It's mostly running now. Probably another reason why Graham Reilly is at 11, like Pearse O'Neill.

It's horrible football. Watching Galway cut Derry open, wing-backs bombing down the pitch kicking the long-ball into a 3 man FF line. Watched Armagh play Cork and I will say this much I wish we had a different Ulsterman managing us. Even without the Cross lads they play some lovely football. Backs kicking the ball from their 40, switching play to the opp. side with a kick-pass. If they had Jamie Clarke at full-forward they would have done real damage.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 06/02/2012 16:29:19    1106709

Ollie, I cannot agree with this point, our Midfield is very ordinary and were it not for Kenny and Mcguinness etc picking up breaks we would be losing the majority of ball in middle. An extra dimension is required to give us an edge and a danger coming from midfield

tackleberry (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 06/02/2012 16:36:55    1106726

Ollie 99

Horrible football??? At times our football was very pleasing on the eye

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/02/2012 17:34:49    1106802

I was disappointed to see Donnacha Tobin taken off and replaced with Joe Sheridan. Came as no surprise to me that Monaghan started to create more chances in the second half when a hard worker like Tobin was taken off. For what it's worth, the forwards that started last Sunday would be my first choice, although I would consider Alan Forde and Daragh Smyth as possible replacements for Cian Ward. Other than that, our forwards were good. The Meath midfield is bad and to be honest there is no solution to this problematic area. Although I would suggest we not make life so difficult for ourselves by taking traditional kickouts everytime. Burke and O'Brien are very methodical when it comes to working the ball out of defence, why not utilise them more by hitting a short kickout to them?

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 06/02/2012 18:21:20    1106837

Ward would be my least favoured of the three midfield options we have. Gillespie at least has youth on his side and stands out more at club level so at least he ticks two boxes. Meade is a hard worker and is good for a point or two a game. Of the options we have, I like Meade the most. We could probably do worse than give Tom Walsh or even Kevin Reilly or Brian Menton a bit of a run at midfield if only to see if they can offer slight improvement. It's a worrying area and I'm not sure a solution exists within the panel or even the county.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 06/02/2012 18:33:22    1106852

as i said on the previous massage "that if banty can play his cards right it will be a great game" It certainly was a the game of the weekend in my opinion. some players might have not reached there form yet but the middle of the pitch was working well for us, yeah its only the first game over and done with and an other win will see us safe.

royalsdelaney (Meath) - Posts: 93 - 06/02/2012 19:19:15    1106894

loyal

Are serious Forde or Smyth ahead of Ward?! Jes,yes Ward can be annoying at times,but there is no doubting his class,and he is our best free-taker,Forde and Smyth are unproven,and are very raw..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/02/2012 20:17:54    1106937

Loyal

You baffle me with some of your points,Gillespie stands out more at club level so he should play instead of Ward??! Well Ward stands out a lot better than Gillespie does at county level,far more important,plus where are you going with Meade good for a point or two per game??

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/02/2012 20:20:37    1106941

I see ye are complaining alot about yer midfield from the last day. what are midfielders like from Wolfe Tones , Dunshauglin , Seneschalstown?
What about players from junior and intermidate? 3 of our midfielders are from them rankings.

finuge93 (Kerry) - Posts: 166 - 06/02/2012 20:21:24    1106944

FINUGE93

From those clubs? Not good enough,O'Rourke is injured at the moment,for me he is a fine midfielder. Overall (once we play with a good attitude),I think we are 4 players short of possibly winning an all-ireland

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/02/2012 20:33:14    1106957

It's cack football lads. We run the ball out of defense with not outlet on the wings to kick to. Why? Can't remember seeing one player kick a pass inside our 65. It's very similar to Cork's game. Run ball high up the pitch and then kick it to the 2 corner-forwards with Bray the outfield playmaker.

We didn't really have a full-forward untill Joe Sheridan came on and he made a big difference. Layed the ball off. Dropped deep and picked out one beautifull pass down the right wing. Gilsenan playing deeper was an improvement too, he can kick a pass. Toibin's there to win breaks and he didn't win much.

Kickouts are bad. Tyrone and Kildare will blitz Mark Ward and Kenny can't win every break. We did use the short kickout and yes, our full-back line can run the ball out but they never contributed to any scores. Cork, Kerry and Dublin have proved that you can still win clean ball from kickouts if you put it wide and allow space for the midfielders to attack the ball. We don't do that.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 06/02/2012 21:10:39    1106988

banty said he was delighted to score 1-15 in "the depths of winter"!

manager5 (Galway) - Posts: 724 - 06/02/2012 21:12:06    1106991

manager5

yeah he seemed to be very happy to beat his native side,a bit too excited if you ask me,although 1-13 from play is a fine score,but yeah I didn't even think it was that cold!!

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/02/2012 21:16:23    1106996

Ollie 99

I think you are way too negative to be honest,Graham Reilly gives us a good option on the wing,as regards breaking ball I agree with you here,I would suggest moving Burke to the half-back line,well capable of winning a lot of breaking ball.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 06/02/2012 21:18:42    1106998

I was disappointed to see Donnacha Tobin taken off and replaced with Joe Sheridan. Came as no surprise to me that Monaghan started to create more chances in the second half when a hard worker like Tobin was taken off
Loyal, Joe coming on had nothing to do with Monaghan creating more chances. It was midfield where we had the problems. In fact when Joe came on it meant that Darren Hughes had to stay at home and watch Joe and he wasn't nearly as effective pushing forward in the second half as he was in the first half where he also scored a point from one such incursion into the Meath half.

Diego (Meath) - Posts: 1210 - 07/02/2012 13:22:56    1107248

what was the attendance?

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 07/02/2012 13:57:23    1107270

BettystownRoyal
County: Meath
Posts: 1699

1107270 what was the attendance?

Bout 5500 or 6000 id guess.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6348 - 07/02/2012 14:19:10    1107294

Loyal can not agree with you on forde. He got his chance in obyrne. Total agreement at mid field. We need something now ok when orourke back that one solved. I'm prob going to be shot for this but tom walsh? Can catch and maybe delivers a better ball. Know a few have mentioned it. I'd give it a try this weekend. Maybe the top (you know the blue one under jacket) was too light for banty too be wearing but depts of winter nah. Thought weather was pleasent lol. But 1-13 from play was very good return and no one can complain about that game about management. But we still need a lot of sorting

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 07/02/2012 14:26:37    1107302

O'Rourke's return from injury won't improve kickouts. Harte or McGeeney know well by now that almost everyone of Gallagher's kickouts will baloon down the middle on top of Ward. They'll have three or four half-backs attacking that ball from behind midfield and they'll mop up lots of dirty ball.

Meade and Ward are fine midfielders, as good as anything Dublin have but Gilroy plans his kickouts in fine detail. Banty doesn't. The short kickout to the cornerback doesn't offer much of an alternative. We don't bother to tackle in midfield, just foul. We'll get about ten lads in coverage along the 40 and still let the opp. get plenty of shots off. There are more accurate teams in Div2 than Monaghan. Won't be paying to watch anymore of Banty's rugby league football, thanks all the same.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 09/02/2012 13:10:33    1108457

Ollie99


I dont think theres a single thing that Banty could do that you would aprrove of or give credit for.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6348 - 09/02/2012 13:25:35    1108469