You make your own luck by taking responsibility and having a go (been adventurous) when others would much rather go missing or pass the buck. Been in the right place at the right time. Just like Joe did v Louth. Or your namesake in the AI final v Mayo when a ball hopped over the bar to get us out of jail. We won the replay and the All-Ireland. You win nothing without luck and freakish events have major consequences. If Joe is a hero for diving or Colm Coyle for saving our bacon with a lucky kick of a ball, why should Cormac's good fortune not be assessed equally. Because the game didn't seem so important at the time?

And your missing my point ... What I'm saying is that because he is an attacking back he gets into positions, creating and kicking scores that many other backs do not. What we need are swashbuckling backs who are comfortable on the ball and do not want to get rid of it as soon as possible. McGuinness is in that mould and that is why he is more important to the team than some are willing to accept. You win nothing at All-Ireland level without a back-line (players) who can push forward at times (individually) and kick scores. The more we have available to us the better.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 26/05/2011 13:04:17    940621

I think McGuiness is a big loss,i know we havn't seen much of him since 2009 due to injury but that season he was one of meath best players at centre half back,i seen him in club game a few weeks ago playing midfeild he was marking young menton who would also be a contender for centre back and he got on team of the week that week in the meath sport and news

Billy_Bob_Rob (Meath) - Posts: 56 - 26/05/2011 13:23:33    940640

I think we need backs with more buckle than swash at this stage.

Coylers Elbow (Meath) - Posts: 1075 - 26/05/2011 15:10:35    940801

Well a better work ethic is essential and players with pace to man mark, but even that is not enough if we aspire to greater things. The 87/88/96/99 AI winning teams all had a rock/hard man at full back (Lyons & Fay), but they also had corner and half-backs who were comfortable with the ball and willing to get forward. So whether it's a Robbie O'Malley or Mark O'Reilly; Martin O'Connell, Colm Coyle or Paddy Reynolds type, we need these kind of playing styles in 2011 to succeed. If our backs aren't comfortable in possession of the ball or playing their way out of trouble and just want to defend (or hoof it long), is it any wonder they put themselves under so much pressure at times and are isolated from forwards so often. Maybe its the lack of pace that restricts their ambition going forwards, for fear of been caught out. Hopefully this will be addressed (in terms of fitness, conditioning,stamina and of course team selection) otherwise they will not perform as a unit and will still be easy to break down. The better teams have shown how relatively easy it is to score against us by comparison with how hard we have to work at times to get scores. We also need some of our forwards to be coached (or at least encouraged) to play football, rather than kicking for scores at first sight of the posts.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 26/05/2011 16:37:51    940906

Coylers Elbow with a name like that i no you want more buckle than swash. meath were always hard and physical, lyons, harnan, hayes, o rourke, coyler himself.but that day is over, the games changing. More tactical, more pacey. the big tank of a man will be found wanting. mcguinness is the best centre back in the county. greta on the ball, eye for a pass, can kick a score and remember he won an all ireland colleges at corner back so he can defend and mark a man. massive loss in my opinion...bring back enda mcmanus

VernonSmith (Meath) - Posts: 113 - 26/05/2011 17:04:54    940937

A loss. Wonder whats his reasons!

David (Meath) - Posts: 567 - 26/05/2011 20:50:03    941178

David, Goldstar has it right in his earlier post. Working shifts and was struggling healthwise and getting someone to cover for him. I suppose he has his priorities right in these uncertain times.

Diego (Meath) - Posts: 1210 - 27/05/2011 13:23:00    941471

I'd agree with that Diego. In this day and age,a lad would want to be looking after his job at all costs - football is only a game and won't pay the bills. I would imagine he won't be the last player to struggle with the levels of committment needed to be a county player. In the past a lot of employers might cut a lad a bit of slack if he he needed some time off to play football/hurling. In fact it was well known that jobs were got for players in companies which would be sympathetic to the GAA, so time off for playing wasn't a problem. Those days are probably gone now. Companies are struggling badly and they don't need the hassle of lads who are running out the door to go to a match, or looking to switch shifts at the last minute because a manager has arranged an extra training session that they weren't told about.
Best of Luck to Cormac- he is a fine player and will undoubtedly be missed. But if the football was getting in the way of work, then he was right to step away. Hopefully we won't see any more doing the same but it wouldn't surprise me at all if they did.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 27/05/2011 16:04:59    941662

Sad to see it, a hung loss to the team but there you go, the players should be getting a decent bloody wage out of it anyway.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 27/05/2011 16:12:03    941671

its not work lads.just heard. sure isnt an o mahoneys man personnel manager in the mines. he can change whatever shift he wants. theres more to it im afraid

VernonSmith (Meath) - Posts: 113 - 27/05/2011 16:18:24    941678

the players get more dan enough

rocky99 (Meath) - Posts: 33 - 27/05/2011 16:22:10    941682

Thanks for that useful contribution to the debate Rocky99.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 27/05/2011 16:32:20    941697

Rocky -Players get more than enough??? I'd like to hear that one explained!

rosscross (Meath) - Posts: 206 - 27/05/2011 16:43:13    941716

A fully fit Cormac McGuinness is a loss to this Meath team. He is a natural athlete, very comfortable on the ball, (though an extra stone of muscle would do him no harm) and a fine long-ball distributor out of defence - a quality sorely missing in the rest of the half-backs currently available in the county. He was very badly missed last year and one can only hope that he will be playing again in for the county sometime in the not too distant future.

Meath1986 (Dublin) - Posts: 247 - 27/05/2011 17:28:02    941773

Meath1986, Agree with the majority of what you say but a long ball distributor he aint. Most people I know agree that he is not a long kicker fo the ball.

Diego (Meath) - Posts: 1210 - 29/05/2011 12:32:16    942514

I agree Diego to a point he is not a long kicker of the bqall,however he is an excellent foot passer..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/05/2011 12:37:47    942519

Why has he quit?

Alias (Tipperary) - Posts: 463 - 29/05/2011 13:24:45    942546

Vernon - Incorrect the manager is not a Meath man, from your beloved neighbouring county! I suppose he quit for a number of reasons (Harman and Callaghan quit for a number of reasons I would say). If you are doing shift work and being messed around would you hang around?. I think that some of our backs will come under serious pressure as the the championship progresses-the young ones with football lack pace and some slighty older ones with pace lack football skills to defend. Anyway the best of luck to the team and who knows as there is never much between many of the teams

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 29/05/2011 19:40:06    942917

Would someone correct me if I`m wrong but is this Cormacs second time to leave the panel in recent seasons

The Brickie (None) - Posts: 208 - 30/05/2011 08:24:51    943083

this is terrible news for meath gaa fans . i think he is the best centre back in meath by a mile and this has given me even less confidence of beating kildare . who will b favourite 4 d position now ??

elbyrno720 (Meath) - Posts: 3 - 30/05/2011 19:22:30    943832