch in the lower Hogan stand and as soon as the Meath team ran onto the pitch to warm-up I had serious doubts. They were phrenetic, nervy, and frankly looked shocked at the occasion. In the parade they looked the same. They looked small and placid compared to the Dubs. Their performance in the opening 20/25 minutes was purely one of adrenaline; winning turnovers but having no real plan of attack outside of just retaining ball and (largely) moving backwards. They were running on adrenaline, and it was clear to see they were going nowhere but they were very energetic. It was just a matter of when they get caught or mentally tire. They missed 3/4 easy point scoring opportunities and by the half time whistle had only scored one point, and the whole thing had devolved to shambles, if there was a gameplan it went to pot very early on. They were in survival mode the entire game. Pure damage limitation. They hadn't the steel to go after Dublin at all in any way, only scrap and fight hard to stop Dublin from annihilating them. It didnt change in the 2nd half. Dublin's quality coming off the bench and Meath's mental fatigue was the reason they pulled off a goal and a slew of points in the last 10 minutes. All in all, a total horrorshow from Meath; yes. But not a collapse on field; just a team miles out of their depth before the kick of a ball.

Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 587 - 24/06/2019 17:30:57    2200090

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 932 - 24/06/2019 17:39:59    2200094

learning curve for both management and players.

BeJasus (UK) - Posts: 383 - 24/06/2019 18:33:54    2200140

At 45m Dublin were just 5 points clear. We were awful. Newman should have had a goal and they had 3 of the woodwork at that point. They could have been a point up with a quarter to play. I just could understand their tactics. They tried to isolate Dublin's FB line and leave space in there for 2v2s presumably with Newman to be the target. They kicked a couple of balls into him in the first few mins and Philly got the better of him. From that point on they seemed to abandon that tactic, slow their build-up and take pot shots from around the 45. Crazy stuff. Teams who have run Dublin close have done so by getting quick ball into their FF line and putting that Dublin line under huge pressure. A slow build-up just suits the Dubs all day long. Cian will sweep up like a powered-up pacman. Bad tactics, poor shooting and complete lack of self-belief. I don't believe that they were overawed. I'd say Dublin couldn't believe their luck that they weren't punished for their poor 50m showing and then clicked with a blitz to pull away.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 24/06/2019 18:40:40    2200144

Decision making decision making decision making!!

boys among men....and not in terms of fitness, accuracy, work rate but I mean in terms of decision making. The dubs were so much more clinical.

pati (Meath) - Posts: 80 - 24/06/2019 18:50:03    2200151