Both these games aren't on TV so I think there be 50k plus in croker Sunday week, which will be the biggest crowd at a gaa match since 2019. But do westmeath and meath have a chance of beating kildare or dublin or will it go as most predict and comfortable wins for the lillies and dubs, kildare are looking as good as they have been since 2010,2011 and a loss here would be a disaster for them and they should do it westmeath after a disappointing div 3 campaign look like they've regressed a little, but in saying that they had a big win over Longford and in my opinion are always capable of an upset and have beaten everyone in leinster bar dublin in the past few years, kildare by 4 to 8 points. Dublins real form is still unknown and to be fair it's hard to take anything out from the wexford game, they were poor in most of there league games and deservedly got relegated but of course dublin in a championship game in croker are always hard to beat, meath after a really poor start in the league improved towards the end as injured players returned and thankfully we picked up the points to stay in div 2, its hard to imagine meath knocking dublin out of leinster but we have to be competitive as we have nothing to lose in what appears to be Andy Mcentees last year, and the least you'd expect is blood sweat and tears from his players this team owes him one 70 minutes performance against dublin after all the previous flat performances, but it's hard to see that been enough to dethrone dublin but if the goals go in for meath and hit the posts for dublin then who knows, meath plus one point to dublin up to plus 8 points.

Royal.Legend (Meath) - Posts: 665 - 04/05/2022 13:37:47    2414851

while dub lin will hammer meath im queitly confident that we will take kildare . i was at both quarter finals at the weekend
kildare beat a very poor and hyped up louth while westmeath were very clinical in beating longford . the one big difference i saw in both games was the mobility of westmeath particular the half back line of gonoud wallace and harte
this should be the best of the two games . if we can start on the front foot we will give kildare a massive game

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1802 - 04/05/2022 14:53:31    2414867

Kildare for me. By 4 points.

And home advantage to swing it for Dublin. Dublin by 5

Yellowhelmet (Australia) - Posts: 79 - 04/05/2022 15:00:36    2414870

No way should these games be in Croke Park.

Leitrim_12 (USA) - Posts: 207 - 04/05/2022 15:07:59    2414874

Dublin at home will win 10-12 points, Kildare to win but I feel Westmeath will give them a decent game

dec (None) - Posts: 269 - 04/05/2022 15:49:11    2414888

Meath10 (Meath) - Posts: 183 - 04/05/2022 15:57:12    2414891

How on Earth does anyone think there'll be 50,000 that pay €35 to watch two foregone conclusions? Ridiculous that the games were put in Croker. Would at least have an atmosphere in a provincial ground.. irrespective of the competitiveness of the games. Kildare and Dublin both by 10+

Sweetspot (Kildare) - Posts: 323 - 04/05/2022 17:02:51    2414904

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 04/05/2022 19:22:51    2414930

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1802 - 05/05/2022 08:09:03    2414962

Looking forward to it, nice the way the draw fell for us and we get to play Meath and if we get by them hopefully Kildare,

Now or never for either, as we are well beatable as most of Div 1 will tell you, big challenge and opportunity for both, i wonder can they rise to it........!

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 05/05/2022 09:06:34    2414966

Dublin vs Meath should of been in Portlaoise. According to Google Portlaoise can hold 22000. You would 100% fill this and it would make for a unbelievable atmosphere.

O Connor park should have held the Kildare/Westmeath game.

Croke Park is great for the players to play there but for a supporter it is a very dull day out because of the atmosphere.

Leinster Council only care about the Dubs and the money that they bring in.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 386 - 05/05/2022 09:47:45    2414977

Sweetspot (Kildare) - Posts: 323 - 05/05/2022 10:26:23    2414989

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1914 - 05/05/2022 10:36:13    2414993

Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1708 - 05/05/2022 10:38:22    2414995

I think these games could be a bit tighter than a lot on here are thinking.

Meath will be well up for for the Dublin game. They've seen what Dublin did in the league and will remember how they nearly got back into the game last year. I still think Dublin will have enough.

Kildare have been both good and bad in the league; good in that there is serious fire power in the forward line but bad in the sense that quick ball can exploit space in front of the full back line. I think it will be a high scoring game something like the Cork Westmeath relegation playoff game last year. I think Kildare will win but Westmeath will be well able to put up a decent score.

I agree that the games should not be on in Croke Park. Double header games there always suffer in terms of atmosphere. They charge more and the crowd is too spread out.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 284 - 05/05/2022 11:14:52    2415007

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 05/05/2022 12:19:47    2415027

I definitely would have preferred to be travelling to O'Moore Park or somewhere for our match on Sun and a packed house. I fancy Kildare to pip Westmeath but probably going to be tighter than expected. The Dubs are a mixed bag. If Meath bring their A game and Dublin bring their league game then this could be close. But if Dublin's forwards fire and Fento plays well then I'd expect us to pull away through Q4.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 05/05/2022 12:35:27    2415030

Meath will want to go out on a high this year been mcentee last and maybe a couple of players too.
What I would do is do not waste mentons scoring potential on staying with Fenton, let jones pick him up and a couple of early hellos may set the tone for what I expect to be a physical but fair old style affair, in this regard James Mac needs to keep the cool can't afford to go down to 14, Meath people and players know they not only could but should have beaten Dublin last year. Forget about our indifferent league (we had same last year) win this and beat dubs no one will give a rats ass about Galway Roscommon or Derry. It will soon be forgotten.
I don't care where the frees are Harry hogan should take them, unless they near in on left then Morris can. I'd also start Costello , hickey, O'Connor and young Flynn . To hell with it , yes it's throwing them in at the deep end , but youth has no fear and many of them have been on teams that have beat a dub side.
Look if it's still not good enough then that's fair. We can't ask for anything other than leaving everything out on the field of play.
I'm not overly optimistic but I am quite hopeful.
Hon the royal

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 05/05/2022 13:10:15    2415040

Venue wise, i don't think its anything particularly about County, accepting of course we are in Croke Park most of the time - which i prefer we weren't.

Its more to do with the premium and corporate boxes to my mind, the GAA sell these seats and facilities for thousands and 10's of thousands a pop. They have to have games in Croke Park to tick that over rightly or wrongly and lets be honest, Dublin, Kildare Meath and WM would be pretty big markets for this given population and proximity.

What i like about days like this, is ill be heading up to this with mates from Dublin, Kildare and Meath - great we can all head up to an occasion like this, the craic will be great and Drumcondra buzzing.

We were long enough with nothing, so happy with something.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 05/05/2022 14:39:18    2415074

The fixture is because looking after the Croke Park Stadium Company parasites is given priority over fairness to players and supporters. There are no fit for purpose parking arrangements except a car park for themselves. You are expected to rely on public transport which is run down in the case of bus eireann. Nobody between croke park and bus eireann troubles themselves with changing their schedule around match Days, You never see extra buses queueing up at full time. There is also the factor with a type of croke park official who is happy to let Dublin have an unfair home advantage (Not the Dublin Supporters who are generally fair people).
It will continue until people stop going along with it and leave croke park out of the matches they attend.

Ashrules (Dublin) - Posts: 518 - 05/05/2022 15:29:48    2415088