Respect to the Dubs for their achievements over the last number of years, wouldn't classify it as fear. The rivalry is still there but not to the same extent as pre 2000. Crowd attendances would bear this out, 70000 at Leinster final 2012, 55000 last year. If Meath do get to the Leinster final, have to take care of Carlow first and then probably Kildare, I'd be surprised if there was more than 50K at the match this year. Leinster final V's Meath or Kildare will not bring in the 80K it used to, as the summer supporters won't go. They see it as a done deal for the Dubs before a ball is kicked. Leinster football in general is poor, all you have to do is look at the league tables.
Having said all that, we'd love another crack at the Blue horde. Think this Meath team are building nicely and will be more competitive than last year, well capable of winning it given the chance.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 484 - 16/05/2014 09:47:05    1588381

moylagh

if both teams get to leinster final this year and meath do so witha good win over kildare
id expect between 60-70 thousand at the leinster final certainly more then last year
as last year meath supporters feared the worst and the game was billed as dublin only had to show up and they would win

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 16/05/2014 09:58:49    1588389

my opinion in beating the dubs is nullify their 3 most important players cluxton, Flynn & Connolly

cluton is up there with the top gk's but it is his kickouts that seperates him from the rest. its not just him from the kick outs but his outfield players movement I guess as we discussed in an earlier post that the comfort and familiarity of have croke park as their adopoted home ground.

MDMA got player of the year last year and is a class act but that is because of the support and space provided for him by Connolly and Flynn.

BB the majority of the ball he gets into him is from Flynn and Connolly cut off that supply and he may not be the treat that he has been for nearly a decade.

so we not come to how to nullify these 3 legends. easiest way could be the black / red card for the 2 hot heads who seem to have matured greatly in the last 3 years.

next is prob do what mayo this year and Kerry last year to cluxtons kick outs

last Connolly and Flynn with speed power and skill as wing forwards can open a team wide especially in the biggest ground of CP and allow backs and mfs to run throught the center. so if the dub loose one or both of these guys it will tighten up the middle.

bringing back extra men in your defence only means brings the fittest and most physical strong natural footballers closer to goals where they from 1-15 are all comfortable of popping over a point.

we know the dubs have a strong bench but these 3 are irreplaceable

fkm leitrim (Leitrim) - Posts: 88 - 16/05/2014 10:25:09    1588405

Ye I was surprised that only 55k turned up last year and 70k in 2012 when we were in even worse condition after getting relegated and everything. Maybe everybody went to the beach last years, remember harm it was, it was great, but anyway I'd imagine there'll be more at this year's Leinster final regardless of who the Dubs are playing.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 16/05/2014 10:25:18    1588406

doublehop
County: Kildare
Posts: 3867

1588211 I have a mate who is fearless. Always tries to chat up the nicest looking girl in the bar. There was maybe a time a few years ago when they might have went home with him but not these days. He's not the looker he once I was I suppose. He has the belief but that still doesn't change the fact that the girls he does go home with now are not what they were and that's if he goes home with one at all. I'm sure Meath can relate.


Reminds me of a lad I know. Big tall athletic chap. Bit of a gym monkey. Absolutely no class though. A real new money type. Always goes for the best catch in the nightclub thinking he's nailed on, even though everyone laughs behind his back because he's so far out of his depth. I've never seen him clicking with anything decent. Normally ends up heading home with a young wan called O'Byrne that everyone's had anyway. Seems to keep him happy though.

Greenfield (Meath) - Posts: 522 - 16/05/2014 10:49:06    1588421

Greenfield
County: Meath
Posts: 205

Reminds me of a lad I know. Big tall athletic chap. Bit of a gym monkey. Absolutely no class though. A real new money type. Always goes for the best catch in the nightclub thinking he's nailed on, even though everyone laughs behind his back because he's so far out of his depth. I've never seen him clicking with anything decent. Normally ends up heading home with a young wan called O'Byrne that everyone's had anyway. Seems to keep him happy though

Ah yes.

Gym monkey reference? Check.

Finance reference? Check.

O'Byrne Cup reference? Check.

There's hope for this young one yet.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 16/05/2014 11:33:25    1588457

Fear? Who fears anybody in sport, really?!

Being wary of, being sub-consciously defeatist and rueful concerning ownership of the bragging rights, more than likely!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 16/05/2014 11:59:02    1588488

I actually think Meath have a better subs bench than last year,but Wallace and emerging talent Cillian O'Sullivan are huge losses.. Dublin under 21s won the All-Ireland,but their game against Meath was closer than people thought(Meath missed a penalty),added to the fact that three lads(who are on the senior panel) were missing for Meath that day...
But Meath are doing a lot of things right,and,to be honest,you cannot mind Dublin,it is always about getting your own house in order(no matter who you are) and then worry about the rest..Who is to say that Meath can't possible become contenders like perhaps Mayo,or such like in a year or two?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 16/05/2014 11:59:12    1588489

If (and it is still an if),Meath get to the Leinster Final,then it would be three Meath/Dub finals in a row..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 16/05/2014 12:06:41    1588497

in no way would i ever try and compare current Meath team to the Dubs , but we certainly don't fear them, kildare will be a hurdle in itself if we get over Carlow. We beat them in 2010 with a very bizarre scoreline and in fairness some cracking goals , last year we matched them for nearly 60 minutes but unfortunately we didn't have the fitness or bench to keep up with them. The tactics applied by MOD were spot on not allowing short-kick outs etc from Cluxton, Dublin really have a handy run until the leinster final which i'm hoping will stand in either ourselves or Kildare's favor.

meath1987 (Meath) - Posts: 127 - 16/05/2014 12:33:24    1588514

Ye I was surprised that only 55k turned up last year and 70k in 2012 when we were in even worse condition after getting relegated and everything. Maybe everybody went to the beach last years, remember harm it was, it was great, but anyway I'd imagine there'll be more at this year's Leinster final regardless of who the Dubs are playing.

__________________

If the dubs get there.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 16/05/2014 16:17:39    1588657

Wayno yous will get to the Leinster final this year lad, there's no possibility of Laois, Wicklow, Wexford, Longford or Offaly knocking yous out before the final.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 16/05/2014 16:44:08    1588673

Htaem

Indeed,but I guess he is being respectful :)

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 16/05/2014 19:13:17    1588724

Greenfield
County: Meath
Posts: 205

1588421 doublehop
County: Kildare
Posts: 3867

1588211 I have a mate who is fearless. Always tries to chat up the nicest looking girl in the bar. There was maybe a time a few years ago when they might have went home with him but not these days. He's not the looker he once I was I suppose. He has the belief but that still doesn't change the fact that the girls he does go home with now are not what they were and that's if he goes home with one at all. I'm sure Meath can relate.


Reminds me of a lad I know. Big tall athletic chap. Bit of a gym monkey. Absolutely no class though. A real new money type. Always goes for the best catch in the nightclub thinking he's nailed on, even though everyone laughs behind his back because he's so far out of his depth. I've never seen him clicking with anything decent. Normally ends up heading home with a young wan called O'Byrne that everyone's had anyway. Seems to keep him happy though.

I know a lad lets just call him Dubby he looks the part , walks the walk also usually goes home with the best looking girl every night Sammy is his new flame at the moment , looks like it could be a long term relationship, hes usually with two other lads , they really fancy Sammy also but would be afraid to approach her ,you see they are scared shitless of Dubby but wouldn't admit it, they just say they admire him ;)

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 16/05/2014 19:21:06    1588728

I actually think The Master as per usual has got this all wrong and the real question here is do Dublin fear Meath. I mean if you look at the last 2 Leinster Finals which were expected to be landslide victories for Dublin, they were actually quite close. You had the Dubs hanging on for dear life 2 years ago and last year a much closer final than predicted. For some odd reason, this really strong Dublin team look very vulnerable when they play Meath.

As a Meath man what I particularly liked was how Meath took the games to Dublin and for long periods bullied them in both games. If we look at the last 4 halves of championship football between the 2 sides, we see an interesting evenness between the teams:

2012 1st half:
Dublin 2-7 Meath 0-5
2012 2nd half:
Meath 1-8 Dublin 0-6
2013 1st half
Meath 0-9 Dublin 1-4
2013 2nd half
Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-5

Of course, let's not delude anyone here. Dublin won both games and deservedly so. They were marginally superior on both occasions. But they did seem hesitant in both games and suffered from big names not performing which leads back to my original question. Do Dublin fear Meath?

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 16/05/2014 20:54:27    1588759

Former_Poster
County: Meath
Posts: 166

1588759
I actually think The Master as per usual has got this all wrong and the real question here is do Dublin fear Meath. I mean if you look at the last 2 Leinster Finals which were expected to be landslide victories for Dublin, they were actually quite close. You had the Dubs hanging on for dear life 2 years ago and last year a much closer final than predicted. For some odd reason, this really strong Dublin team look very vulnerable when they play Meath.

As a Meath man what I particularly liked was how Meath took the games to Dublin and for long periods bullied them in both games. If we look at the last 4 halves of championship football between the 2 sides, we see an interesting evenness between the teams:

2012 1st half:
Dublin 2-7 Meath 0-5
2012 2nd half:
Meath 1-8 Dublin 0-6
2013 1st half
Meath 0-9 Dublin 1-4
2013 2nd half
Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-5

Of course, let's not delude anyone here. Dublin won both games and deservedly so. They were marginally superior on both occasions. But they did seem hesitant in both games and suffered from big names not performing which leads back to my original question. Do Dublin fear Meath?


Not in the slightest :)

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 16/05/2014 20:59:24    1588762

Any team going out to face Dublin will know that they are coming up against a very good side and will know that they will have to be right on their game but rather than create fear this should provide great motivation to be the side that beats them.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 16/05/2014 21:41:15    1588776

This Dublin side haven't had to even perform that well to beat Meath

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 16/05/2014 22:00:21    1588790

I know a lad lets just call him Dubby he looks the part , walks the walk also usually goes home with the best looking girl every night Sammy is his new flame at the moment , looks like it could be a long term relationship, hes usually with two other lads , they really fancy Sammy also but would be afraid to approach her ,you see they are scared shitless of Dubby but wouldn't admit it, they just say they admire him ;)

The reality is that Sammy gets about and does not do long term relationships. Dubby had not luck whatsoever with the ladies in the best part of 20 years and had looked on enviously while all his mates took turns with Sammy. Now that he is getting his turn his lack of experience with the ladies has him thinking that this is the real thing, completely blind to Sammys track record. He gets up every morning and looks in the mirror and thinks he is Lathario, while his mates are happy to tell him that he is the man, knowing that he will take a fall like the rest of them before and knowing that as soon as anyone thinks they have Sammy for keeps they invariably let their guard down at some point or simply get tired out from the exertions with her and as such she quickly loses interest and moves on elsewhere.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 17/05/2014 08:52:38    1588802

Former_Poster
County: Meath
Posts: 166

You had the Dubs hanging on for dear life 2 years ago and last year a much closer final than predicted. For some odd reason, this really strong Dublin team look very vulnerable when they play Meath.

As a Meath man what I particularly liked was how Meath took the games to Dublin and for long periods bullied them in both games. If we look at the last 4 halves of championship football between the 2 sides, we see an interesting evenness between the teams:
Hardly so. Dublin were not bullied by meath last year. They won pulling up in the end, although the first half was a tight affair. But the first half of the league semi final v cork was a whitewash to cork. The first half of the mayo dublin all ireland final last year was a tight affair. The first half of the kerry dublin semi final last year was a tight affair. There is a long list of tight affairs if you chose to look at 35 minutes of football rather than 70. There is going to be only one winner of leinster this year, and even though meath may not fear dublin, and look them straight in the eye before the throw in, they might even give them 35 minutes of a game. But dublin will win once again pulling up.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 17/05/2014 10:58:44    1588830