We won the crossbar challenge , apart from that all teams are level going into Sunday

royalpainter (Meath) - Posts: 874 - 06/01/2016 21:42:13    1814995

Didn't get down there myself, might make it on Sunday though, sounds like a pretty rough night all round but sure look it's only January, nothing won or lost yet, anyone have the team?

Ps, never throw in the towel royaldunne and don't bother with them snack boxes either, get yourself a dinner box lad!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 06/01/2016 21:42:36    1814996

I went in the end..

Awful conditions,.UCD dealt with them better however and opened us up.UCD themselves defended well for the most part.Meath were a bit unlucky in terms of hitting the bar a number of times.I was disappointed with one of UCD's goals,as three of their half backs raided forward and NONE of our half forwards followed them back.We really do have to up the workrate or else we are going nowhere.Hopefully conditions will be better sunday and we can judge things better.
We played some decent stuff in the first half,made a lot of changes at half time and that may have been a factor.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/01/2016 21:48:17    1814998

Plenty of changes in the starting line-up and at half-time. They had lots of possession first half and looked good when they sent in long/diagonal balls early, but too many forwards reluctant to take on responsibility and go for a point (with wind behind them). Just pass to another player instead. Defensively very poor. First UCD goal woeful defending. Meath hit the woodwork five times, UCD three I think. But Meath really struggled to get scores second half having to get the ball in close (against wind) to try and get scores and in a very congested area.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 06/01/2016 21:51:35    1815000

Starting Team(I Think)

POR
Barry Tormey
Michael Burke
Simon Carty(not 100% sure)
Padraig Geraghty
Cathal Finn
(Can't remember the other half back)
Andy Tormey
Cian O'Brien
Cillian O'Sullivan
Bobby O'Brien
Sean Tobin
Eamonn Wallace
Mickey Newman
Donal Lenihan

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/01/2016 21:52:02    1815001

terrible conditions but it was the same for both teams. Not too many positive to take out of it. In the back Finns and Geraghty did well. Mid field you would expect Tormey to stand out but it did not happen. O Brien did ok and i think he does have potential is will be a better back up to Rooney than some of the others tried out. Good to see O Sullivan back, very direct runner and has no problem taking a score. Bobby O Brien had some lovely touches and if he had got that goal in the first half would really have set him up but overall very composed on the ball and this guys will be good if he continues to develop, huge potential. In the FF line some of the handling was poor but it was the same for both sides. Newman needs to get more into the game, in fact he should be dominating and i hope this will happen as we need him firing on all cylinders.

Of the subs Rooney was the pick of them and he will have a huge season for Meath (we need it). Very impressed with Shane Mc Entee and he need more time as he has more potential than a lot of the backs that started in the last 2 games.

Overall dire conditions but the reality is we should have won. We have got to sort out this nonsense of forwards not taking ownership and shooting, that is what cost us the game.

pretender (Meath) - Posts: 358 - 07/01/2016 08:12:54    1815005

How can you pay any attention to the workrate of half forwards or any aspect of the performance of a massively experimental team against a well sorted UCD team in what can only be described as some of the worst conditions iv ever seen football played in.
Now while my own expectation is that we will struggle in the league this year, surely people here are clued in enough to pay absolutely no attention to last nights mid week run out.
Sunday in Navan with a good afternoon versus a major rival in Laois will be a more accurate indicator.

highking12 (Meath) - Posts: 184 - 07/01/2016 08:21:18    1815007

On a positive note, its great to see Cillian O'Sullivan back in a Meath shirt.

royalfan4life (Meath) - Posts: 76 - 07/01/2016 08:56:30    1815010

Meath shouldn't have been involved in that game last night, or any game this time of year. The conditions both underfoot and in the air make it very high risk of picking up injuries and sickness. The college lads might be able but we've bigger things coming down the tracks

JohnJoeRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 56 - 07/01/2016 09:05:04    1815011

Ok thanks for that ziggy, great to see Collins O'Sullivan back, hopefully he can stay fit and return to some form, looked a great prospect a few years ago.

You'd have thought that, that full forward line would have contributed a little more but I suppose interest levels are usually a little low amoung more experienced players this time of year.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 07/01/2016 09:16:47    1815013

I was at the match last night, conditions were atrocious and it is unfair to judge anyone based on last nights performance. The one observation that worried me most from last nights panel of players used is the physical size of this team, for the past few years we have been literally brushed aside in the physical stakes by most teams and when comparing us against the likes of Dublin, Kerry, Mayo and Donegal we have only a handful of players who can compete. Every team needs a balance but this panel is badly lacking in physical strength and what is worrying is that the new players added to the panel are certainly not helping in this regard, we had plenty of possession last night in the last 10 minutes to win the game but our forwards just didn't have the power to break through the UCD defence and I fear its a problem that will manifest itself throughout the League as well !!

Royal_Rover (Meath) - Posts: 73 - 07/01/2016 09:56:17    1815021

These were the teams from last night:

UCD C Honan (Navan O'Mahonys); R McDaid, D Hyland, B Byrne; M Cahalane, D Byrne, S O'Dea; B O'Sullivan, D Murphy; J McEntee (Curraha 0-2), C Basquel (1-0), D Fitzpatrick; T Hayes (1-1), J Heslin (0-2 frees), C McCarthy (0-1). Subs - M Fitzsimons for Cahalane, L Casey (0-1) for Fitzpatrick both half-time, E Lowry (0-1) for McCarthy, P Kingston for O'Sullivan, L Kelly for O'Dea all 48 mins.

Meath Paddy O'Rourke (Skryne); Barry Tormay (Gaeil Colmcille 0-1), Mickey Burke (Longwood), Simon Carty (Dunderry); Padraig Geraghty (Summerhill), Cathal Finn (Dunboyne), Alan Douglas (Trim); Cian O'Brien (Ratoath), Andy Tormey (Don/Ash); Sean Tobin (Simonstown 0-3 two frees), Bobby O'Brien (Ratoath 0-1), Cillian O'Sullivan (Moynalvey 0-1); Eamon Wallace (Ratoath 0-1), Mickey Newman (Kilmainham 0-2 one free, one '45'), Donal Lenihan (Dunboyne 0-2). Subs - Donal Keogan (Rathkenny) for Carty, Shane McEntee (Dunboyne) for Douglas, Graham Reilly (St Colmcille's) for O'Sullivan, Dalton McDonagh (Na Fianna) for Newman all half time, Harry Rooney (Skryne) for C O'Brien 50 mins, Mark Battersby (Skryne) for B O'Brien 58m.

GlasgowRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 297 - 07/01/2016 10:11:25    1815025

Conditions were very poor last night, however the pitch in Carlow was much more dangerous as could be observed by the amount of players slipping and falling to the ground including a serious injury to McKeever. A poor performance in the first half with 80% of possession-over playing the ball instead of moving into open spaces with some very poor defending. As an observation played much better as a team in Carlow and defending as a unit was much better. Looking at stats Laois only beat Carlow by a few points in their own back yard. Saying that the changes at half time caused problems makes little sense as it was obvious to anyone that the second half against the strong wind and rain was always going to be difficult for any team or player. Unimpressed with some of the established experienced players over the two matches (Keoghan apart) and I think it is time to give some of them 'side line time'. Good experienced players will compete in all types of conditions and, the conditions were the same for both teams. In summary I would not judge any new player in those conditions , however I would expect the experienced player to stand out if they were of a good standard.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 07/01/2016 10:12:06    1815028

how did other players in other colleges do ,i heard both keven ryan and joey wallace scored well , How did mcentee do for UCD

donal14 (Meath) - Posts: 1 - 07/01/2016 18:41:09    1815174

McEntee scored 2 points from play.He played reasonably well.Meath had most of the ball in the game.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 07/01/2016 19:19:51    1815184

Hatem I took your advice and went for the dinner box. :).
Anyway of last nights game the biggest positive was osullivan been back it been way too long
Hoping for a better all round display on Sunday

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 07/01/2016 19:43:09    1815191

Royaldunne- ye nearly took me off the road leaving simonstown in your quashqaui!

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1839 - 07/01/2016 20:50:57    1815209

Shhh I was hungry bert :). My apologies

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 07/01/2016 20:56:28    1815211

That's alright rd. I had a hankering for a pint.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1839 - 07/01/2016 21:19:41    1815222

Wonder will we be getting any team news today or will it be another case of a sheet being given at the gate.

Its ridiculous to think we can't even get the team named a few days in advance.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1994 - 08/01/2016 08:06:27    1815234