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Meath V Dublin Leinster Final.

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Take Dublin out of Leinster, split it in 4, and let them have their own provincial championship. They can field a combined team in the All-Ireland Championship with the 4 provincial champions.

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 738 - 21/11/2020 22:38:25    2312389

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Football has follow the hurling championship like having lower devisions. Can't have teams in the all Ireland that haven't a hope of winning! Have a lower devision and have that final on all Ireland final day in croker.

ecad123 (Galway) - Posts: 272 - 21/11/2020 22:39:00    2312390

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Well now the Dubs are trying to make a liver out me and my prediction we won't win an All Ireland this year.

That's as intense, balanced and skilful performance from those hose raised on songs and story as I have seen under Desmond. Dare I say a bit of evolution and innovation, kick out strategies, floods, new players, new roles, new defensive strategies, game management.

Just when you thought it was impossible to add to the forward line Seanie Bugler looks like a little wizard or perpetual motion,, line breaking, intelligence, vision and end product. Fenton revealing in a freer role, McDaid looking every bit a Dublin half back and Paddy Small doing his best to fill a Dermo Connolly hole of swagger, in a right dog fight with Mannion for a starting shirt.

Everything and everyone else just humming to the finest tune and Dublin building toward an apex. If I'm being honest though the most pleasing aspect of what I saw last week and tonight was the defending, simply brilliant, hunting in intense packs, while we will always cough up chances, you will be made to work for them and we will back ourselves to score more

I wouldn't pop the champagne corks just yet, with all respect to Leinster teams, it hard to come to any other other conclusion then their is a massive gulf in quality, from that point of view we haven't been tested and we will take nothing for granted. Tonight we had a steely focus and hunger, we were up for a bigger game then transpired and that bodes well.

If expected it's Donegal in the semi, we will be tested, Donegal are a very balanced side and play very similar to us, if they don't change to accommodate us it will be a real test and real game, hopefully we are not under cooked.

Commiserations to Meath, bad day at the office. I think the game turned on the first goal scoring opportunity you missed and we went up and got one and we built momentum from there. All resilience seemed to fade from there. I was impressed with young Morris and I think is it Costello who went off good players. Thought Andy got his tactics wrong, the high press was ambitious and played into Dublin hands, the space behind I was huge and Dublin back themselves to break lines, win their own ball, break at pace etc. Was a dangerous strategy and do it proved. Still I think Andy in the man for the job there. I know their will be dirge about Leinster, we're the best ever, you might not beat us for a few years, but with the back door Meath can be competitive in the All Ireland series and more games will develop these lads. They will benifit from winning games in Div 2 next year.

But today Dublin seriously impressive, but everything in context bigger tests ahead and all to play and be competitive for.

It's a day for history, 40 games unbeaten in the Championship, 10 Leinster Championships in a row beating the old enemy, first team in Ireland to do it, all done in a a weekend to honor the losses of bloody Dublin a huge part of Dublin GAAs history, tradition that will never be forgotten by us.

A moving act of remembrance by the Dublin squad after the game, really proud of them and Dublin GAA.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 21/11/2020 22:39:02    2312391

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Wonder why Costello got the straight red

greysoil (Monaghan) - Posts: 965 - 21/11/2020 22:39:42    2312393

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Replying To jimbodub:  "You need a kick out strategy for starters

The platform you handed Dublin tonight was quite honestly ridiculous

People can fall over themselves talking but let's analyze what Meath brought tonight

Nothing.

Of course Dublin were going to look good playing absolutely nothing.

It was a shambles. A complete malfunction and serious questions have to be asked not only of the structure of the current chsnlpionship but also the glare of blame has to rest at Meaths complete capitulation"
No one is denying Meath were atrocious. We're a broken team. Young lads aren't gonna want to play for the County anymore. The rate of turnover of players is chronic in Meath. Mismanagement in Meath combined with Dublin's Empire rising has had a devastating and potentially terminal effect on Meath football. Other counties outside Leinster really have no idea of the damage to the pysche. But when are people going to realise that this isn't suddenly going to change even if Meath or Kildare get a good coach and county board in place, Dublin are light-years ahead. We're never going to catch them. People need to stop burying their heads in the sand and think very, very hard about what's wrong with football, not just in Leinster, but across the country. It's very easy for fans of other counties to sit at home with the feet up watching that to criticise those Meath players. Those young lads didn't deserve that tonight but if that's the kind of championship people are happy with then it's a sad, sad day.

HighKings (Meath) - Posts: 271 - 21/11/2020 22:40:32    2312394

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Replying To Crinigan:  "I agree and I know a good few of the people involved in it. They've thrown everything at it and have as good a setup as they will ever have again (as generous as sponsors as we'll get too).

I actually think it's time to withdraw from the championship for a few years. Work on our club setup and invest in that. Keep participation up and make club scene as good as it can be. Intercounty is an absolute waste of time and money and is counter productive at this stage."
Counties can't give up; we have to find a way to improve and compete. Forget Dublin; and a few others for now, what a county the size of Meath have to be aiming for is staying in Div 1 and playing the latter stages of the All Ireland championship every year; throwing in underage success to build something over the next 10 years. The mindset cannot be winning Leinster or All Ireland titles for now but being the 5th best in the country and trying to push further up the order from there. We can't blame Dublin's success for Meath playing Div 2 football. Something obviously isn't right in Meath structure wise; that needs to be solved as there is no reason Meath can't be around 5th consistently.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 21/11/2020 22:45:54    2312398

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If we got rid of the provincial championship many teams would go the way of the other teams in leinster. Very hard to get lads to commit when there is little hope of silverware. We must keep these competitions or watch many other teams go the way of meath.... very hard for managers to get lads to commit to the other leinster counties outside of Dublin when they have little chance of winning.

With the greatest of respect to Corofin the fact that they were finally beaten after 7 years is only a good thing for club football in Galway.

Dublin getting beaten would be great for the GAA but I can not see it happening in leinster any time in the foreseeable future.. .imagine the manager ringing up players in the other counties to come in to try for the county panel . .....would you like to train in the dead of winter, change your diet and give up your social life with no hopes of silverware and a good chance of being trashed for the nation to see . That's what the managers of kildare and meath are offering

galwayfball (Galway) - Posts: 1678 - 21/11/2020 22:46:22    2312399

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Replying To sligo joe:  "Ah give us a break, Ballybay's 2nd team would have done better than Meath tonight, that Meath team are not great and on the night they were particularly rubbish"
Wonderful contribution, thanks

greysoil (Monaghan) - Posts: 965 - 21/11/2020 22:46:46    2312400

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Replying To KingdomBoy1:  "There is nothing wrong with the leinster championship if you take dublin out of it."
2010 was the last year a Leinster team other than Dublin reached an All-Ireland Semi Final.

2001 was the last year a Leinster team other than Dublin reached an All-Ireland Final.

The rest of Leinster has as much of a problem beating counties from outside the province as they do with beating Dublin.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 21/11/2020 22:50:00    2312404

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Great and all dublin were. If they end up meeting Donegal depending on tomorrow's result in the Ulster final. They have no chance, Donegal will beat them at the end.

oakleafersir (Derry) - Posts: 808 - 21/11/2020 23:04:09    2312406

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Replying To realdub:  "Clinical stuff tonight, Meath were trying to score those 'goals' of theirs from early doors but then realised that they were up against a proper defence and so without any other plan, that I could see, they rolled over.
As for any Meath lads who think it was unsporting of Dublin fans to be 'buzzing' after that, and that sport is not about that, they must not have been born when Meath were actually formidable.
Dublin followers were a little concerned that with Gavin gone, there might not be that same drive or team spirit, so they're perfectly entitled to be happy.
I've already stated that Donegal have every chance of beating us, they're a fine side and have players as good as anyone in the country on their day. This will be a game. (If its Cavan I can only say that I would be very surprised).
As for the little jibe from our Kerry friend/s, well, that's all they have left now I suppose."
Donegal wont beat that dublin team.. Never in a month of sundays. 7-10 points between the teams easily.

TobinsBeard (Meath) - Posts: 125 - 21/11/2020 23:05:06    2312407

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Replying To Crinigan:  "I agree and I know a good few of the people involved in it. They've thrown everything at it and have as good a setup as they will ever have again (as generous as sponsors as we'll get too).

I actually think it's time to withdraw from the championship for a few years. Work on our club setup and invest in that. Keep participation up and make club scene as good as it can be. Intercounty is an absolute waste of time and money and is counter productive at this stage."
Withdrawing from the championship. On the face of it a totally ridiculous idea. But I get your point. The championship in its current form is untenable if the gap between dublin and other teams remains so large. In a world where dublin remain dominant for another 5- 10 years what happens then? O rourke argued two years ago that dublin needs to be split in two, maybe he has a point

TobinsBeard (Meath) - Posts: 125 - 21/11/2020 23:15:57    2312412

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Worst Leinster Final performance ever by a Meath team."
You are probably right as can't remember a worse Meath performance in Leinster final.

What exactly was Meath tactics and game plan tonight?

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3347 - 21/11/2020 23:18:42    2312413

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Replying To Wally:  "You think because Dublin thrashed a second rate division 2 team that the 6 in a row is in no doubt?

They constantly whoop teams like Meath. So I dont think that tonight's match is any barometer to how the All Ireland will end up.

Donegal and/or Mayo will at least give them a proper match and not roll over and whisper gently into their ear like this Meath always do.

But I suppose Donegal and Mayo actually have the players to put it up to them while Meath lack quality right across the pitch."
Meath are far better than most div 2 sides. Tyrone arent that far ahead of them in standard. The fact is dublin are miles ahead of everybody. Im sure you realised this in 2018 when they won pulling up against a negative, impotent Tyrone outfit. Donegal or mayo dont have a prayer against dublin in full flight. The gap is as wide as ever

TobinsBeard (Meath) - Posts: 125 - 21/11/2020 23:26:21    2312416

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Replying To Crinigan:  "I agree and I know a good few of the people involved in it. They've thrown everything at it and have as good a setup as they will ever have again (as generous as sponsors as we'll get too).

I actually think it's time to withdraw from the championship for a few years. Work on our club setup and invest in that. Keep participation up and make club scene as good as it can be. Intercounty is an absolute waste of time and money and is counter productive at this stage."
A few points to agree on and a few to disagree on. Have we as good a set up as we think? I am not convinced, we are now 4/5 years talking about doing up Pairc Tailtean, held a draw that barely covered money spent on the planning process and NOBODY knows at this point what is going to be built. Maybe pulling out of the Championship for a few years may be worthwhile it would certainly save money. But I have serious doubts about investing more in the club setup. It took years to reform the senior championship after the relegation debacle of years ago. Granted this year's championship which by the way very few people seen was to a degree competitive and augurs well for the years to come as far as club fare is concerned but no real quality was identified in the senior championship. The few players to catch the eye were ignored as far as the team that took to the field tonight. Joey Wallace was the man that made the difference for Ratoath and did inject a bit of pace and direction tonight but it can be argued that Dublin were out of sight and were not too concerned. The next best players I would argue came from Kells, midfielder Reilly and Matimoe but not good enough for fellow North Meath man Andy McEntee and we could have done with an additional midfielder and scoring forward tonight. Failure to address the kickout problem is inexcusable and it's not like it emerged this year.
The bottom line is that we are way of the pace and while we may beat Kildare or Wicklow or any other county in Leinstet on a given day we have no more or even closer to beating Dublin than any of them.
As for the so called money Dublin are getting from Croke Park, I once disagreed with it but I have to agree they used it wisely, I am not too sure would the others have done so, with the possibility exception of Kilkenny. Now there's an idea get them to take football seriously, you would never know, Dublin beware!!! But for the moment hats off to them.

MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1063 - 21/11/2020 23:28:33    2312417

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Dublin need football too, do what they did with Galway in Hurling, move Dublin to the Ulster Championship and take 2 weaker county's to Leinster. Give Fermanagh a chance of there first title. Wouldn't be hard."
They need to be split,end of,how many advantages do a team need,a population more than a province, 2 decades of government, gaa,leinster Council funding more than the rest of the country combined, every game is at home,even in the super 8s when they are supposed to play home,away,neutral ,then because of the obvious success the massive sponsorship, how did the gaa think it would end up any different, the longer this sham goes on the more fans they lose

Utdroyal (Meath) - Posts: 61 - 21/11/2020 23:31:54    2312418

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Replying To borisdblade:  "Provincial championships are crap now, Ulster isnt even as competitive anymore with donegal and tyrone dominating. Whats Pat Spillane raving about saying the Leinster championship is the only provincial championship that isnt competitive?
Kerry were going for their 8th title in a row this yr and won 15/21 since 2000, cork have won the other 6.
Connacht is a throw up between Mayo Galway and Roscommon, connacht final gauranteed for one of them every yr. Leinster is a complete waste of time. Adding to that there is the obvious numerical disparity between each province which has been a big help in many of Kerry, Cork and Galways all Ireland successes."
Still should keep provincial competitions in the year though.
Make the league all through year provincial cups straight knock out in between league rounds and same with a straight knockout 32 all ireland cup which could be used as competition to allow new york games. As you say Munster has always been uncompetitive. Kerry have 81 Cork 37 tipp 9 Clare 2 Limerick and Waterford 1
Connacht has been between Mayo and Galway with Roscommon getting good amount of titles with rest virt nothing
Ulster is most competitive but even then if looking at all irelands and provincial titles there is still several complete also rans.
The numerical disparity isnt the issue its the entire structure of the whole gaa inter county season

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 21/11/2020 23:32:19    2312419

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Replying To Meathball:  "Dublin were very good, Westmeath & Laois are worse teams than Meath but they set up much better against Dublin, tactics by McEntee were brutal, I have seen better kickout strategy at U14. He has to go, everyone was saying we are improving, but we were beaten by more than last year. Team selection was wrong tonight. I hope Andy does the honourable thing and steps down without delay. No matter who takes over cannot do any worse. There are great players there and they deserve better."
Problem is , that strategy worked against lesser teams. But against Dublin, it meant we were penned back into our own 40 for most of the game. It killed us. We need a proper goalie, the situation is dire.

TobinsBeard (Meath) - Posts: 125 - 21/11/2020 23:35:06    2312421

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Replying To Utdroyal:  "They need to be split,end of,how many advantages do a team need,a population more than a province, 2 decades of government, gaa,leinster Council funding more than the rest of the country combined, every game is at home,even in the super 8s when they are supposed to play home,away,neutral ,then because of the obvious success the massive sponsorship, how did the gaa think it would end up any different, the longer this sham goes on the more fans they lose"
Dublin have an official airline. Says it all.

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 738 - 22/11/2020 00:03:04    2312429

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It is not Dublin's fault that they are so far ahead of everyone in Leinster. But how many in a row do they have to win (by a mile) before the authorities admit this is not working. 15.. 20..25 .. someone give me the number.

SouthsideRossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 88 - 22/11/2020 00:20:22    2312436

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