THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH DUBLIN PRIDE 3OUTOF3

spillers (Dublin) - Posts: 39 - 07/03/2010 18:24:21    581277

12Royal
County: Meath
Posts: 353

Steven Bray played well,but David was very bad.He missed 2 simple free's in the second half.Seamus Kenny and Ollie Lewis were the 2 best players on show and he took both of them off and left David Bray,Niall McKiege and Barry Regan on

I must take exception to the above line and a half as posted by 12Royal! Its bad enough castigating our own when they play bad but when they play good, they are still chastised by some! I can safely say that if David Bray was not on the pitch last night, we would have been beaten. Ignoring the couple of frees he put wide, I had him and Stephen down as our best players and by some distance.

Like I said yesterday, these are our two most natural footballers! How could you not start either? I think 12Royal would like to see a Meath team full of workhorses. e.g. Ollie Lewis. Lewis is not lacking in endeavour, nor can his commitment to the cause be questioned, but he simply does not have the required skill to compete. Bringing a player like Ollie Lewis into the panel does not make sense to me when we've the likes of Bryne, McAnarney, Kenny, Burke all of whom could fulfil Lewis's role. Surely, there must be one or two half-forwards in the county who can play a bit of a ball as well as be competitive around the middle?

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 07/03/2010 18:48:10    581300

people saying david bray should be dropped obviously dont have a clue about the game, thought himself crawford and stephen bray and kenny were by far the best performers yesterday not a great performance yesterday but a win none the less. would not put queeny anywhere near the half forward line looked way out of place, keep him in full forward and bring joe out so he can have more influence on the game.

TheReaper (Dublin) - Posts: 112 - 07/03/2010 19:11:57    581343

millhouse
County: Meath
Posts: 357

581082 all ireland semi final? the likes of wexford and fermanagh can reach all ireland semi finals, the truth of the matter is we have not even reached a leinster final for allmost 10 years and we all know how bad leinster is, i really think alot of us meath supporters are easily pleased, we are a mid table div 2 team and no better i would place us about number 10 ireland at best , i really think in time to come we will become like cavan a team with a distant past and not really considered a tier one team.

Okay, I've been very pessimistic about Meath football in the post-Boylan years but a little bit of perspective on matters is necessary here. First off, Meath, in terms of population is about three times the size of Cavan and we have almost twice as many football clubs, a good spread of strong parish-based and town sides, most of whom take the business of coaching young footballers very seriously. Cavan disappeared as a footballing force partly because of imposed restrictions on training regimes but mainly because of demographics, the big families are no longer there to pad out club and county teams.

We're on our third manager in the space of four years and two of those managers were there partly because of association with the Boylan era. Team building has been intermittent at best but despite that would anyone dispute that this is the best crop of forwards available to the county in a long time? I honestly believe that the deepest rooted problem in Meath football is that while we regularly produce great players we just don't produce great coaches, or at least not enough of them, certainly not in comparison to Kerry, Mayo or Cork for example.

Sean Boylan was one in a million but even his appointment was something of a fluke. Eamonn Barry was one of the most decorated coaches in the history of club football here but he was a disciplinarian and it just didn't transfer well to the county team. Colm Coyle should have earned his stripes at club level before going into inter-county management, Monaghan crashed and burned in their second year, so too did Meath. Eamonn O'Brien, I really don't know. I think he really benefitted from Colm Brady's training regime last year but that was then.

As for fans booing and threatening Niall McKeigue, that is despicable. Does nobody remember why it was that Trevor Giles retired at the height of his powers? Fans like that don't deserve a team to follow. How we could do with Trevor's leadership now.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 07/03/2010 19:45:23    581402

Ollie99 - You make a fair number of good points and I would add that the clowns who shout abuse at players playing for their county are just that, morons who the county would be better without in terms of support. I would go further and guess that most of those type of fools never kicked a ball and would not know whether it was full of air or filled with jelly beans. I think there should be a concerted effort to ban these type of 'football hooligans' from the games.

Your comment about Cavan, I agree in terms of what we have to pick fom compared to them. However I would add (Cavan folk may disagree here) that Cavan won most of their 39 Ulster championsips when quite a few teams in Ulster did not compete or had only junior teams. Cavan have won only one Ulster championships in the last 40 years.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 07/03/2010 21:36:43    581601

Loyal2TheRoyal and Ollie99 have made some very valid points. Meath football at an all-time low is a total knee-jerk overreaction.

TheFlyingTeacup (Meath) - Posts: 286 - 08/03/2010 09:54:06    581695

Attention: Yes Meath are rubbish sure the All Ireland is only a Mickey mouse competition, we should be concentrating on performing brilliant in the first week of March and beating our neighbours out the gate!! People stop been so fickle, how can people actually come on this message board slating our team is beyond me. On the Meath panel is without doubt the best 30-35 players in Meath. N mcKiegue, no matter what people say, is one of the best man markers in our county, we see it every time he plays for o Mahs. ollie Lewis had his first ever start in National League, what do we want him to do...kick 1-4?? he held is own and is worth another chance. David Bray scored 4 points from play and people are calling him to be dropped???? Its constantly posted here that Brian Farrell shouldnt be starting for us too, one of the finest footballers in the country never mind county. For all the people who are abusing players on the terraces and also critising the team on this board, do yourselves a favour and stay away from the games. I wonder how many of the so called SUPPORTERS will go to thurles on Sunday??? McKiegue wont have to worry because them supporters wont be at the game!! Let the excuses roll......

upmeath (Meath) - Posts: 92 - 08/03/2010 10:38:21    581732

I have to agree that it turned my stomache to hear some of the abuse roared at Niall Mc Keigue. I think that there is a level of ignorance that comes as part and parcel of intercounty football that is completely unacceptable. These lads give their whole lives to representing Meath. The brain dead morons that shout abuse at these players are a disgrace to the county.
Having said that, I think Westmeath successfully isolated Mc Keigue under the high ball in the second half and it paid dividend. Macken was dragged out the feild to make more space inside. EOB did nothing about it until the damage was done. I spent most of the second half looking at the sideline to see what subs were warming up and was very frustrated to see that there were none. This was a problem in Newry as well. Surley this is the time to be bringing in subs and trying out different tactics. If we dont have subs that can make a difference in a game like last Saturday then maybe things are pretty bad

Maradonna (Meath) - Posts: 128 - 08/03/2010 10:50:05    581744

Regarding Niall McKeigue, would also blame the management for what happened. for about 10 minutes in the second half, he was left completely isolated in the full back line marking a speedy forward. And in fairness to him, he is not as fast as he used to be and should never be left isolated like that.
But O'Brien will see this when he looks back at the tape and it probably won't happen again!

JonnieG (Meath) - Posts: 254 - 08/03/2010 11:14:08    581768

Look if we have to start worrying about lads being isolated and then opposing teams making hay on that then does that not tell you one thing that such a player is not good enough for a county team.

At present Meath have a porous defence with McKeigue and Regan totally out of it on Saturday night while McKeigue was in a similar suitition in Newry. Add in Mackin as another not good enough and the two [too] small men OConnor and Kenny we are in trouble.

Harrington also looked out of sorts but in my mind he is our only dcent defender.

Look at the bence and we see Garry OBrien as our only sub defender and 7 subs who can be classed as forwards and we can see the dire suitition we are in when it comes to County defenders.

Two scraped up 1 point wins leaves us in a stronger position in the table than really we should be and with Tipps draw with Down I fear that we could easily get turned over next Sunday.

Worrying times for Meath Football

Havoc (Meath) - Posts: 296 - 08/03/2010 11:35:12    581799

browncows
County: Meath
Posts: 194

Agree with you there regarding our backs they are far too loose at marking. James Macken, and no disrespect to the fella, looks out of his depth at this level. The sooner Kevin Reilly comes back the better. What's the story with Davy Dalton when will he be back?

men_of_49 (Meath) - Posts: 2024 - 08/03/2010 11:40:42    581806

No need to push the panic button yet. We don't seem to be able to post high scoring tallies and this is probably a little worrying. I would have liked to see some more subs used on Sat last. We only used 2. Looking at the bench there was a couple of players who I thought would have livened things up had they been brought on. Good to SO'R back on the panel and hopefully he is get over his injury nighmare. We have a few problem positions, FB and CHF being the 2 most worrrying as frankly we don't have that special calibre of player to fill these positions and that includes a fit Kevin Reilly.

Diego (Meath) - Posts: 1210 - 08/03/2010 11:46:43    581817

Naill McKeigue over 10 years has been of one of Meath's best defenders. By picking him now he will improve with every game and come summer time he will match ready. The last few years they only played him in the championship. The chap is always on the opposition's danger man. He has a junior fullback playing beside him and in Regan only his second year at intercounty football.

A good club player who can step up to intercounty football does not happen over night, it takes about 3 years to see the real benefit from playing league games and getting some championship time. Only the exceptional footballer step up straight away, GG, Cooper,O'Shea,Giles, Cavanagh.

Some of the meath fans are embrassing, big beer bellies on them, f this and f that in front of small kids.. I informed a lad to be quiet and the look of shock on his face. The stewards should just remove these idiots.

I mentioned 2 years ago that I thought Colm O'Rourke has proved nothing at club or county level when it comes to management. He is a legend and means well, put Colm please stop managing our county underage teams. What worries me more is that there was obviously a good team there otherwise Colm would not have remained.

Also I would suggest EOB drop Moyles, he is not the future and somehow he keeps trying to find a spot on the team for him which has to effect moral of the panel, one minute he's full back, then chf,whf, corner back. The obvious position would be to try him out at 6 but clearly the management have McGuiness for this position and even when injured did not try Moyles at 6.

If Meath can sort out the defence which is a big if, as Im not convinced about any of the back 6 combination with the exception of McGuiness and Harringhton, the rest would struggle to make any other intercounty panel at present.

Northmeathman (Meath) - Posts: 284 - 08/03/2010 11:59:26    581835

it was sickening to hear some idiots roaring abuse at nialler sat nite.obviousley fools who no nothing bout it.the chap would die for the meath jersey and perhaps if we had a few more who would go full hearted into a tackle like him we may b better off.to many players living on other greats names who have done nothing at least when niallers time is up he can look back and say he gave his all.theres alot more around him cant say that.

7stars (Meath) - Posts: 94 - 08/03/2010 15:10:52    582094

Good assesment Nmm also tink kenny would challenge for a place on other teams

paudi (Meath) - Posts: 681 - 08/03/2010 15:31:23    582134

What's the deal with Regan at centre back? He's a midfielder and even appeared in a minor all ireland final as a corner forward so I don't see how he's supposed to be a centre back? A very good footballer who's been unfortunate with injuries but has he ever even played there for the O'Mahonys?

Dickie (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 08/03/2010 16:16:56    582215

Yup, browncows, Ulster football has changed a lot but right now counties like Meath are struggling to keep pace with the northern teams.

Northmeathman
County: Meath
Posts: 131

581835
Some of the meath fans are embrassing, big beer bellies on them, f this and f that in front of small kids.. I informed a lad to be quiet and the look of shock on his face. The stewards should just remove these idiots.


Fair play to you, I would have payed the admission price alone just to see the look on his face.

As regards McKeigue being isolated against the lone full-forward, this is a tactic that Meath have faced before and I'm afraid it doesn't look like O'Brien has learned anything from it. Moyles was pulled all over Meath's half of the pitch by Declan O'Sullivan in last year's semi and Harrington was left one-on-one against Cooper on the edge of the square. A good ploy by Jack O'Connor as the Gooch is actually very good under the long ball. Well it cost us one goal and but for a Kerry-man's leg it would have cost us another.

The role of the full-back has changed a lot and you really need a full-back line that's versatile enough to cope with different tactics. If Westmeath go with a one-man full-forward line, fair enough but you need a very specific type of back to mark him, some-one who's tight, reads play and is quick enough to cover the open space. For me that would be McGill or King. It's horses for courses. Kevin Reilly's rehabilitation isn't going to solve the problems in the full-back line, we just aren't organised or composed enough. That's something coaching should address.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 08/03/2010 17:20:15    582322

Lads, the abuse Niall McKeigue is getting is absolutely disgusting, for a lad who has been such a great servant to this county, both Hurling and Football to have to put up with that is very wrong. He would put his head in where most fellas wouldnt put a boot! On another point, as some have pointed out on this thread the amount of lads being played out of position is alarming. Why does our manager continually play lads out of position? When they play poorly, the confidence they have playing for their clubs is automatically gone Barry Regan is a classic example of this. Im open to correction on this but wasnt it Regan who kicked 3 superb long distance points in the SFC final in 08 and wasnt he playing in midfield? Has he ever played in his preferred position for the county? Suppose he is not 6ft6inches tall!!!!!

Jgc81 (Meath) - Posts: 195 - 08/03/2010 19:02:20    582459

Regan on first apperance doesn't look big enough to play midfield at county level,but then again,most people laugh when they hear the fact that Darragh O'Se is only 6 ft.Darragh had both an awesome leap and a great pair of hands,I think Barry Regan is more a workhorse than a player who field high balls.

johnboywalton58 (Meath) - Posts: 71 - 08/03/2010 20:12:40    582592

maybe i am been a bit harsh on the current team, but whats worrying me is that we really dont seem to be improving and are not considered a top county anymore, since 01 we really have been very average apart from 07 when we had a good championship. when your brought up watching the 80s and 90s teams as i was, this current are really not at the races regarding footballing ability and raw manly guts. i think we should be expecting more than a mid table div 2 team as thats all we have been throughout the past decade,remember we are meath not laois or westmeath.

millhouse (Meath) - Posts: 892 - 08/03/2010 20:53:16    582678