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?

In all honesty I'd have to say no.

We've played poorly against Meath in the last 2 Leinster Finals and they've played quite well in fairness to them, however Dublin have won both games.

2012 we won playing very badly and we were poor all year, Laois should've beaten us in the All-Ireland quarter final. Realistically a couple of minutes of good football just before half time was enough to account for Meath that day which was a very bad sign from a Meath pov.

Last year as well once Dublin moved up a notch Meath had no answer and it was comfortable in the end.

Meath may be improving this year, or so it seems, but I don't think they would live with Dublin at full flight, seeing as they haven't been able to live with Dublin not at full flight. Same goes if Meath were up against the likes of Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Tyrone and Mayo.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 17/05/2014 14:17:58    1588912

Ya Dublin were poor in 2012 against Meath,but I thought Meath were poor and I left feeling worried that day.. Thought we played fairly well against Dublin last year,but didn't have the bench to kick-on,some may say Dublin were not a full fight,but for long periods they weren't allowed to play at full flight..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/05/2014 14:27:26    1588915

ziggy320001
County: Meath
Posts: 499

,some may say Dublin were not a full fight,but for long periods they weren't allowed to play at full flight..

But that's the whole point.

Meath didn't let Dublin get to full flight or to play well and Meath still managed to be well beaten in the end.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 17/05/2014 14:38:14    1588919

I wouldn't say well-beaten...

On the day it was more of a case of Dublins power from the bench that one out.This is were Meath will have to improve if they can close a gap in the next few years.. Funny thing is,it was 7 points in the end last year and 3 the year before,but I would suggest,we were closer to winning in the 7 point defeat! Scorelines can be misleading that way.. Think ye beat Kerry by 7 last year too? But that was harsh aswell..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/05/2014 14:49:59    1588923

Thing is though, when this Dublin team moves up a gear nobody has an answer, we're no different in that respect. But last year we both played poorly in the first half but we finished stronger, Dublin finished the second half stronger, they always seem to do that and that's why they're so good.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 17/05/2014 14:52:46    1588925

Leinster MFC Full Time:-

Dublin 0-15. V Meath 0-12

COYBIB....

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3736 - 17/05/2014 16:19:48    1588949

We don't fear the Dubs but in recent years at all levels we've lost narrowly a crazy amount of times. ANd the longer it goes on the harder it will be to keep that lack of fear up. Off the top of my head, Meath v Dublin 2002, 2005, 2007 (twice), 2009, 2012 we failed everytime to beat them but lost games that were there to be won.

Losing in Parnell park narrowly today just sums up this rivalry. The minors beat them in the league by a point but couldn't get their noses in front today and Dublin held on. It's really annoying me lately the way this tie has gone.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 17/05/2014 16:25:01    1588952

Ya as predicted home advantage just about swung this is Dublins favour..No reason why games at this level cannot be played in Navan from time to time between both counties..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/05/2014 16:32:30    1588957

JackGoff

Losing narrowly but how many of those games were played in Navan?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/05/2014 16:33:11    1588958

Ye are just not good enough.

Meath need a few more years to reach the current Dublin levels.

The Minors today also lost to a Better team....
Narrowly or not is irrelevant. Ye didn't deserve to win.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3736 - 17/05/2014 16:35:53    1588960

There is some serious rose tinted glasses going on here re meath score lines v dublin. Last year, Meath gave dublin a good game for the first half. I would even say that dublin were all over meath for the entire second half, if it wernt for some wayward shooting they would have been 7 points clear with about 20 minutes to go rather than 3.

It would be great to see either meath or kildare put it up to dublin this year. Great for the competition in general, the provincial thing is dead in the water and it needs to be re shuffled. Otherwise it will continue to be more of the same.

My prediction for meath this year is the back door after they play dublin, in which case they could give their opponents a lot of trouble, provided they are not playing 6 days after losing the provincial final. As for meath fearing dublin, I think that they will have their best chance of beating them earlier in the summer rather than at the tail end of it.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 17/05/2014 16:40:39    1588964

DonegalAll

I thought the issue with provincial finalists was sorted? Is it not now a two week break before the next game?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/05/2014 16:50:36    1588971

Fionn

You could be correct,but surely at this level,the fixtures can be spread out more,one year in Navan,next in Parnell?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/05/2014 16:51:49    1588973

Fear them? Never!!!!
Respect? Yes
Meath are only among a handful of teams that won't fear the dubs this year, along with cork, Mayo, Kerry, and maybe Monaghan. Everyone else will shake in their boots as per. Therefore they only one of 4 that may beat them if dubs havea off day . The rest are beat before they get onto pitch.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/05/2014 17:59:25    1588994

MesAmis surely Dublin under-performing and Meath performing above themselves in both games is a sign that the Dubs fear Meath not the other way around. You have said this yourself.

If this debate is about who is better then I agree Dublin are better. If it's about who fears who more, then I would be thinking Dublin fear Meath more. For the simple reason that Dublin have played below par in the last two Leinster Finals a fact many Dubs supporters have already alluded too.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 17/05/2014 18:04:39    1588998

Former_Poster
County: Meath
Posts: 167

1588998
MesAmis surely Dublin under-performing and Meath performing above themselves in both games is a sign that the Dubs fear Meath not the other way around. You have said this yourself.

If this debate is about who is better then I agree Dublin are better. If it's about who fears who more, then I would be thinking Dublin fear Meath more. For the simple reason that Dublin have played below par in the last two Leinster Finals a fact many Dubs supporters have already alluded too.

But why would Dublin fear Meath when Meath hve failed to beat them when Dublin have under performed and Meath played above themselves?

If anything Dublin should relish playing Meath because the last 2 times Dublin have been allowed to under perform and even with Meath playing well Dublin have won on both occasions.

Meath seem to be a team that currently Dublin can beat without having to actually go to the bother of playing well. That's no reason to fear a team.

I don't think in your wildest dreams you could consider your above assertion that this Dublin team fear Meath.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 17/05/2014 18:45:36    1589016

The question I asked is not why Dublin fear Meath, it's do they fear Meath MesAmis. As for why you're guess is as good as mine.

In my opinion this argument of fear is academic but I would have thought if Dublin are going out destroying all round them but playing below bar against Meath, then there's something there.

Personally I wouldn't call it fear but they seem to expect more of Meath and on the basis of the last two Leinster Finals, give them a little more respect. Even when Meath haven't been going well. For whatever reason I don't know why. Nor do I really care or take satisfaction in it.

Really my argument here is there is as much evidence of Dublin "fearing" Meath as the other way around and all The Master was trying to do with this thread was wind up some Meath posters.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 17/05/2014 19:02:25    1589019

Ziggy last time in Navan was probably when we beat their u21s. But we will never get the dubs out of croker in senior champ as unfair as it is. SO might as well get used to playing them at home in the under-age too.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 17/05/2014 19:15:01    1589021

Former_Poster
County: Meath
Posts: 168

Dublin have often, over the last 3 years, played below par in the Leinster Championship.

Wexford have ran us closer than Meath over the past 3 years. Do Dublin fear Wexford now as well? Laois gave Dublin as much as Meath have too in the last 3 years. We must fear Laois as well?

This "we've no fear" thing is just all guff really imo. No matter what county you're talking about.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 17/05/2014 19:44:41    1589029

Jack Goff

So the last time Meath played at home to Dublin at under-age,Meath won... Well that kind of proves my point..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 18/05/2014 09:28:43    1589133