Just watched the 1990 All-Ireland Final again..we threw that away we were a far better team than Cork but we didn't show up!
How Liam Hayes wasn't taken off at half time I'll never know his man scored 4 pts of him from play and that beat us! Plus fair play to Mick Lyons when Colm O'Neill hit him that dig he never responded..why?because it was a cowards shot on the blindside and he wouldn't lower
himself to respond to such an act.but to see Tompkins lift Sam that day was so hard I was there a 15 yr old Meath fanatic in the canal end

blind ref (Meath) - Posts: 204 - 29/09/2014 21:15:58    1658341

Alot of looking back lately,the main page has being looking at the 96 and 99 finals,we are turning into Liverpool! :D

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 30/09/2014 08:21:48    1658381

Ziggy we'll never be that low !!

royalpainter (Meath) - Posts: 874 - 30/09/2014 10:25:00    1658426

Ah don't worry about 1990, we'll never be in a position to lose another AI final again if we don't get our house in order quick.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 30/09/2014 11:32:17    1658472

It's Peaks and Valleys,right now we are in the Valley,but it'll change we'll have our time again

blind ref (Meath) - Posts: 204 - 30/09/2014 11:40:08    1658481

Did Boylan stay on too long as Meath manager? Was his long tenure a good or bad thing for Meath football?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1790 - 30/09/2014 12:20:40    1658521

bert09

Did Boylan stay on too long as Meath manager? Was his long tenure a good or bad thing for Meath football?

Conventional wisdom suggests he did stay on too long but I'm not so sure, the real problem was simply that we stopped producing top class footballers and no manager can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. In anycase it could well have been argued back in 95 that Boylan had stayed on too long but he won 2 AIs and 3 Leinster's after that so if the talent was there I'm sure Sean would have continued to produce the goods post 01.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 30/09/2014 13:18:15    1658556

Yeah I'd agree with Htaem , boylan would have won more if at all levels we didn't get complacent. Starting at cb right down to grassroots ( I include myself in that too) we just felt the good times would continue to roll.
And this talk of peaks and valleys is I'm afraid a continuation, of this.
If we were in a valley we could see a peak to climb. Problem is we moving away from peaks deeper into valley.
Consecutive managers have failed to instill a belief and a fighting spirit into players, who for their part must take responsibility too.
The blankets and sweepers etc took Meath by surprise, the lateral play is despised by supporters who want players to kick ball long . We all must take responsibility for our decline.
I can see things getting worse before they get better though. And I don't think many of the current panel will play on all Ireland finals day. A shame. But this year particularly against- armagh that our ship has ssailed for the near future.
It was the greatest wake up call I ever got . I the most optimistic Meath fan have been totally deflated.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 30/09/2014 16:28:59    1658644

I think we're more stuck in a middling doldrum than in a valley at the moment. Considering we didnt so much as make a Leinster semi final between 2002 and 2010, and frequently lost to Fermanagh, Wexford, Cavan, Laois etc, talk of this being a the lowest point is a bit wide of the mark. For a few years at that time we were also in division 2 of a 2 tier league, which was effectively division 3.

At the moment we are static, strong in division 2 of the league and unshakable as 2nd best in Leinster. Neither of these are things to be too happy about, but those going on about it being the end of the world dont help.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 30/09/2014 16:59:27    1658657

Castlbravo during that period we reached 2 all Ireland semi finals and was for the most part considered a top 8 team particularly between 07 to 10. However we have been gradually getting worse since then, I mean could you see the Meath team of 14 beating Mayo or a defending all ire champ? Or for that matter of the middle to top ulster teams?

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 30/09/2014 19:18:04    1658733

royaldunne

Ye I suppose we all were to blame in hindsight, but then again the old saying is 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' so we could be forgiven in a sense for not changing things when times were good. But our CB in particular were very slow to stop the rot which really set in after our very poor performances in 02, 03 and 04, not that 05 or 06 were much better but after 3 poor seasons and an obvious change in the way football was being played, something significant should have been done to halt our slide.

As for how we're progress now, we did have a mini revival in 07, 09 and 10 but that hasn't been built on at all and you're right it's hard to see much light for us in the current era but you can always live in hope. Back in 06 I would have laughed at you if you told me that Meath would make 2 of the next 3 AI semi finals so you just never know but we in Meath do expect silverware and there's no shame in that. So while long summers and semi finals are nice, a lot of work needs to be done for us to return to genuine glory in the future.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 30/09/2014 21:25:44    1658801

Royaldunne, the Meath team of 2002 to 2005 lost to Donegal, Cavan and Fermaanagh (twice) in the qualifiers. None of whom got close to an Ulster title in those years.Coupled with that, Meath didnt even reach a Leinster final in those years. To be honest I think its just the fact Sean Boylan was managing them at the time that prevents people panning it as a terrible few years. As was said above, we revived a bit from 2007-2010, but that also included 2008, the worst season Meath had since the qualifiers came in.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 30/09/2014 21:55:34    1658815

2008 was our worst year by far since the 2000's began..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 01/10/2014 10:16:19    1658863

Guys , the question was asked did Boylan stay on too long . Lets put a clear line in the sand here , A manager very rarely wins match's , it's the guys on the pitch and on the bench that win match's . The managers job for the want of better words is that of a facilitator, he facilitates the best players in their task to play to the best of their ability, he manages everything else , so as to allow the players to focus on playing, to go out on the pitch and do what they are meant to do . However here's the problem ,( the second string in the managers bow) the manager is also responsible and entrusted to pick the best footballers available to him . If he fails to do this , it doesn't matter how well he manages or facilitates the team , as a whole the team do not reach their potential because the best players are not selected to play . On the other hand if the manager selects the best players in the county for his panel , and plays the best players , and still does not achieve anything , then don't blame the manager , look at the players , ask them why they are not performing, why they aren't playing out of their skins for their county , club and family. Also If they perform to the best of their ability , and its still not good enough , then look to the systems of coaching that are in the county and question why are we not producing better players, what are we missing , what can we do. This wasn't meant to sound like an "Every given Sunday" speech , but I hear people talking about Managers , and I reckon we attach way too much importance to the managers input..... At the end of the day , when the 15 guys raise the Sam Maguire , its those 15+ players whose names go down in History, who are remembered every 25 yrs by the GAA , not the managers, therefore I say let the players stand up and be asked , "Why are ye not performing " and then let the Managers/Selectors ask , What can we do to help you to perform .

Chaisleain_Abu (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 01/10/2014 12:05:30    1658920

Next year will be 10yrs since Sean was manager of Meath. Exactly how long are people going to keep looking back before looking forward? Meath teams at the moment (all levels) are not good enough. The question is, how do we go about correcting this.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 484 - 01/10/2014 16:30:17    1659086

Even a bigger question is Boylans involvement nowadays. He's over footballer in his capacity as DIr of Football but we are seeing no signs of improvement. I think co board need to do a full review and see if he's the right person to bring us forward.

Tones (Meath) - Posts: 17 - 01/10/2014 21:23:54    1659193

See attached link. We can all go the work that is being done at development squad level. Maybe some who are quick to complain should attend and see what is going on and then give us their views

www.hoganstand.com/MEATH/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=225289

seasiderblues (Meath) - Posts: 343 - 02/10/2014 08:38:02    1659224

Htaem. Yep I guess we must live in hope.
I'm renewing my season ticket. But I just don't have the same feeling of optimism. In all honesty that armagh game seemed like the players majority not all , wanted to get it over with and if got beat so what, sideline seemed to be performing a shuffling of the deckchair on the Titanic. I left Croke park so deflated never mind soaked to skin . Lowest point since limerick game in 08 .
I really don't know what next year holds , promotion? Relegation? Leinster final? Last 8? Early exit? But I feel unless we get someone alongside mod who has been there done that I can't see much change . But I live in hope.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/10/2014 08:58:56    1659227

royaldunne

Well I'm glad to see you're renewing your season ticket royaldunne, I always liked your optimism, it's infectious but I can understand why you're a bit down on Meath football after this season, it really wasn't a good one on or off the field and with Reilly now out it seems like we just can't catch a break.

Now the Dublin and Armagh games were just atrocious, I don't know what the hell happened us, we may not be great but we're not that bad either, sadly the fight of old is long gone and we're inconsistent at going down swinging aswell. Take our last 5 championship exits as an example, 14 v Armagh = tame exit, 13 v Tyrone = bit of fight, 12 v Laois = tame, 11 v Kildare = lots of fight, 10 v Kildare = tame.

But listen we're all Meath mad here, and come January we'll all be out in the frost and the damp of PT supporting the lads until it comes to and end at whatever stage next summer, that's sport and you have to love it, it's a healthy addiction.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/10/2014 11:14:09    1659261

Indeed Htaem and come frost or snow, first Sunday of January I'll be there for O'Byrne cup and hopefully will recover my optimism :).

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/10/2014 15:37:03    1659422