drop Kenny, one of our most consistent players for the last few years, quite harsh I feel, Juicy is a good player going forward but isn't a very tight marker. As for Burke, as I've said here many times in the last year, he would be a great corner back for Meath, he has a Sigerson all-star in this position and is the kind of hard, tough as nails guy we need here

updaroyal (Meath) - Posts: 1132 - 26/11/2009 00:04:48    494398

Mickey Burke, corner-back, if (and only if), he can keep the foul count down. There are more natural footballers on the team who can play wing-back. Couldn't drop Kenny, I don't think anyone else could trump him for winning breaks. I'd give him the number 12 jersey and give him a free role running the ball from the half-back line.

He must be the most under-rated player on the panel right now.

Googan (Meath) - Posts: 105 - 26/11/2009 08:16:14    494491

i hear james macken from rathkenny has been called up to the squad, theirs our full back for the o'byrne cup

The.Rock (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 26/11/2009 08:29:18    494494

Lads what bout lenihan from skyre or menton from don/ash.? These lads have to be blooded and i know came in for training matches last year. Give youth its fling.Tried and tested really has not worked for us. The only way these lads are going to learn is by playing. It worked before in 96. I think O brien would get more respect and fans would be patient if they saw he was really trying to rebuild rather than just move lads into different positions....I know one lad thinks its harder to get dropped off the panel than onto it.

boylanabu (Meath) - Posts: 111 - 26/11/2009 09:58:05    494544

Davy Lyons of Seneschalstown and Ricky Nolan of Duleek. Saw both of them last night and both showed their class. Nolan in the last 20 minutes made 3 great point blank saves. I would like to see Brian Clarke get a run in the O'Byrne cup but he had an accident at work recently and has done some serious damage to his ankle and arm. I would like to wish him a speedy recovery.

Diego (Meath) - Posts: 1205 - 26/11/2009 13:36:27    494786

My prefered full back for next year is without a doubt Kevin Reilly. However this year he was injured and we had to rely on Moyles to fill the gap. With most lads Moyles is very popular but this is no a popularity contest. Firstly he is not a natural full back and second I don't think he has the legs for 70 minutes of Senior intercounty football any more. He would be a good man to have on the panel to shore up some position but I regret to say that I think his best days are behind him. So where does that leave us. Some have mentioned McGill, well he didn't feature very much this year so we really are not in any position to rate him. Andrew Collins is also mentioned and I have to say that I think he is a fine club footballer. However will he make it at Senior intercounty. Maybe he will and should get a run at some time. my suggestion to try Damien Sheridan in the O'Byrne cup will show us if he can be played there in the case of an emergency and believe me we will need to have a deputy ready at some time during the season if we do anyway well. So what's wrong with that. Incidentally I totally disagree that it is a fore-gone conclusion that it won't work. Northmeathman might be a reasonably good tactician but he is not always right even if he thinks he is. What I want in the first round of the O'Byrne is a new face at full back even if O'Reilly is fit and well. Incidentally how is O'Reilly. Has he recovered now that most football is over. Will he be fit any time soon. He's a good full back but can only play there. Also How is McGill. If we are going to do anything next year we need these lads fit and we also need some good deputies. I believe that Damien Sheridan can be one.

The real Árd Rí (Meath) - Posts: 990 - 26/11/2009 15:22:01    494908

Nolan is a great great shot stopper but he just lacks it a bit with his kickouts, have some great goalie around the county just wish we had the same abundance of full backs, Fay's boots are hard to fill but with time i do think Collins might be close to being the one to do it,

royalrealist (Meath) - Posts: 124 - 26/11/2009 15:49:59    494959

i just have been reading that a lot of people are mentioning backs, how about O'Toole from o'mahony's?seen play alot this year and was solid all year round, any opinions?

17times (Meath) - Posts: 4 - 26/11/2009 21:38:11    495460

hopefully your new players are meath men. colm o'rourke was ours and u stole him from us!

LovelyCounty (Leitrim) - Posts: 69 - 26/11/2009 23:29:15    495656

anyone know what players are in for the Meath trials at the moment. I know there's divisional teams training and playing each other,

bennycake21 (Meath) - Posts: 102 - 27/11/2009 10:09:26    495849

Why thank you Ard Ri:) as u know I'm not a fan of Kevin Reilly but at the present moment he is the best option we have. Agree also with your Moyles comments, I would drop him from the panel personally but with dignity as he has put in great service to the meath cause. Still cant believe your Sheridan comments.. based on your arguement why dont we then look at McGill, Mulligan,Leinhan during the O'Byrne cup as cover or maybe replacing Reilly, all 3 are natural defenders who have played football at fullback since they started. People would want to look at the Dublin game again from last year, the Dublin chap who made his debut lets not forget ran Reilly ragged setup loads of scores, scored 2 himself before injurying himself early in the second half, I know Reilly was under pressure from a very poor midfield performance until the ;ast 20 minutes but still I dont rate him. Keep MGuiness at 6 and look for more half back options, I would like to see Peader at 5, we have loads of forwards and Peader could break through midfield at greater speed than Kenny and King. King also has to be dropped, cant remember the last breaking ball or pass into the full forward that he delivered. Way too slow on the ball. I would like to see Regan tried at 7, good footballer, strong and good passer, may lack a bit of pace but worth looking at. All the successfull teams have pace and strength from the half back line, in King, McGuiness and Kenny we are lacking both pace, vision and physical presence and lets face it how many more years do we have to look at this combination to realise it's not working. Meath team, 1. Murphy, have to get him back.. 2.Harro 3.McGILL 4. Burke 5.Byrne 6.McGuiness 7.Regan 8. Mark Ward (Not over happy with this, but worth it after the shoot of getting dropped last year) 9. Meade 10.Shane O'rourke 11.J Sheridan 12. Queeney 13. S Bray 14. B Sheridan 15. Farrell/Ward I will eat my socks!! if that team isnt good enough to win an all-ireland through the front door!!, each individual if they are being honest are just not producing the ability they have which is a testament to how poor the management and medical care in meath has been over the last 5 years. If Shane O'Rourke & Brian Farrell are injured come the start of the league then drop them as they should be ashamed of themselves it they havent sorted out their problems. Bring in Nestor at 10 and Ward at 15, give the frees to Brian Sheridan as Cian Ward is hiding behind these sideline frees which may happen once or twice in a game, but give me a forward who can win his own ball and kick frees from play any day over this. Before Ard Ri u slate me on Cian Ward, out of 2-23 last year against a lot of division 3/4 teams, he as only scored 2-3 from play which for me is not good enough. Even Farrell who u slate has scored way more from play having a poor year. I think it time I offered my services to the co board instead of wasting time here.. good day gentlemen and ladies:) PS: If anyone has spare silage, hay or feed please send to our friends in the West after all they sent us O'Rourke,O'Malley, Lyons, Nestor etc..

Northmeathman (Meath) - Posts: 284 - 27/11/2009 11:21:58    495900

NorthMeathman Your clearly a Navan O Mahony's man, Wheres Crawford??????? I would not take Mark Ward back, He is not good enough or consistent enough for inter county in my opinion. And as for Barry Regan, weres your logic???????? Theres far too many good young players around than to be trying to turn lads who got their chance into stars. Move on.

Podge85 (Meath) - Posts: 96 - 27/11/2009 11:37:36    495913

Giles, Geraghty, Murphy In 1999, that long ball tactic was probably the reason we won the All-Ireland. Ten years on against Kerry, same idea, very different result! Why? Probably because, we don't have a player of the class of Trevor Giles to give those kind of fifty yard plus passes, we don't have an athlete like Graham Geraghty inside to win the ball and we don't have someone as deadly as Ollie Murphy to finish off the move. So maybe we need to try something else? To be honest, the only players I think that are guaranteed to start in 2010 are the two Brays and Cormac McGuinness at centre back. Every other position is wide open. I do not understand why NorthMeathMan dosen't even give David Bray a mention? I like the look of 5-12 in his team, however, all very big men (over 6ft), similiar to Cork's team. I wouldn't play Peader wing back though, in fact I wouldn't start him at all as he still has a big petulance problem. What about Graham Reilly from St. Colmcilles? I'd give him a chance in the early part of the year, fair enough if it dosen't work, then try to find someone else but give him his chance. I'd also try Joe in midfield with Crawford, Ward and Meade would never work thats for sure! Also what about Stephen Finnegan from Senchalstown in the half-forward line? He's a big man and well able to take a score! I'd like to see him get his chance at some stage.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 27/11/2009 12:09:32    495953

NorthMeathMan, do you want salt and vinegar on those socks?

I can only assume that you're convinced Crawford and Moyles are retiring and that's why they're absent. I think both these players still have lots to offer Meath. Moyles may not have the legs for seventy minutes of championship football but he can definitely contribute a good sixty minutes. You've mentioned Regan's distribution, well Moyles' is better and right now we need players who can kick good ball into the forwards. Kenny does not lack pace and I don't see how Barry Regan improves on him at wing-back. Regan got a look-in at centre-back during the league and long-term that might be his best position.

Onto midfield... Mark Ward. If we're going to persist with the long-ball strategy, (and I believe we have the players to do it), then Mark Ward has to start next to Crawford at midfield. He's arguably the best long-range passer on the panel, vastly superior to both Meade and Crawford in this regard. Crawford can easily take over the defensive duties that Meade performs in the current XV.

I wouldn't deny that your XV would dominate kick-outs against most teams in the land but it's what you do with the posession that counts. We won oodles of breaking ball against Kerry this year and kicked it away just as quickly. I have no problem with Joe Sheridan playing at midfield, ideally on the top of the diamond. Your half-forward line looks like Joe is the designated playmaker. Joe's enthusiasm for kicking the ball long suits our style of play but there's not much subtlety to it. When was the last time you saw Joe play a delicate pass into the space that a forward could win on the hop? We need someone with real guile to operate around here and in the absence of Stephen Bray it's not going to be Queeney or O'Rourke.

Who's going to track back from the forty and pressure the ball-carrier around the middle? The only player there with the pace to accomplish this vital role is Shane O'Rourke, and you're sacrificing a real goal threat if that's the case. Queeney's better employed on the inside line where he can win the high ball or break it down.

I've always though Peadar Byrne would make a good wing-back but like Loyal said I would question his temperment. He's also lacking a bit of cuteness on the ball, another Meath forward responsible for wayward kicking. There are better options among the half-backs and right now I think he's best employed as an impact sub.

Googan (Meath) - Posts: 105 - 27/11/2009 16:22:46    496180

Surely some summerhill men should get a run in the o byrne cup . Summerhill were cruelly beaten in senior semi final this year by a last gasp 45 from young Clarke. The likes of paul larkin and conor gillespie ae surely worth a look! Also the two kennedy brothers are playing great club football especially maurice who in my opinion should be given a chance in o byrne cup also .

hillgaa (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 27/11/2009 19:38:00    496414

Podge85

I don't know where you get the idea from that Northmeathman is from O'Mahonies. He has frequently stated here that he dislikes them intensely or words to that effect. I put your error down to being fairly new to this page. Northmeathman is a proud Kilmainham Wood man and if I am not mistaken was one of their starting 15 when they won the Keegan back in the 90s. Now Northmeathman to get to your team. I don't radically disagree with you and I'm not going to debate the whole Damien Sheridan again as you have your opinion and I have mine and everyone else at this stage knows both our logic. Where I do disagree emphatically with you would be Peadar at no 5. I have often niticed that when Peadar got in trouble it was when he came back beyond midfield and tried to help out the defenders. In short peadar cannot defend without fouling and very often getting a yellow card. Peadar is a half forward and one of the best we have so like you said about King last year don't put an obvious squar peg into a round hole. I think Loyal and Googan have also made this point.

When you say you are not a fan of Kevin Reilly is this because of some of his antics in club football or because you don't rate him. Personally I think he is a fine footballer and disagree with your assessment of his game against Dublin. Also the management must find a replacement for him during the O'Byrne and early games of the league. Moyles will no longer be an option. I have no problem trying those lads you mention but remember we don't have that many games so we better be fairly realistic in what we try. Surprise, surprise Northmeathman I agree with your assessment of Ward but even allowing for his poor form on the ball I would still have him ten times before I would bother with Farrell. Saw Farrell in some club matches for Nobber and was appalled with his standard of play. I see you would drop Chris O' Connor, now that would be a huge mistake. Chris will become one of the best corner backs in the game for any county in the next two years. I would like to see Queeney get more games even if I relegated him to the bench for the first match.

The real Árd Rí (Meath) - Posts: 990 - 28/11/2009 10:42:12    496731

1 Murphy
2 harrington
3 k reilly
4 Burke
5 kenny
6 McGuiness
7 king/o'connor/
8 Stephen Corrigan (roasted brian meade in the championship this year)
9 mark ward/crawford/sheridan/meade/ take your pick
10 alan nestor
11 cian ward
12 david bray
13stephen bray
14 joe
15 shane o'rourke

serious fire power to come into the forwards too with the likes of farrel, byrne, b sheridan, queeney, andrew tormey, michael newman, terry farrelly, nial mcloughlin
cover for the backs mcgill, ciaran mcloughlin, regan, sean curran(best minor two years ago), lenihan,
brian menton to be tried at midfield too.maybe oldcastles McHugh, definately good enough players to give it a right go this year lads

foleysgoal (Meath) - Posts: 25 - 28/11/2009 13:00:04    496777

I see a lot of people mentioning Mickey Burke as a corner-back but my opinion on him is that he dosen't tackle well enough and witnessed it myself against lowly Waterford in the qualifiers last year! For me the full-back line has to be McGill-Reilly-Harro! Cormac McGuinness has to be centre-back, I would not entertain the idea of starting anybody ahead of him. The wing back positions are tough, I'd like to pick two big men but at the same time think it would be bordering on insanity to leave Seamus Kenny on the line! There were times this year where was simply awesome for us! As I have said already, why not try Graham Reilly the other side? We still have King and McAnarney to fall back on if it dosen't work out for him.

Midfield: Well I certainly don't think Stephen Corrigan is good enough to be midfield, he's just a workhorse! In fact, if I was to pick a Tones player for midfield it would be the more athletic Gordon Beggy (but even he would be a fair way down the pecking order). My preferred midfield at this stage would be Joe Sheridan and Nigel Crawford. There seems to be a lot of confusion as to where to play Joe but he was immense for Senchalstown at midfield this year! He is also a great man to give a fifty yard pass, drop-kick or otherwise. Again, I don't see the problem in trying this out! Its hard luck for Meade but thats the way it is. Mark Ward concedes too many stupid frees and like Peader, has issues with discipline. I see Googan is quite keen on him starting primarily because of his passing into the forwards but is he any better than Joe, not in my opinion.

Like the half-back line, I'd like to see a big half-forward line! After all, it was this that probably saw us beat Tyrone in 2007. Is there any chance of Paddy Smyth pulling on a Meath jersey next year? If there was then, my half-forward line, controversial and all as it may seem would be, Smyth, O'Rourke and Finnegan (Senchalstown). All lads who can score but equally as importantly, big athletic individuals. David Bray is an automatic at number thirteen and like Joe, there is a lot of debate over his brother's best position. One thing's for sure, Stephen can tackle, score, catch, run, sprint, hop, jump, skip, etc, better than any other forward in the county so I don't think its that big a problem where he's played as you will get the maximum possible return out of him no matter where he is. The last forward position is between Brian Farrell (may be shooting himself in the foot by picking the early part of next year to go travelling), Cian Ward, Jamie Queeney and Brian Sheridan. I'd pick Ward because of dead ball duties.

So my provisional team for the league would be:
O'Rourke
McGill-Reilly-Harrington
Kenny-McGuinness-Reilly
Crawford-Sheridan
Smyth-O'Rourke-Finnegan
Bray-Ward-Bray

Lots of controversial picks!

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 28/11/2009 16:40:37    496897

Eh North Meath man, cian Ward scored 63 points in the Senior Championship this year, next to him was Micky Brennan from Simonstown (I Think) I have to agree with the Real Ard Ri here is saying that Brian Farrell was going thru the motions this year for his club in many games, very notably V K'Wood this year (your club??) so how you could stretch your imagination, wild as it is, to start BF instead of CW is mind boggling to say the least.
I have a couple of suggestions of my own both from Bhulf Ton -
Ciaran McLoughlin, consistently the best club full back since the Tones joined the Senior Ranks, the best at Inter and Junior before that.
Stephen Corrigan, again consistently the best club mid-fielder over the past 4 or 5 years.

BBD (Meath) - Posts: 228 - 29/11/2009 12:43:36    497445

Loyal, That's one of the best teams that's been posted up here and you give very good reasons for each place. However for the first round of the O'Byrne I am going to make the supposition that some lads will be unavailable because of College , injuries, travelling, etc. I will put my changes in brackets. Otherwise I would be prepared to go with your team.

O'Rourke (Lyons, must get a chance sometime)
McGill(O'Connor, did nothing wrong last year)-Reilly (Sheridan, still think he deserves a chance)-Harrington
Kenny-McGuinness-Reilly (Burke, great displays when he came on last year, don't buy this that he cannot tackle)
Crawford-Sheridan (Meade, his best position and did very little wrong here this year)
Smyth (P. Byrne still a lot to give but I would love to see Smyth get a chance)-O'Rourke (J.Sheridan, Can anyone say if O'Rourke is fit again, if not he shouldn't even be on the panel) -Finnegan (S.Bray, yes I agree you could probably play him anywhere but I like him on the wing)
Bray-Ward (B. Sheridan, simply deserves a chance to start, even when he is not scoring he creates great scoring chances)-Bray (Ward, despite Northmeathman's opinion, and others' including mine it might be added, about his ball winning ability I would still have him on any Meath team at the moment. He will always get those vital scores that win any game even if they are from placed balls.

This team might not work out but it should be tried in the first O'Byrne match to see how well it functions. Other players who have being mentioned on this page by others should also be given a chance during the year either in: the O'Byrne, League, or challenge games. We should know our best team by championship start. That's a must, and not have us still trying lads out in ridiculous positions well into the championship. Remember that when Meath won in 1996, Sean Boylan only used 19 players for the whole championship. That's because he knew his best team on day one.

The real Árd Rí (Meath) - Posts: 990 - 29/11/2009 13:06:15    497457