Db9 that was after quite a hard tackle that would have sent most players to sideline, he was disposing a player on our 13 yard line when game was nearly over and still got on end of the free to blast the last goal. Honesty what do some people want, he was dragged and fouled all day.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 10/01/2016 18:57:10    1815642

Wouldnt mind seeing Donal Lenihan getting a chance at 11, was brilliant there all year for Dunboyne

Meathgaa5 (Meath) - Posts: 339 - 10/01/2016 19:01:01    1815644

When I do read some of the comments I do think that I have been at a different match. Thought the defence did quite well with great pace in our half back line. Keoghan as usual did well. Obviously some of our experts have no clue of what a defender is supposed to do! -stop his opposing number from scoring or making scores and not giving the ball away is first priority. We were out caught in the middle part of field even though Tobin got through a lot of work. We need to be able to take short kick outs when opportunity arises as was the case a few times. Our forwards were all over the place at times passing to the opposition. Our centre forward who was good at times but gave at least six short passes directly to the opposition and with a better team that alone would beat you (someone describes as great player maker/intelligent!). The ball to the full forward line was not good and many of the established players were the main culprits in that respect. A win is a win and in this time of year most players should improve.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 10/01/2016 19:08:12    1815647

Ziggy--full agree on full forward line. Lads really need to make impression here. Was it lenihan who tracked back and dispossessed a good laois attack to set up the final Meath rally?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1839 - 10/01/2016 19:21:22    1815653

I agree with the concerns over Paddy and his kick-outs,some of them today,well you just cannot give it away that cheaply,the fact that he plays outfield for his club,means it is likely that he practises that much on them.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/01/2016 19:24:33    1815654

Louth match in Navan?

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/01/2016 19:30:35    1815658

Browncows I think Tha many people are giving osullivan a pass for the errors he made today , (handpassed to opposing players) cause he has great raw talent and is only back from injuries that many thought ended one of the most anticipated players in long time.
So while he made errors we are probably letting them pass giving that he is only back after 3 years and I think those type of things will be ironed out come league. But you are right he did make mistakes. Keoghan was solid but I feel he is in totally wrong position as fb and is much more suited to corner back.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 10/01/2016 20:21:22    1815668

RD

Keoghan is fine at full back until McGill comes back

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/01/2016 20:47:43    1815676

chris o Connor is not going to go back to this farce of a set up.Meath going nowhere fast.

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1125 - 10/01/2016 20:51:33    1815677

chris o Connor is not going to go back to this farce of a set up.Meath going nowhere fast.

thelutch (Meath) - Posts:517 - 10/01/2016 20:51:33 1815677

I take it you didn't buy a season ticket then?

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3763 - 10/01/2016 20:59:24    1815680

Ziggy it is down for Drogheda in the fixture listings.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 10/01/2016 21:05:51    1815683

Agree with you brownscow. And a win is a win. Improvement needed for the future. Plus players missing, with colleges etc.

David (Meath) - Posts: 567 - 10/01/2016 21:06:32    1815684

Db9 that is silly stuff he put a lot of genuine effort into todays game and was the most economical player we had on the team as regards use of possession. I was impressed with his decision making took the right option and wasn't afraid to take scores when they were on. This is a skill that some of the newcomers lack and that is understandable but I have a feeling there is a big year in biggy a potential leader of the team who can lead by example. Wouldn't it be great if we could get maybe Mickey Burke to take the kickouts surely one of the lads could do a better job? Paddy should have been working hard on this after what happened last year but there doesn't seem to be any improvement.

Jimin10 (Meath) - Posts: 783 - 10/01/2016 21:10:21    1815686

Cheers Glas!

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/01/2016 21:43:58    1815691

In relation to the Kickouts I think its time micko gave another keeper or two a shot. Paddy is an average shot stopper at best in my opinion. He can also be a weak link by not holding the head as he proved last year. I don't have any vendetta against the lad its just I feel he is there for his long range kicking which to be honest is so inaccurate that it leads to a minimum of 4 scores a game. So why play him.

Look at when murphy played, he rarely tried to kick beyond the 45-50 and focus on providing accurate passing into space or on the Meath mans side of play.

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 658 - 11/01/2016 08:13:32    1815696

I cant understand why we are not trying another keeper. You look at all the top teams and the numbers one goal from a kickout is to keep possession. We give it away, not that is not always the keepers fault but i cant understand why we are not working on this. Also he has a tendency to do really silly things in games. Not running the lad down but keepers now are essentially your playmaker

pretender (Meath) - Posts: 358 - 11/01/2016 08:21:15    1815697

"Wouldn't it be great if we could get maybe Mickey Burke to take the kickouts surely one of the lads could do a better job? Paddy should have been working hard on this after what happened last year but there doesn't seem to be any improvement."

That's a mad idea - I love it. It would be like an U-12 game. Get your full back to take the kick-outs because the goalie can't get it by the 21 yard line!
There is one simple solution if Paddy can't improve his kick-outs, but for some reason MOD won't seem to consider it. Change the keeper. The truth is that he is possibly the best shot-stopper in the county, but isn't far enough ahead of the competition to make up for the wayward kick-outs and general brain-farts that he has in just about every game. He costs us about 2-3 points per game and doesn't do enough else to make up for that. Even his supposed strengths let him down last year. He was poor under the high ball against Wicklow when he allowed the full forward to collect the ball unopposed instead of coming out and taking man and ball. His shot stopping was poor against Westmeath when he allowed a soft shot in. And his free-taking is terrible - he scores about 1 in every 3-4 that he kicks.
I really don't know what the other keepers in the county have to do to get a decent chance at it - move to Skryne perhaps? I would much prefer a quiet solid keeper who can find his man form a kick-out anywhere within the 45 metre line. Anything after that is a bonus IMHO.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 11/01/2016 08:51:54    1815702

I think meath need to adopt a defensive game-plan, stick to it and perfect it now in the early stages of the year. Looked at the defense yesterday when the ball was in our forwards and it was 4 on 4 in our half of he field. That's madness for inter county football, and we'll suffer against the bigger teams with that aproach.

No point in playing open football against teams we think we can beat and then having to change things when we come up against the big guns, like we did against Tyrone last year. Now is the time to set it up and get it right. Start playing now like we plan to play the dubs in the summer

begining (UK) - Posts: 323 - 11/01/2016 09:07:57    1815703

Its January nobody really is going to get carried away this time of year. But what I find very worrying MOD is in his fourth year now and its the same rubbish football. Loais had a lot of players behind the and hit very easy for scores on the turn over ( where are our players if half Loais are behind the ball ) ? Also when we had our "defense" set they simply hand passed and kicked there way through us at ease. How come there is so many new players around ? if it was MOD first year you could understand are all they players he selected over the past 3 years not good enough now ? Our main attack plan yesterday was give the plan to Graham Reilly and we all know that's not going to work against the bigger teams. Our defense is looked like u12 lads chasing the ball and no defending the the player. Granted there was a lot of new player but at this stage in MOD tenure there should be a solid game plan everyone should playing to. Loais where poor in regards shooting also butchered some goal scoring opportunities. For me the win is not that important I am looking has our tactics improved ? any new players coming thorough ? and new leaders coming through ? out of the three Donal Keoghan showed some real leadership qualities at times Graham Reilly to maybe. other than same as you where from last year for Meath. For the Louth game I just like to see some hold our Half back position better which a major problem and a more solid defense.

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1284 - 11/01/2016 09:42:29    1815710

There are a lot of people giving out about Paddy and his kickouts which are currently costing us a few scores per game.

To my mind I hate seeing him going for short kickouts as I think he lacks precision with them but also isn't helped by a lack of movement by players looking for the ball. Players tend to be static which doesn't help him and this was also the case in the first half yesterday when Donal Keogan was taking a free and ended up playing it back to Paddy as when he looked up our players were like statues.

The biggest problem Paddy faces when looking to go long with them as far as I can see is that we have realistically only one target man for the traditional kickout at present in Harry Rooney. That may change when Cian O'Brien's club commitments end up. Neither Andy Tormey or Graham Reilly are natural midfielders and do their best work when fed the ball and can do damage then.

Mick O'Dowd has been desperately unlucky with midfielders when one considers that options such as Conor Gillespie, Shane O'Rourke, Adam Flanagan and Kevin Reilly are all unavailable through injury or retirement forced through injury. I know Reilly was a stop gap measure there but could've been an option as he could have played the defensive midfielder role providing additional cover for the full back line when the opposition are in possession.

Reilly and Tormey are fine options as additional fielders in the half forward line where they might have space to field and turn but I don't think they're suitable for 8/9 in terms of fielders.

And having seen a lot of club football over the last three/four years I don't see too many options out there to improve matters.

Like most I would like to see greater pressure for Paddy O'Rourke as I feel the more competition the better but I wonder how many goalkeepers are willing to go in when when they would likely be on the bench? And for those suggesting a transfer to Skryne for any prospective goalkeeper remember Eamon O'Brien and Seamus McEneaney have picked Paddy while he has also been picked twice for Ireland by Paul Earley. None of whom are from Skryne.

jackhackett (Meath) - Posts: 773 - 11/01/2016 10:01:29    1815715