"It appears that my opinion has offended at least one contributor!"

I don't think it is your opinion that has offended anyone, so much as your arrogant dismissal of the contribution of other posters.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 14/01/2016 10:32:06    1816509

Browncows

I know what you are saying about dry ground etc,BUT work ethic and tracking your man and such things need to be nipped in the bud now.It could be too late for that though as MOD has had 3 years behind him and he hasn't sorted some of the basics out.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 14/01/2016 10:44:17    1816517

Royler/Ziggy the football one is only to be used for football games but in general is imagine the cards aren't checked. I know one day I forgot my one last year going to a game and happened to have the 2014 one still in a jacket pocket. I showed it and got in.

jackhackett (Meath) - Posts: 773 - 14/01/2016 11:40:58    1816547

Well said AFB. That was my point.

SmallHouse (Meath) - Posts: 291 - 14/01/2016 11:46:45    1816552

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/theyre-not-eating-any-more-spuds-than-anyone-else-dublin-are-not-invincible-sean-boylan/59113

Love this from Sean. I'm convinced that if MOD can get a bit of confidence into the team we can put down a real challenge to Dublin.

I'll be rowing in behind MOD and the lads come hail or shine.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1839 - 14/01/2016 12:38:53    1816571

Team Id like to see tried against Louth
Conor McHugh
Nicky Judge
Donal Keogan
James O'Reilly
Cathal Finn
Mickey Burke
Shane McEntee
Harry Rooney
Graham Reilly
Ruairí O'Coileain
Donal Lenihan
Cillian O Sullivan
Mickey Newman
Dalton McDonagh
Conor Downey (Coming out around the middle)

Meathgaa5 (Meath) - Posts: 339 - 14/01/2016 12:53:59    1816576

Why Ber? Cause it was written in the paper........we're going further and further away from Dublin and just cause boylan says it it most certainly isn't gospel, in fact far from it in this instance

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 1025 - 14/01/2016 13:22:08    1816587

Also I'm not doubting the ability of the likes of conor Downey Joey Wallace or Mark battersby but there just way way too small for this level, unless it a freak of a player like James mccartan or more recently McHugh from Donegalur not gonna get a sniff of a ball let alone do any damage with it with the way the game has gone. The lack of physicality as a game plan or even the lack of physical players has been a real standout of the MOD era, if it gonna be bet by a better team so be it but there's no excuse for us to be getting bullied around croke park for 70 minutes

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 1025 - 14/01/2016 13:26:44    1816590

I'm really looking forward to seeing Lenihan and O'Sullivan (back) in a Meath jersey this year. I think DL could be a serious threat if he gets the ball into his hands, and we all know CO'S is a class act. Could be 2 serious additions to the team.

SmallHouse (Meath) - Posts: 291 - 14/01/2016 13:42:28    1816599

Anybody have any idea how Conor Gillespie is? Will we see him in the league?

Martinr5399 (Meath) - Posts: 23 - 14/01/2016 17:01:28    1816687

Hard to judge where Meath are at when all the Ratoath players and James Mc are not featuring. Suppose it is a good sign we have qualified and looked good against a decent Laois side. We probably have a stronger pool of players than others think. IMO the best team for league is (hoping we have Ratoath lads)
1. Paddy
2. Keoghan
3. McGill
4. James O Reilly
5. Alan Douglas
6. Brian Power
7. D Tobin
8. G Reilly
9. Rooney
10. Wallce
11. Bobby O Brien
12. James Mc
13. Donal Lenihan
14. Andy Tormey
15. Cillian O Sullivan

16. McHugh
17. Burke
18. Finn
19. P Gearathy
20. Cian O Brien
21. Ruairi Collins
22. Newman
23. Dalton McD
24. Shane McEntee
25. Sean Tobin

Footballonly (Meath) - Posts: 128 - 14/01/2016 18:05:45    1816706

Southmeathgael- confidence is a funny thing...we all know how good keoghan,reilly, Rooney, Gillespie, O'Sullivan, Newman, mcentee can be on their day. Get on a role and people will start to think maybe we're not so bad...they might even start to think we could actually beat Dublin. I believe we can beat Dublin. Let's not forget the days when the hill was silenced against the odds-- defeat the Dublin crowd and Dublin can be beaten. It's small margins, but there's no reason Meath can't take the dubs if the players and Meath supporters start to believe again

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1839 - 14/01/2016 18:52:26    1816714

Footballonly

I wouldn't say we played a decent Laois side,they are ordinary at best.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 14/01/2016 18:59:36    1816717

Footballonly, that's a pretty decent team. Only comments are that I don't think Tobin will be match fit (otherwise why is he not playing now?), not sure about Andy Tormey as full forward - I think McDonagh deserves a run in the league. Also what about Cian O'Brien, needs to be there as midfield backup. I would also have Daragh Rowe on the panel.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 14/01/2016 20:08:58    1816740

Wouldn't have Reilly at midfield,or O'Sullivan corner forward.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 14/01/2016 21:13:56    1816754

Longer term Reilly is not the answer for midfield but for the moment he might be the best option. Cillian 'Sullivan could be named in the corner and play a roving role.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 14/01/2016 21:50:16    1816766

Bert, not to sound overly pessimistic here but to be fair you're either the most optimistic supporter iv ever seen or seriously deluded. The following is a realistic an honest assessment.
Meath are still with this panel about 10 - 15 points a worse team than Dublin, in fact if we were to play them in the league the bookies would have a handicap of about -15/20 (And I work for one as an analyst). They are stronger in every position including the bench and management. Bar O'Sullivan rejoining, and in fairness to the lad he still has an uphill battle to stay fit and regain the flashes of form shown in 2012, the Meath panel is actually weaker than last year and i didn't think that was possible.
Sean Boylan is living in another era you cant just overcome these obstacles with an attitude of we can beat them alone. Brian Cullen being appointed as an overall performance coach shows an insight that just does'nt happen in this county

highking12 (Meath) - Posts: 184 - 15/01/2016 08:29:58    1816769

olhams - I agree with you regarding McDonagh - he uses the ball well and I think he will do better in better conditions. Regarding small players! If a player is good enough that is all that matters. A big slow guy is not much good in present football and you need all sizes and pace in your team. One option for Downey would be to use him or Smith in a similar way to the way Kenny was used. I think that Sullivan who has a bit of go about him (when his passing comes good) may be able to play in most forward positions. As the league progresses you will need pace as most of the matches if not all are on proper winter sand-based pitches like PT.

On the issue of commenting on posters! - have no problem with that as it is opinion, however, I would not run down any player on a tread like this- after all they are doing there best committing a lot of their own time. I would not judge anyone in Drogheda as like Tullamore it is unsuitable for winter football. Best of luck to all and just hope for no injuries.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 15/01/2016 09:27:24    1816777

Some interesting points here

Would agree completely on the physicality thing someone touched off. If you're not strong, you must be very quick. If you're not particularly strong in either area you must be a seriously good footballer, in the forwards I'd use Newman as a good example, he doesn't have either in abundance but he has class. Bray had all three which is why he was our best player for years. On the footballing side of things, not just because he's a fellow clubman but Donal Lenihan has been streets ahead of anything we have as a natural forward for a while, anyone that watches club games will say the same, a good example of it was that drab fest against UCD, when we were giving 20 odd passes back and forth(in awful conditions to be fair) the only highlight of the game was his point when he got out in front of his man and kicked first time on the turn from a ridiculous angle 30-40 yards out on the wing, that's what we've been lacking, he's well able to hold his own as well, Keoghan amongst others could testify to that when he's been targeted in the championship for a while to no avail. Him and Newman have to be in the ff line for this reason, without any other standout options I'd guess the third spot will be a roaming role for any of our wing forwards as we're not short of running options there. Cillian O Sullivan as mentioned looks a good option there if he can get his sharpness back but that will take time so will need game time in league, Bobby O Brien as well, he's similar to Peadar Byrne in that he won't be bullied and is very direct and not afraid to go for a gap. Eamonn Wallace a shoe in.

Biggie in midfield in theory sounds great, but work rate would be a worry, along with sacrificing our best forward and player to fill a gap, although if he can do it against a Northy team he'd definitely be interesting. James McEntees form is encouraging but I still don't know his best position, nor does Micko it seems but plenty to work with there. Finn is doing well, I read the other day his size could be a problem, half backs don't need to be 6'4, he's easily one of the strongest lads on the panel in that department. The two Ratoath lads will be shoe ins in the backs, as should Keoghan and Mickey Burke, Burke takes some criticism on here but in such a young and light team he needs to be out there, we need leaders. None of the other new defenders have stood out really, I'd like to see more of James Reilly perhaps as I hear he's quick. On the defence though it'll be a case of juggling, our 6 defenders might all be best at chb but at this stage we'll just need our best players on the pitch and work around it.

Midfield Biggie aside, Rooney looks good, hopefully make that position his own. Hard to tell on wet heavy windy pitches but someone said Tormey was flying fit with playing rugby pre season, hopefully that's the case as fitness seems to be his only problem, he's one you want to accommodate one way or another. One standout weakness so far seems to be the supply of ball to forwards, Tormey is a natural footballer and kicker so that'd be an obvious way of improvement having him deep. I haven't seen enough of Cian O Brien to make a judgement.

My hope with the team is they're a year older and stronger you'd hope, with one or two additions I've touched off we can still be dangerous. The league will be tough but at the very least we'll be battle hardened come quicker dryer ground in May.

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 15/01/2016 10:58:50    1816803

Anyway with all that in mind I'll go for our strongest team on what we know so far;

POR

Keoghan - Keep him here, mark their talisman
McGill - Natural predecessor to KOR, no one else at the moment
Burke - Covered above, lightweight backline without him

Harnan/*Finn - Harnan isn't a forward and we have enough grafters/runners there now
Finn/Power - See how the league pans out. Finn could be a contender wing back if not, I don't see Power able to play there though
D Tobin - Makes this his own really, and definitely has the legs required

Rooney - Most impressive midfielder since he's come in, still space for a fielder in todays game
Tormey - Gives us an attacking threat and good distribution, not quick enough for forwards IMO

E Wallace - Has to be here to utilize his speed, and gives likes of McCaffrey/McCarthy something to think about down the line
B O Brien - Maturing well, always looking for the ball and a direct threat
C O Sullivan - If he gets back fit and sharp he can make this spot his own

Biggie - Free man, deploy through wherever most affective, makes it harder to man mark well or double up as usually happens
Newman - Bit of work to do but when back on song key man, championship player, frees worth a few points alone regardless
D Lenihan - Important in that we have a go to man, make him our shooter, can score anywhere inside 40 off either foot, long time since we've had that

Bench - I'd have McMahon as our next option for another corner forward, and our only other out and out corner forward really. Don't think I've missed much out there really.

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 15/01/2016 10:59:10    1816804