Meath Forum

Championship 2026

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Replying To redser123:  "Heard Liam Kelly has been brought in, outstanding underage career but hasn't really gone to script since. He's still so young, he has the potential to be an important player for Meath if he puts the head down and works hard. Conor Gray has dropped himself off the panel, think he's going to America for the summer."
Really strange one with Gray. How did he go from the impact coming off bench against Galway last year and a very good club championship to absolutely no minutes this year? Liam Kelly a good defender and deserves a chance but he is just new in.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1007 - 27/05/2026 13:19:54    2675992

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Really strange one with Gray. How did he go from the impact coming off bench against Galway last year and a very good club championship to absolutely no minutes this year? Liam Kelly a good defender and deserves a chance but he is just new in."
Was wondering about that too but Menton & O'Neill started that day against Galway and Flynn was out injured so that put Gray 4th choice midfielder in the pecking order. McBride was on the periphery last year but obviously much more involved this year plus throw in Charlie O'Connor and suddenly Gray is way down the pecking order so can see why he might have felt like cutting his losses.

gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 170 - 27/05/2026 13:56:43    2676004

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Replying To redser123:  "Heard Liam Kelly has been brought in, outstanding underage career but hasn't really gone to script since. He's still so young, he has the potential to be an important player for Meath if he puts the head down and works hard. Conor Gray has dropped himself off the panel, think he's going to America for the summer."
I think Kelly is only 21/22!! He has an incredible attitude and has a capacity to lead people around him. Last year he made a big step getting into Ratoath team - and I reckon he will be a key part of their team this year. As a previous poster wrote - he has the right ATTITUDE! I think he is a future Meath captain and is only going to get better over the next few years! A shame about Conor Gray - especially with Jack Flynn not 100% - I think Gray could have really played a part but guess we don't know the full story! Maybe he is Love Island bound!!

Royalblufill (Meath) - Posts: 542 - 27/05/2026 14:38:10    2676032

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If it doesn't go to plan for us in the next game, what do people think RB will do with Meath, or more interestingly, what Meath will do with RB?

Look, I'm not calling for RB to be given his marching orders, but you would have to question why there has been such a drop-off in performance this year. It might be time for the county board to at least start entertaining the possibility that he won't be here next year.

I know O'Rourke is no longer headmaster in Pats, so I wonder would he consider coming back… food for thought.

RegionalsGuru (Meath) - Posts: 52 - 27/05/2026 15:16:36    2676054

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Replying To RegionalsGuru:  "If it doesn't go to plan for us in the next game, what do people think RB will do with Meath, or more interestingly, what Meath will do with RB?

Look, I'm not calling for RB to be given his marching orders, but you would have to question why there has been such a drop-off in performance this year. It might be time for the county board to at least start entertaining the possibility that he won't be here next year.

I know O'Rourke is no longer headmaster in Pats, so I wonder would he consider coming back… food for thought."
I know some of this is wind-up stuff (particularly the COR reference) but just to engage with it for a minute. RB came in and biggest thing he did in my opinion was to instil confidence in the players i.e. you can go out and beat Dublin, Kerry, Galway etc. Now, I think the confidence has either become a bit brittle (ie the players are doubting themselves in big games - perhaps after taking a few losses against Louth in Leinster, Donegal in semi, Cork in league, Westmeath in Leinster) or the players have actually believed the hype after the league and think they will always pull it out of the fire. Indo GAA pod suggested the latter - that they're not marking tight enough because they think they're good enough not to have to. I'd say the truth is somewhere in the middle - overconfidence and too lax at times and then lose confidence when the proverbial hits the fan.

Indo pod also said RB was too positive after Cork game - good performance, better than Westmeath game etc.

Developing a harder edge and harder work ethic has to be the priority for the remainder of this season and into next. If that means bringing in new players and new backroom team so be it.

gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 170 - 27/05/2026 15:57:36    2676079

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Replying To RegionalsGuru:  "If it doesn't go to plan for us in the next game, what do people think RB will do with Meath, or more interestingly, what Meath will do with RB?

Look, I'm not calling for RB to be given his marching orders, but you would have to question why there has been such a drop-off in performance this year. It might be time for the county board to at least start entertaining the possibility that he won't be here next year.

I know O'Rourke is no longer headmaster in Pats, so I wonder would he consider coming back… food for thought."
Dear God! I'd rather have O'Rourke back on the pitch than as a manager! Even at his current age!!!

Royalblufill (Meath) - Posts: 542 - 27/05/2026 16:15:39    2676086

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Replying To Royalblufill:  "I think Kelly is only 21/22!! He has an incredible attitude and has a capacity to lead people around him. Last year he made a big step getting into Ratoath team - and I reckon he will be a key part of their team this year. As a previous poster wrote - he has the right ATTITUDE! I think he is a future Meath captain and is only going to get better over the next few years! A shame about Conor Gray - especially with Jack Flynn not 100% - I think Gray could have really played a part but guess we don't know the full story! Maybe he is Love Island bound!!"
I would be equally as excited as you at what Liam Kelly could add, he was such a massive leader for those successful meath underage teams, however the only question mark for me is his attitude, was he as hungry as lads his same age like Brian O'Halloran and Jack Kinlough who were brought in straight away. For a player of his talent it should not have taken this long to break into the meath panel. If he works hard now there are 2 or 3 spots in the defence he should be pushing to start in.

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 425 - 27/05/2026 16:42:57    2676099

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Replying To gwanyagudthing:  "I know some of this is wind-up stuff (particularly the COR reference) but just to engage with it for a minute. RB came in and biggest thing he did in my opinion was to instil confidence in the players i.e. you can go out and beat Dublin, Kerry, Galway etc. Now, I think the confidence has either become a bit brittle (ie the players are doubting themselves in big games - perhaps after taking a few losses against Louth in Leinster, Donegal in semi, Cork in league, Westmeath in Leinster) or the players have actually believed the hype after the league and think they will always pull it out of the fire. Indo GAA pod suggested the latter - that they're not marking tight enough because they think they're good enough not to have to. I'd say the truth is somewhere in the middle - overconfidence and too lax at times and then lose confidence when the proverbial hits the fan.

Indo pod also said RB was too positive after Cork game - good performance, better than Westmeath game etc.

Developing a harder edge and harder work ethic has to be the priority for the remainder of this season and into next. If that means bringing in new players and new backroom team so be it."
High risk/high reward game plan...its entertaining though!

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1856 - 27/05/2026 17:28:20    2676120

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Replying To Royalblufill:  "Dear God! I'd rather have O'Rourke back on the pitch than as a manager! Even at his current age!!!"
Colm a Meath all time great footballer .Sean Boylan an all time great intercounty manager
Neither owe meath football anything .Big Thanks to both men

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1307 - 27/05/2026 18:36:24    2676137

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Replying To redser123:  "I would be equally as excited as you at what Liam Kelly could add, he was such a massive leader for those successful meath underage teams, however the only question mark for me is his attitude, was he as hungry as lads his same age like Brian O'Halloran and Jack Kinlough who were brought in straight away. For a player of his talent it should not have taken this long to break into the meath panel. If he works hard now there are 2 or 3 spots in the defence he should be pushing to start in."
Where are all the corner backs gone that were drafted into squad earlier in year? Is the development panel completely gone. Kelly very unlikely to get game time yet and will likely be needed to fullfill training matches with possibility of being used next year.
Think the focus will be on coaching what we have.
Perhaps need to look at defensive coaching as a whole with possibility of bringing in an old Meath stock to get steel back into defending. Colm Coyle or Robbie O'Malley who were both in with Meath in the past know the score on tough defending.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1007 - 27/05/2026 21:18:46    2676161

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Replying To gwanyagudthing:  "I know some of this is wind-up stuff (particularly the COR reference) but just to engage with it for a minute. RB came in and biggest thing he did in my opinion was to instil confidence in the players i.e. you can go out and beat Dublin, Kerry, Galway etc. Now, I think the confidence has either become a bit brittle (ie the players are doubting themselves in big games - perhaps after taking a few losses against Louth in Leinster, Donegal in semi, Cork in league, Westmeath in Leinster) or the players have actually believed the hype after the league and think they will always pull it out of the fire. Indo GAA pod suggested the latter - that they're not marking tight enough because they think they're good enough not to have to. I'd say the truth is somewhere in the middle - overconfidence and too lax at times and then lose confidence when the proverbial hits the fan.

Indo pod also said RB was too positive after Cork game - good performance, better than Westmeath game etc.

Developing a harder edge and harder work ethic has to be the priority for the remainder of this season and into next. If that means bringing in new players and new backroom team so be it."
We can do a deep dive into Robbie and his management team but I think he is getting the best out of the team and a lack of quality and game intelligence is letting him down. Robbie is squeezing every ounce of this team look at how Kinsella, Caulfield, Frayne etc. are playing.

I know the COR thing is a complete wind out but him or other managers were not getting the best out of the players. Podcasters or whoever saying Robbie was to chirpy - that's his style - positivity. Just stop and think where we were before Robbie and where we are now.

NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 137 - 27/05/2026 21:28:17    2676163

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In a way Robbie Brennan was right not to be too down in the overall picture. Meath are still in the championship and would have had a really tough game next day against a winning team if they won. The winners of the next game will have an advantage on the losers that they would play in the third game so its a great opportunity. If they lose the next game, they deserve to go out but winning it gives a great boost for third match. A huge amount depends on draw with hopefully a home draw (croke park) against one of the not so big hitters. Not many people talking too much about the positives and there were some, Banty outstanding and almost a full game, Frayne, Caulfield and Kinsella very good. Flynn and Kinsella should be fitter and much sharper next day and also Costello.
McBride fielded well at times. No new injuries as far as I know.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1007 - 28/05/2026 07:08:37    2676202

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Replying To winatallcost:  "In a way Robbie Brennan was right not to be too down in the overall picture. Meath are still in the championship and would have had a really tough game next day against a winning team if they won. The winners of the next game will have an advantage on the losers that they would play in the third game so its a great opportunity. If they lose the next game, they deserve to go out but winning it gives a great boost for third match. A huge amount depends on draw with hopefully a home draw (croke park) against one of the not so big hitters. Not many people talking too much about the positives and there were some, Banty outstanding and almost a full game, Frayne, Caulfield and Kinsella very good. Flynn and Kinsella should be fitter and much sharper next day and also Costello.
McBride fielded well at times. No new injuries as far as I know."
I would look at the glass half full like this as well. While the loss is a set back, we still have to win 2 games to get to a quarter final which was the mission before Cork. And this is the point about Robbie and his management team - do we truly believe we can do that? I think the answer is yes.

There is a lot of good teams in the losers draw but honestly the only team we wouldn't fancy is Kerry. Everyone else I think we could get a result against. Like you said, I think Costello will benefit from this game and Kinsella and Flynn hopefully back to full fitness.

And listen the defensive stuff is a concern but I don't think it's going to be fully rectified this year, maybe a couple minor tweaks but that'll be it. We just have to go with the attacking style we're playing and try to put a 70 minute performance together, especially around the middle of the field as that'll take the pressure off our defenders.

NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 137 - 28/05/2026 11:11:34    2676230

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Replying To winatallcost:  "Where are all the corner backs gone that were drafted into squad earlier in year? Is the development panel completely gone. Kelly very unlikely to get game time yet and will likely be needed to fullfill training matches with possibility of being used next year.
Think the focus will be on coaching what we have.
Perhaps need to look at defensive coaching as a whole with possibility of bringing in an old Meath stock to get steel back into defending. Colm Coyle or Robbie O'Malley who were both in with Meath in the past know the score on tough defending."
Yeah it's a fair question but you just have to trust to managers judgement I suppose. On the extended panel to start the year there was Jordan Muldoon, Ciaran Mccarrick, Shane Gibney and Oran Smullen. Smullen picked up a serious injury straight away so he was ruled out. Mccarrick probably isn't a natural corner back and the other two might not be at the level yet.

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 425 - 28/05/2026 13:11:36    2676265

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Replying To gwanyagudthing:  "I know some of this is wind-up stuff (particularly the COR reference) but just to engage with it for a minute. RB came in and biggest thing he did in my opinion was to instil confidence in the players i.e. you can go out and beat Dublin, Kerry, Galway etc. Now, I think the confidence has either become a bit brittle (ie the players are doubting themselves in big games - perhaps after taking a few losses against Louth in Leinster, Donegal in semi, Cork in league, Westmeath in Leinster) or the players have actually believed the hype after the league and think they will always pull it out of the fire. Indo GAA pod suggested the latter - that they're not marking tight enough because they think they're good enough not to have to. I'd say the truth is somewhere in the middle - overconfidence and too lax at times and then lose confidence when the proverbial hits the fan.

Indo pod also said RB was too positive after Cork game - good performance, better than Westmeath game etc.

Developing a harder edge and harder work ethic has to be the priority for the remainder of this season and into next. If that means bringing in new players and new backroom team so be it."
The indo pod with spillane and Dick clerkin ? Inwouldnt be worrying too much what them lads say.... spillane just go back to kerry stories and clerkin is just very bitter about everyone, especially Meath

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 1084 - 28/05/2026 15:08:26    2676294

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Replying To southmeathgael:  "The indo pod with spillane and Dick clerkin ? Inwouldnt be worrying too much what them lads say.... spillane just go back to kerry stories and clerkin is just very bitter about everyone, especially Meath"
Truth Hurts

monaghanmad (Monaghan) - Posts: 490 - 29/05/2026 10:46:32    2676394

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Replying To monaghanmad:  "Truth Hurts"
Major LOLs!

Selwyn (Meath) - Posts: 456 - 29/05/2026 13:10:33    2676429

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