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Definitely agree. But has to be said how Mayo got so much better since we last played them, I don't think if we played that Mayo team from yesterday or even the one that played against Louth that we would win. But the real positive is look how quickly Mayo turned it around and where they ended up? New guys given chances, sticking to the game plan and sports psychology could really get us where we belong, at the top.
Royalroyal97 (Meath) - Posts: 44 - 27/07/2026 23:06:46 2687668 Link 0 |
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I doubt we would've gone on to win the All-Ireland, but your overall point is correct. We kicked too many wides and the management made a mistake taking off Cian and Jack (though Mayo were already getting at this before that). He brought on Charlie, who's as green as the grass around us and Jones, who hasn't played in ages. We should learn from these mistakes, and I think there are positives and negatives from the season. We do so much right, but need to stamp out the collapses and inconsistency. There's always going to be periods where the opposition dominates, that's just the new rules. We need to adapt to that, and learn to weather the storm. RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 27/07/2026 23:49:07 2687680 Link 0 |
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True and we also beat the 2025 All Ireland champions well last year too but until consistency in performance across games and for full games is maintained to improve results we are still a bit off but agree not very far at all. Meath actually played the man to man game against Mayo much better than Kerry did and it shows Meath have excellant individual players with good athletic profile. The sending off ruined Meath's gameplan. A few tweaks and Meath could be there or thearabouts with anyone but 6 or 7 teams have the same idea.
winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1040 - 28/07/2026 08:34:58 2687694 Link 0 |
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A few other things: (i) Mayo had Paddy Tally who has coached 3 different counties now to all Irelands plus got to a final with Down. Robbie is in the same mold as Andy Moran - plenty of positivity, is a good man-manager and gives the players licence to express themselves. Do we have the right calibre of coach though who will work on defensive structures, tactics etc? No offence to the current set-up but it needs to be top notch to win an All Ireland. (ii) The results in the championship this year show that any team from within the top 12 teams can beat each other on a given day but you will need to win the midfield / kick-out battle and you'll probably need to kick a few 2-pointers. They are definitely areas where we should be able to thrive. (iii) You need to peak at the right time - Mayo had a good league, got hammered in Connaught but then came back into form in June & July. I'd like to see us do the same - use the league to consolidate Div 1 status while trying out some new players, new positions and new tactics. Give Leinster a go certainly but give lads a break if they need it after club, Sigerson and league and then come into the All Ireland series as fresh as possible. gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 28/07/2026 09:32:57 2687700 Link 0 |
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I'm not sure if we will do that. I think it is in Robbie Brennan's DNA to go full out and win absolutely everything
RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 28/07/2026 12:17:37 2687758 Link 0 |
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Suppose we can take some solace in the fact the 3 teams we lost to this year had very strong years: Cabbagepatch1667 (Meath) - Posts: 179 - 28/07/2026 15:05:29 2687818 Link 1 |
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I think you have nailed it on the head here. I think management will have learned alot aswell.
Anyonebutlouth (Meath) - Posts: 5 - 28/07/2026 16:00:50 2687831 Link 1 |
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The key take away from Mayos All Ireland win for Meath is that they adapted their style and addressed problems. Royalio11 (Meath) - Posts: 855 - 28/07/2026 17:04:32 2687847 Link 1 |
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Mostly agree, though there was no guarantee we'd have won Leinster if we'd gotten by Westmeath. I genuinely believe Robbie Brennan is the best man for the job but I'd have question marks over certain coaches. It's wide open and we could certainly win Leinster and go deep into the All-Ireland series. The key is earning that bit more bite in our play and attitude. We are brave but a bit too nice and often panic, shown by our disgustingly high rate of frees we give away. I am looking forward for 2027, but we absolutely NEED to give young lads chances. Look at Mayo, they totally defied the norm by throwing young lads in there and trusting them. We should certainly use the League, just as they did, to develop new players and deepen the squads. In Mayo's starting fifteen, they have three lads who came from the u20s. Truly remarkable. We need to learn from the blueprint they set. In the modern game fitness is key. We need to go mad on strength and conditioning to keep our players fit. Mayo had a full hand going into the final, and Kerry had been plagued with injuries all year and even when those lads returned their sharpness hadn't developed. We need to learn to mind our main boys for the Championship. There are reasons for optimism going forward. RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 28/07/2026 20:24:55 2687899 Link 1 |
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Tend to agree here. There is no doubt the way Meath played over the past two years embracing the new rules and playing football in the right manner comes from management and coaching team and they have instilled positivity and belief. However sometimes you feel that decisions and substitutions had already been planned before the game was played and decisions in game have been off at times. The decisions to substitute players performing well.over others not performing so well and carrying out substitutions in areas of field that are not necessarily struggling over areas that are. I think this needs focus and review from management. They shouldn't have been afraid to substitute one or two underperforming star names either. The are a few marginal gains that could change an average year into a very good one. The other thing about this year that people are slightly forgetting is that Meath played no home game at all this year with Croke Park the closest thing but cover serious mileage on the official away games. They will never have a year like this again in that respect. winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1040 - 28/07/2026 21:20:49 2687910 Link 2 |
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Well done to Mayo fully deserved success . Most impressive was their never say die attitude particularily in the tackle.Their fitness and sheer commitment to the job in hand. It was said they had over a hundred training sessions. Its clear also those sessions were put to very good use in that they were used as learning sessions on the road to improvement. Meath can do exactly the same as we most definately have the potential to improve to the same extent. The reservation i have is do we the capacity to use training sessions to maximum effect to improve. Mayo showed us what can be done. With a well prepared review of our season and lessions learned we are well placed to do what Mayo did this year. Robbie is the man to lead the drive as we are not too far away thanks to him and his team As always using learning and lessions learned can make a massive diference . New rules suits our players and i really see us serious contenders if we use training as it is designed to do work on weaknesses shown on the field of play to improve.Lets get to grips with real training and the results will follow! nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1317 - 28/07/2026 23:15:07 2687926 Link 0 |
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Going through all the analysis and based on what is clearly apparent anyway, it seems a successful team will need the following: (i) pace; (ii) ability to kick 2 pointers; (iii) ability to press and force turnovers; and (iv) size and strength to win ball from kickouts. I think we have a lot of what is needed but I would be looking at bringing in a few new players who have more pace and I would also be looking at improving our tackling technique all over the pitch and that is something that can be coached. gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 29/07/2026 09:55:58 2687948 Link 0 |
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I would add remaining fit onto that list. We really need lads sharp, primed and 100% fit going into the Championship. The reason Mayo won the All-Ireland is, in my opinion, because they were the fittest team and got the least injuries. Injuries definitely hurt us this year with Costello gone for a while and losing sharpness for the Championship, Flynn and Kinsella picked up knocks before Cork and of course Ruairí's ACL injury.
RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 29/07/2026 17:06:06 2688048 Link 1 |
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Kinsella is closest player we had to Trevor Giles. When he got injured that was that we were never winning the all Ireland without him
dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 975 - 30/07/2026 00:43:48 2688102 Link 3 |
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Agree that Mayo looked like the fittest team and losing Kinsella was huge for us - he is our Ryan O'Donoghue and Mayo wouldn't have won anything without him. Kerry suffered badly with injuries but still had the depth to win Munster and get to All Ireland final. We just don't have that kind of depth so we need to keep all of our key players injury free. gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 30/07/2026 10:15:37 2688122 Link 1 |
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Exactly - in the current format of the Championship whether you think it's good or bad, you have two options: -Keep a clean bill of health, and the squad mostly injury free. The key players must be fit. -OR you have great depth in your squad. We simply don't have that depth yet. I'm all for developing it, but there's only so much you can develop a player whose natural ceiling isn't high enough. I want our boys primed and ready going into the All-Ireland series. Aside from that, we might have some ropey games next year. We need to learn to operate without Kinsella - look at how we played against Derry for an example, even though we certainly rode our luck at times in that game. Kinsella won't be back until at the very best the Leinster Championship, but more likely is the All-Ireland series. Even when he does return he will need to mind himself and his minutes have to be minded. He'll be very cautious when on the field and rightly so - the last thing we'd want is for him to aggravate the injury. He'll also miss about a year of training and just playing football in general, so he might be rusty coming back. We need to be ready for this. Are there any players you people see breaking into the squad? I think we need a defender or two - Lavin is past his best and I don't really rate Ronan Ryan. I think Brian O'Halloran has a big future in a Meath jersey but isn't quite there yet. RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 30/07/2026 12:29:47 2688155 Link 1 |
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Get Liam Kelly into that Meath team, and that's coming from someone who can't stand Ratoath! Watched him closely in the league final last Friday, he stood out a mile. He's looking stronger and fitter than he has in the past few years.
Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 355 - 30/07/2026 14:59:32 2688181 Link 0 |
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100% should be given a shot - winning captain and man of the match in minor all ireland, captain of u20s that won Leinster and won the Sigerson last year. Those credentials alone means he deserves an opportunity.
gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 30/07/2026 17:43:44 2688208 Link 1 |
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That was a seriously good u20s team he captained in 2024. They should have beaten Kerry in the semi final. Obviously a few of the full age lads on that team (O'Halloran, Duke, Killian Smyth, Kinlough, Charlie O'Connor) have gotten onto the seniors panel but id like to see a few more. Thinking specifically of Liam Kelly, Sean O'Hare and Rian McConnell. Its real shame the aussies took Eamonn Armstrong from us, he was the best player on that team.
Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 355 - 31/07/2026 13:07:55 2688284 Link 0 |
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Only heard late now, great win for the young lads in the Gerry Reilly Cup. The youth systems continue to produce a good crop and I think it's safe to say that in the long run the future is bright for Meath GAA. Of course there were tactical disappointments and results that went against us, but the overall direction of every institution is on the up. Hon the Royal! RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 82 - 03/08/2026 01:35:22 2688505 Link 1 |