National Forum

Who Were The Last Team To Do A Meath On It Or Was It Done?

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just wondering when there was a team to come from near enough nowhere to get to an all ireland semi final without getting an easy routre, and beat dublin , kerry and knock out the all ireland finalsits? it has to be a team coming from mid table div 2 the previous few seasons, so im thinking fermanagh in 2004 but of course didnt beat dublin or kerry but did knock out the all ireland finalsists, also beat a team who was in an all ireland final 3 years previously in Meathand knocked out cork who were in the all ireland final 5 years previously. other than that is there anyone? mayo beat kerry in group a few years back in killarney but were a top 5 team for 10 years at that stage. monghon never beat dublin, kerry or tyrone for all thier punching up over the last 20 years. Laois had good years from 2003-2007 but never really got to string a glorius season together to get to an all ireland semi final, thats a county that really underacheieved for all the underage success, Cavan also seem to now have wasted thier underage success with just one ulster to show.

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 879 - 29/08/2025 10:41:52    2634053

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Replying To dickie10:  "just wondering when there was a team to come from near enough nowhere to get to an all ireland semi final without getting an easy routre, and beat dublin , kerry and knock out the all ireland finalsits? it has to be a team coming from mid table div 2 the previous few seasons, so im thinking fermanagh in 2004 but of course didnt beat dublin or kerry but did knock out the all ireland finalsists, also beat a team who was in an all ireland final 3 years previously in Meathand knocked out cork who were in the all ireland final 5 years previously. other than that is there anyone? mayo beat kerry in group a few years back in killarney but were a top 5 team for 10 years at that stage. monghon never beat dublin, kerry or tyrone for all thier punching up over the last 20 years. Laois had good years from 2003-2007 but never really got to string a glorius season together to get to an all ireland semi final, thats a county that really underacheieved for all the underage success, Cavan also seem to now have wasted thier underage success with just one ulster to show."
"A team who was in an all ireland final 3 years previously"... and got beat by 9 points

streaker (Galway) - Posts: 559 - 29/08/2025 15:31:16    2634110

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Tipp bet Galway against the odds to make a semi 8 or 10 years ago.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 328 - 29/08/2025 15:57:04    2634113

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Replying To dickie10:  "just wondering when there was a team to come from near enough nowhere to get to an all ireland semi final without getting an easy routre, and beat dublin , kerry and knock out the all ireland finalsits? it has to be a team coming from mid table div 2 the previous few seasons, so im thinking fermanagh in 2004 but of course didnt beat dublin or kerry but did knock out the all ireland finalsists, also beat a team who was in an all ireland final 3 years previously in Meathand knocked out cork who were in the all ireland final 5 years previously. other than that is there anyone? mayo beat kerry in group a few years back in killarney but were a top 5 team for 10 years at that stage. monghon never beat dublin, kerry or tyrone for all thier punching up over the last 20 years. Laois had good years from 2003-2007 but never really got to string a glorius season together to get to an all ireland semi final, thats a county that really underacheieved for all the underage success, Cavan also seem to now have wasted thier underage success with just one ulster to show."
Wexford got to an AISF in 2008, beat Armagh, reigning Ulster Champions, in the AIQF. Beat Meath, who had reached an AISF in 2007, and Laois, who were losing Leinster finalists in 2007, in Leinster, and then Down who lost their Ulster SF to Armagh.
Lost the AISF to Tyrone who won Sam later that same year.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16985 - 29/08/2025 16:41:41    2634119

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I'm not sure this falls exactly into your categories, but Wexford 2008 might be close?

Beat Meath (2001 All Ireland finalists)
Beat Laois (2004 Leinster Champions)
Beat Down (who later contestested the 2010 all Ireland final)
Beat Armagh (2002 All Ireland champions, 2003 all Ireland finalists)
Lost to Tyrone, the eventual all Ireland champions.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6556 - 29/08/2025 17:14:12    2634127

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Do a meath on it... Is that like lose by 20 points and get humiliated or am I miss reading the title?

Lúla571210 (Louth) - Posts: 151 - 29/08/2025 19:55:25    2634151

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Replying To Viking66:  "Wexford got to an AISF in 2008, beat Armagh, reigning Ulster Champions, in the AIQF. Beat Meath, who had reached an AISF in 2007, and Laois, who were losing Leinster finalists in 2007, in Leinster, and then Down who lost their Ulster SF to Armagh.
Lost the AISF to Tyrone who won Sam later that same year."
And Wexford in 2008 were a better team than Meath 2025.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2404 - 29/08/2025 21:14:04    2634160

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Replying To Lúla571210:  "Do a meath on it... Is that like lose by 20 points and get humiliated or am I miss reading the title?"
Spoken like a true Louth man, with the voice of local rivalry and begrudgery!!!! :D

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3062 - 29/08/2025 23:11:15    2634177

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Anyway, was actually going to suggest Wexford 2008 myself when I first saw this thread earlier today, but wanted to look things up first. I see others have beaten me to the punch in the meantime.

Just to add that while we'd been in Division 1 of the League a few years earlier (2004 and '05), we'd fallen back to Division 3 by the time 2008 came round, and only lost the semi-final by six points to the eventual champions.

I still think it was a huge achievement. Fermanagh 2004 was obviously a huge achievement too, but ours was more recent, and that's what the original question was about.

Tipperary 2016 would rival our 2008 achievement. And no disrespect to them whatsoever, but not so much Tipperary 2020, because in that "Covid championship", they only had to beat two Div. 4 teams (Waterford and Limerick) and a fellow Div. 3 team (Cork) in order to reach the All-Ireland semi-final, after Cork had sprung a surprise on Kerry in Munster.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3062 - 29/08/2025 23:22:03    2634180

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Replying To Lúla571210:  "Do a meath on it... Is that like lose by 20 points and get humiliated or am I miss reading the title?"
Hilarious grasp at straws from them tbh

Sweetspot (Kildare) - Posts: 350 - 30/08/2025 05:15:21    2634192

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Replying To FullOfPorter:  "Tipp bet Galway against the odds to make a semi 8 or 10 years ago."
2016. Galway were flaky at the time. Still are.
Hammered Roscommon in the Connacht final a fortnight beforehand. Probably enjoyed race week too much.

streaker (Galway) - Posts: 559 - 30/08/2025 19:13:24    2634262

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Replying To Sweetspot:  "Hilarious grasp at straws from them tbh"
You'd imagine they'd be happy with Leinster title , instead of still looking over the hedge! I suppose Wexford 2008 still never went snd bet dublin in Leinster though. Or Kerry in any type of game meaningless or not in championship.

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 879 - 30/08/2025 23:48:58    2634283

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Replying To dickie10:  "just wondering when there was a team to come from near enough nowhere to get to an all ireland semi final without getting an easy routre, and beat dublin , kerry and knock out the all ireland finalsits? it has to be a team coming from mid table div 2 the previous few seasons, so im thinking fermanagh in 2004 but of course didnt beat dublin or kerry but did knock out the all ireland finalsists, also beat a team who was in an all ireland final 3 years previously in Meathand knocked out cork who were in the all ireland final 5 years previously. other than that is there anyone? mayo beat kerry in group a few years back in killarney but were a top 5 team for 10 years at that stage. monghon never beat dublin, kerry or tyrone for all thier punching up over the last 20 years. Laois had good years from 2003-2007 but never really got to string a glorius season together to get to an all ireland semi final, thats a county that really underacheieved for all the underage success, Cavan also seem to now have wasted thier underage success with just one ulster to show."
Dickie I would go back to the wonderful year of 1957. Louth had not won an All Ireland for 45 years so there was not much talk about them getting near one. Here is the matches that they played to get there and finally bring home Sam across the Boyne.

Leinster First Round: beat Carlow in the battle of the two smallest counties in Ireland. This match was played in Navan. After this they played all their remaining matches in Croke Park.

Leinster Quarter Final: beat Wexford. Wexford reached the Leinster final in 1956 only to be beaten by Kildare. The smallest country in Ireland beat the biggest county in Leinster.

Leinster Semi Final: beat Kildare who were the reigning Leinster Champions. After this match there was a quiet confidence building around the Wee County that they could go far in that year's championship.

Leinster Final: beat Dublin as Louth won the Leinster Championship for the first time since 1953 when they beat Wexford in the final. This Dublin team would win the All Ireland the following year beating Derry in the final.

All Ireland semi final: beat Tyrone in a first ever Championship match between the two teams. Louth won on a score line of 0-13 to 0-07. Tyrone won back to back Ulster's (1956/1957).

All Ireland Final: beat Cork on Sunday 22nd of September on a score-line of 1-09 to 1-07 on the greatest day ever in the Wee County history. This was a first ever Championship meeting between the two teams as the smallest county beat the biggest county. With both counties wearing red and white both changed kits. Louth wore the Leinster colours green and Cork wore the Munster colours blue. The only person on the pitch that wore red was the ref.

Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 1133 - 31/08/2025 11:53:41    2634310

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Replying To dickie10:  "You'd imagine they'd be happy with Leinster title , instead of still looking over the hedge! I suppose Wexford 2008 still never went snd bet dublin in Leinster though. Or Kerry in any type of game meaningless or not in championship."
We got a bad beating off Dublin that year. Should've beaten them the next time though. We haven't played Kerry in Championship very often so couldn't beat a team we didn't play.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16985 - 31/08/2025 12:15:01    2634314

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Replying To Ollie2:  "Dickie I would go back to the wonderful year of 1957. Louth had not won an All Ireland for 45 years so there was not much talk about them getting near one. Here is the matches that they played to get there and finally bring home Sam across the Boyne.

Leinster First Round: beat Carlow in the battle of the two smallest counties in Ireland. This match was played in Navan. After this they played all their remaining matches in Croke Park.

Leinster Quarter Final: beat Wexford. Wexford reached the Leinster final in 1956 only to be beaten by Kildare. The smallest country in Ireland beat the biggest county in Leinster.

Leinster Semi Final: beat Kildare who were the reigning Leinster Champions. After this match there was a quiet confidence building around the Wee County that they could go far in that year's championship.

Leinster Final: beat Dublin as Louth won the Leinster Championship for the first time since 1953 when they beat Wexford in the final. This Dublin team would win the All Ireland the following year beating Derry in the final.

All Ireland semi final: beat Tyrone in a first ever Championship match between the two teams. Louth won on a score line of 0-13 to 0-07. Tyrone won back to back Ulster's (1956/1957).

All Ireland Final: beat Cork on Sunday 22nd of September on a score-line of 1-09 to 1-07 on the greatest day ever in the Wee County history. This was a first ever Championship meeting between the two teams as the smallest county beat the biggest county. With both counties wearing red and white both changed kits. Louth wore the Leinster colours green and Cork wore the Munster colours blue. The only person on the pitch that wore red was the ref."
You didnt come from nowhere though, you had one of the best teams in Leinster for a good few years before that. You won 5 Leinster titles in the preceding 15 years. 1957 was your 4th Leinster title in 10 years. You reached 5 finals. You reached a further 2 finals in the following 3 years.A great team!
We had a decent team just before that, reached 4 finals between 1945 and 1956, but only won one of them.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16985 - 31/08/2025 19:14:15    2634380

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Replying To dickie10:  "You'd imagine they'd be happy with Leinster title , instead of still looking over the hedge! I suppose Wexford 2008 still never went snd bet dublin in Leinster though. Or Kerry in any type of game meaningless or not in championship."
That's true about Wexford 2008. But in fairness, if you're going to stick strictly to the original question of when did a team last come from almost nowhere to reach an All-Ireland semi-final, and beat Dublin and Kerry and the previous year's All-Ireland finalists along the way, then the answer is never.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3062 - 31/08/2025 19:28:53    2634385

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "That's true about Wexford 2008. But in fairness, if you're going to stick strictly to the original question of when did a team last come from almost nowhere to reach an All-Ireland semi-final, and beat Dublin and Kerry and the previous year's All-Ireland finalists along the way, then the answer is never."
Well a team came from 45 years in the Wilderness to beat Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny and dethrone the All Ireland Champions.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4525 - 31/08/2025 20:55:24    2634401

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ye ollie that was a fantastic year for Louth, they beat all the big guns except maybe kerry and meath in 57, but meath were on the slide perhaps kerry too. but in fairness, louth were very much top 8 at least in country in late 40s and early 50s. meath and louth had some battles those years, isnt their a stat from 1946 to 56 they met each year louth won 5 and meath 5 times and only a point between the sides each time, including a 3 game saga in 49, its begining to feel like that again. id say a bit of the bitterness will evaporate too now that louth are leinster champions , there the team to be knocked off their perch like westmeath in 05 or kildare 99. so maybe the meath run this year is the only one to include dublin and kerry and beaten finalists from previous year from a county seen as a mid table div 2

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 879 - 31/08/2025 22:40:46    2634411

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Replying To Viking66:  "You didnt come from nowhere though, you had one of the best teams in Leinster for a good few years before that. You won 5 Leinster titles in the preceding 15 years. 1957 was your 4th Leinster title in 10 years. You reached 5 finals. You reached a further 2 finals in the following 3 years.A great team!
We had a decent team just before that, reached 4 finals between 1945 and 1956, but only won one of them."
We did. Louth did not win a all Ireland for 45 years. No one gave the Wee County a chance.

Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 1133 - 01/09/2025 08:09:31    2634426

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