Won 1-20 to 0-08.
Worrying thing was that Waterford seemed to waltz through our defenders far too easily., especially early in the second half. They got a few points in moves that started from their own 21 yard line with no Meath player getting a touch.
But it's just as everyone was saying, Meath will have learned nothing from this game.

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1466 - 04/07/2009 21:24:06    332204

we won by 1.20 to 8 points. im away in the states myself for the summer so i only seen result on aertel. any 1 who was at match any performances to talk about?

Batman.No.1 (Meath) - Posts: 36 - 04/07/2009 21:25:50    332205

terrible atmosphere again. all you need to do to beat the meath defence is run at them with a bit of twisting and turning and they cant handle it. our defence was all over the place at times

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4211 - 04/07/2009 21:27:30    332207

32_4_1 . i dont think its as simple as that.. you dont seem the have the eye for a match like that today

shotgunwilly (Meath) - Posts: 209 - 04/07/2009 21:40:02    332227

An ok result, the game was won and that was the main thing. Waterford are very bad so 1-15 or 1-16 would be the minimum you would want to be putting on them.

I think the backs will be alright bar Anthony Moyles at FB, you have to remember the game was over from very early on so it was hardly a surprise to see Waterford get in for a couple of easy consolation scores. But Moyles at FB is an accident waiting to happen, Kevin Reilly is your only man! So the sooner he's back the better!

Midfield played very well but again we weren't up against anything special.

The big problem is the forwards and how the ball goes into them I think. Why can't it be like the old days when a quick early ball is let in to a corner forward running into space? When the half-backs get the ball, they are looking to give it to the midfield and then they give it back and its all very pedantic. There still seems to be a lack of methodology to Meath's play and the bigger teams will take advantage. For some reason Brian Farrell couldn't hold onto the ball but better that he gets a game like that out of him today rather than a day when he really will be needed. David Bray impressed, very quick, can't take a score, knows when to shoot and when to pass, all round he was very good. His place should be gauranteed after tonight.

Anyway its onwards and upwards, hopefully we get the luck of the draw and are back in Navan next week. Bar Derry and Kerry, we should be confident of beating all else.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 04/07/2009 22:02:01    332257

good result 4 meath, hope the draw is a home fixture!!

loyalroyal22 (Meath) - Posts: 68 - 04/07/2009 22:12:39    332276

was mcguinness injured on 56mins to be taken off? CHB is a real problem position over the last number of years. we need a bit of continuity so i'd like to see him get another run at it next saturday, presuming he's not injured.

menolly_murphy (Meath) - Posts: 61 - 04/07/2009 22:33:30    332309

Saying it as I saw I thought this was a diabolical Meath performance.

Yes we won easily and yes Waterford were never going to seriously trouble us but in terms of execution of the skills of the game and general all round play we are so far behind the leading teams in the country it is frightening. The first thing that needs to be rectified by the team is tackling. Time and time again I saw this half hearted, lazy attempt at tackling the opposing player which did little or nothing to stop him. What has has happened to the old Meath style of hitting a man hard and going for the ball as if your life depends on it? Either bad management or lack of motivation. It was dreadful to see. Compare us tonight to Dublin or Cork's tackling and you'll see where I'm coming from.

Then we have the basic skill of kicking. Balls continually overhit and misdirected and the strong breeze is no excuse. In response to LoyaltotheRoyal, the one reason Brian Farrell struggled tonight is most of the balls were sent in to him at ankle height - near impossible to pick up at full speed with a defender breathing down your neck.

We dominated at midfield and if we should have scored at least another 2-5 with the possesion we were winning.

Also Moyles will get away at full back against Waterford but has to play at no.11 the next day. Kevin Reilly although injured tonight is best suited at no.3. I was expecting more from Cian Ward tonight. Brain Farrell is also not 100% fit but that will come in time. At least there some postives eg King in the half backs, Big Joe looking lively although better suited nearer the goals, MCGuinness playing well as a No.6,Meade at midfield.

This may be quite a harsh verdict on tonghts easy win but when you compare it to the standards set by our great teams in the past, it wouldn't be within a country mile. It was simply not good enough for our proud footballing tradition and wont be good enough in the next round.

Laytown Legend (None) - Posts: 424 - 04/07/2009 22:56:06    332346

oh so were you at it shotgunwilly. betraying cork then????

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4211 - 05/07/2009 00:13:31    332426

no 32_4_1 i was in tullamore. i just dont see how you, who seems to have a lack of intelligence on the game its self, can analyse todays game. you seem clueless about football but pull these stats from the internet

shotgunwilly (Meath) - Posts: 209 - 05/07/2009 02:07:38    332493

one thing I will say about waterford is that they had some full back! Absolutely brilliant. Don;t think I've ever seen Farrell get such a roastin

meathfan1 (Meath) - Posts: 231 - 05/07/2009 07:56:26    332524

Wrong again Flanders. It wasn't the full back it was just Farrell being played out of position, simple as that. Farrell is nowhere near a full forward, far better in the corner. I sincerly hope the next draw is an away game because the atmosphere at Pairc Taitleann leaves a lot to be desired, even when full.

royalmick (Meath) - Posts: 52 - 05/07/2009 12:04:02    332594

there were a few positives from last night - Michael Burke (24) was a revelation - worked hard for the ball and tracked everywhere when he came on. Crawford had a good game, Cian wards free taking is still superb
But I said it before and it was evident last night too, the forwards can't catch a ball. Having said that the ball going into them wasn't great. Brian Farrell must be still injured, he looked very light and got knocked off his feet easy enough. I agree aabout the defence, very few tackles were being put in and Waterford just seemed to waltz through the defence at times, I don't know how many wides they posted but i think it must have been about 8 or so. We also should have went for more goals when we were 10 points up, besides big Joes efforts in the first few minutes, there was really nothing till Queenys at the end. It was a win after all but we won't get it half as easy next time (unless we get Clare)

Scarface (Meath) - Posts: 37 - 05/07/2009 12:06:07    332596

I think McGuiness was injured, that's he was taken off, I saw him limping at one stage in the second half. O'Connor was excellent, as wa Burke when he came on. Midfield was good also. Ball into forwards was very poor, balls dribbling along the ground don't make it easy for forwards to get to, on saying that, Farrell should get down on the thing and not try the fancy flick-up the whole time! Big Joe was very good, scored some lovely points, still would prefer to see him on the edge of the square though. Would also be worried about the lack of goal scoring chances we are creating, ok we scored a lovely goal last night, but besides that, and Joe's piledriver, we didn't really carve open their defence, ball is coming out far too slow from the backs with needless hand passing that slows the whole game up and allows their forwards to funnel back, a Northern team would kill us we are that slow, and for a man to saunter up the pitch without getting one decent hit is also a worry. A win is a win however and I look forward to the draw

updaroyal (Meath) - Posts: 1132 - 05/07/2009 12:31:50    332614

was peadar injured?? why was he taking off so early? it wasnt a great game by any means, but we bet what was on front of us, i dont think you can ask for much more than that, although things will need to improve for the next day. in particular the ball into the full forward line. Will stephen bray/kevin reilly be available for next week?? At least there was a good crowd there last night, the atmosphere wasnt there, but it was a poor game, and little to get excited about.

an_mhi (Meath) - Posts: 154 - 05/07/2009 16:25:05    332739

Peadar had already gotten a yellow (rightly or wrongly) and the referee had given him another warning late in the 1st half. With the game won and with Peadar's less than sterling disciplinary record, I think it was a wise decision to take him off.

Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1466 - 05/07/2009 17:12:34    332755

ah right, i didnt see him getting a yellow, il take your word for it, and clearly the right move to take him off before he was sent off

an_mhi (Meath) - Posts: 154 - 05/07/2009 17:33:07    332765

As expected we won easily but the performance was far from 100%. Moyles was very poor at full back and was at fault for two clear goal chances for Waterford when he was caught out of position. Hopefully Kevin Reilly will be back for next weekend.

Apart from us looking shaky in defence at times, there were some very good performances although I wouldn't get carried away given the standard of the opposition. Chris O' Connor and Cormac McGuinness took their points well and were solid in defence, Brian Meade dominated the middle and Cian Ward and David Bray looked sharp and kicked some nice scores.

More improvement is needed to get through the next round.

men_of_49 (Meath) - Posts: 2024 - 05/07/2009 21:26:35    333142

Not a regular poster here, just like viewing and seeing the banter but on a point with the Meath forwards, they really struugle to get space against waterford, very crowded, but to there credit some amount of bad ball put in, especially to farrell, there must have been 4 balls put at his feet, also regarding him, mr been a north meath man was speaking to some of the Nobber lads, and they said Farrel is riddled with back and hamstring injurys, suppose to be getting injections before all the matches, and can bearly walk after them. they said he is just desperate to give it all for the county this year, and personelly I admire him for that, and would love to see him in full flight! Well done to d bray last night on his debut, very impressed and really looking to next saturday against the westies!! An Mhi Abu

upmeath (Meath) - Posts: 92 - 05/07/2009 23:34:58    333291

RE: Laytown Legend!!

Lads I could not have put this better myself. Laytown you have hit the nail right on the head. Tackling is shocking,passing is poor, shot selection poor, use of wings while attacking.....I think some of the lads think the only place to find a wing is on a plane of a bird!! You have said it exactly as I see it, so looks like there a prob many more like us out there.

HonestView (Meath) - Posts: 38 - 06/07/2009 00:20:48    333350