We have often heard it said down the years; Meath don't fear the dubs. But such is the strength of the current Dublin squad, with scorers in, literally, every position on the field and most of the bench, have we reached the point where Meath will play a more defensive game against them, if as expected they meet later in the year. I think they will have to do something along these lines if they want to put it up to them. Going man for man with them will just end up in a hammering. Or, will the failings of old come back to haunt the Dubs? Have they become too confident in their players abilities? We seen them expose Rory O'Carroll last year quite ruthlessly so we can expect them to target that area again. What else will they be planning? Similarly, it will be intresting to see what gavin does to stop newman getting isolated with o'carroll again. It is an intriguing fixture and Im hoping it comes to pass.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 15/05/2014 14:45:48    1588080

I dont think Meath will ever fear Dublin
Last year Meath went toe to toe with us and gave us a cracking game, i see no reason to believe they wont do the same again

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 15/05/2014 15:09:30    1588104

No they dont.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 15/05/2014 15:16:11    1588112

Nothing, absolutely nothing intriguing about this fixture, because it'll end up in a 5+ point win for the Dubs. No need to wait for the game to come around to know who's going to win it.

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 15/05/2014 15:18:58    1588116

Depends what you define as fear. Some people seem to think that anything that even suggests the 2 teams are not as good as each other is "fear". If I said "based on the fact they have 9 of the last 10 Leinsters, 2 AIs in 3 years, 2 leagues on the trot, aswell as 3 AI U21s in 5 years and a minor, plus the fact they have disposed of Meath in the last 2 Leinster finals, Dublin have a better quality team than Meath", some would see that as "fear" and shameful to mention, when really its nothing of the sort, just stating facts.

That said, do I think Meath go out thinking playing Dublin is a lost cause? Never. Am I happy to just keep a respectable scoreline? Nope. Even if Dublin won the last 100 meetings between us, i'd have fresh hope and wouldnt fear them.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 15/05/2014 15:32:15    1588125

Well we don't fear them that's for sure, we didn't fear them last year and for 60 minutes went toe to toe with them before better conditioning and power from the Dubs knocked us but on the other hand we could and should have been more than 2 points up at half time. I think we have added a player or two that could cause the Dublin defense and midfield a problem or two i.e Brian McMahon, Joey Wallace, Andrew Tormey etc so despite Dublin's obvious strengths and depth of squad I'm not dismissive of our chances if we get to meet them and certainly wouldn't be afraid of them or any team, no point entering a championship if you fear a team.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 15/05/2014 15:33:51    1588127

Fear probably is the wrong word.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 15/05/2014 15:35:51    1588129

Don't think Meath do fear

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 15/05/2014 15:39:10    1588131

Noboody should fear Dublin..

Teams like Meath have always enjoyed the test of coming up against Dublin.

There are alot of good teams in the past who have been given too much respect by their opponents

And as a result have been overwhelmed by the occasion.

Meath will never be overwhelmed by Dublin. Even if we won 2 or 3 All Irelands on the spin.

But thats the way all teams should be.

Never show a team too much respect. Never fear them.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 15/05/2014 15:39:22    1588132

Respect but not fear.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 15/05/2014 15:41:51    1588134

I think everyone does.

They days of the Dubs v Meath being a big fixture are well and truly gone. Leinstet football championship is a non event these days.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 15/05/2014 15:44:00    1588135

Fear? No chance, I've never feared Dublin to be honest, I do respect the hell out of them and whisper it quietly, I even admire their current team but I always believe we can beat them and they always believe the same even when the roles are reversed as they were in the late 80's and 90's.

We went toe to toe with them last year and just became unstuck with about 15mins to go, the second goal killed us off really but that's a lesson for us and I hope the players learned from it. So hopefully if we do meet this year (and there's a lot of football in between!!) we can improve on last year's performance and get a win over them, it's certainly possible.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 15/05/2014 15:48:20    1588137

Massive Respect but NO FEAR.

chriscart580 (Meath) - Posts: 376 - 15/05/2014 15:52:15    1588138

Anyone who says this rivalry is dead is not from Dublin or Meath
I cant begin to tell you how much I love playing Meath. Second only to Kerry in terms of a traditional rivalry and contest.
I am 34 and playing Meath means everything to me. 89, 91(x4), 95, 96 ...these games are engrained in my psyche
The famous "what is it about Dublin V Kerry" segment from the last few years on RTE, could just as easily say "what is it about Dublin V Meath"

I grew up fearing and loathing Meath, but also respecting the hell out of them. To the point where I have GENUINE affection for Meath as a result. No other Leinster county comes close in the rivalry stakes. And they never will.

When your in a pub pre match and the fella at the table opposite to you is in a Meath jersey....its a special feeling



I dont even know what Kepak do...but i wouldnt touch their product with a barge pole!!! :)

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 15/05/2014 16:07:28    1588149

daytona11

I think everyone does.

They days of the Dubs v Meath being a big fixture are well and truly gone. Leinstet football championship is a non event these days.

You're right Leinster football is a non event these days daytona but in fairness that will never change if the rest of the province are terrified of Dublin. Generally speaking around Meath our supporters (like most) know that beating Dublin these days takes a huge effort but also most Royals I talk to also believe that we can beat them, if Kildare had the same attitude you never know what you's could do!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 15/05/2014 16:13:20    1588154

All the years going to Dublin v Meath games I never met one Meath man/women who feared Dublin no matter how good or bad both teams were. The exact same applies to the players too out on the pitch. Meath always raise their game when they see the blue jersey, does that sound like a team that fears another?

Dubsfan28 (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 15/05/2014 16:18:46    1588157

I dont even know what Kepak do...but i wouldnt touch their product with a barge pole!!! :)

____________

Hope you dont eat Tayto crisps ;)

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 15/05/2014 16:22:28    1588162

It will always be Arnotts and Kepak to me Wayne!!

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 15/05/2014 16:25:53    1588164

Meath have been losing some amount of finals to Dublin at all age levels in the last number of years...

They may not fear us... but they'd want to start getting better at football and don't worry about showing up with their chests stuck out thinking they are something they are not.

Start winning again Meath...!!

Because that's all that matters... you can stick your huff n guff up your Royal bottom's

The Dubs are going for a treble of Leinster titles at the expense of Meath this year...

Our U-21s beat you in Leinster... our Minors beat you in an AI final not so long ago... the list goes on...

Dublin GAA has some amount of gold in their pockets at the expense of Meath GAA

The Dublin senior panel is looking very strong and is going to be around a fair amount of years

Unless Meath start to dramatically improve... the future is very much blue.

Hope we can find a good performance against Meath this year... because at full flow... you're not in our bracket

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 15/05/2014 16:43:44    1588179

I dont even know what Kepak do...but i wouldnt touch their product with a barge pole!!! :)

Chances are you ate some if their processed meat without knowing, no shelf name suppliers to the trade, makes you big and strong :-)

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 15/05/2014 16:46:41    1588183