Meath haven't won a competitive game since the 12th February. Wicklow have won 5/6 games since then. Although they were operating in Division 4 they have been promoted while Meath have been relegated. Both are now Division three. I've only witnessed Meath once and frankly they were extremely lucky to have been within a point of Kildare at the end. The results since then speak for themselves culminating in a heavy defeat to Louth.

All the talk is about Meaths forwards who scored a total of 14 scores in their last two league games. IMO Wicklows forwards are more potent and I take them to grind out a victory by a narrow margin.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 22/05/2012 17:59:41    1178311

Wicklow defense isn't great though really, is it? They put up some big scores in Div.4 but they still conceded 4 goals at home to Waterford and 1-12 at home to Clare. Neither team being particularly potent up front. Against that kind of defense Meath will make hay. If Meath win at least half of posession they'll win it handy.

Forget all that 'Meath are at their most dangerous...' cliched nonsense. Where was the backlash against Louth if that was the case? They will win it because there is a huge difference between struggling in Division 2 and doing well in Division 4. The league matters, but not that much.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 22/05/2012 18:01:30    1178315

Both div 3 sides at the end of the day, Wicklow will not fear Meath after a good league campaign. Banty has plenty of trouble of his own, I'm going for a Wicklow win by 2 or 3 points.

Sergeant_Slash (Cavan) - Posts: 2182 - 22/05/2012 18:04:38    1178319

neither of these 2 div3 teams will make an impact on the championship...........both will be in the draw for the 1st round of the qualifiers........there is where the 2012 championship will end for them.

Gammy_Knee (USA) - Posts: 1482 - 22/05/2012 18:26:17    1178332

Wicklow have a great chance of beating the royals. Meath are poor at the moment no disrespect were as wicklow are in good form. It is a must wicklow come out of the blocks strong and stay with meath for as long as they can to frustrate them and who knows how it could finish. On the other hand i would,nt go writing meath chances off it could go quite the opposite way and meath steam roll them...

DUB1 (Dublin) - Posts: 5583 - 22/05/2012 18:48:58    1178349

I'm with Derry_ledd on this one and have already had a wee bet on Wicklow at 3/1. Last year in Celtic Park Meath were somewhat one-dimensional and fired everything in route one to big Joe but they did get a couple of goals and Derry had to play well to come back and beat them. Shane O'Rourke was their best player that day and he is sorely missed for them around midfield in my opinion. This year in Navan, Meath were really poor against a Derry team missing quite a few through injury and who had not exactly been setting the world alight in previous games. Over the years, we have come to expect any Meath team that goes out on the park to be ultra-smart and tough as nails, whatever other limitations they might have, but neither of these qualities were in evidence in Navan this year. The consensus amongst both Derry and Meath fans on the day was that it was the worst Meath team any of us had seen since the early eighties (not that Derry were brilliant, either, but they won handily enough). It may be that Meath will crash in a couple of goals on Sunday and get on a roll again but if they don't, they could be in trouble. 3/1 about Wicklow looks good value to me, although the balance on my Boylesports account doesn't suggest that I'll be making a living as a tipster any day soon!

doiregael2 (Derry) - Posts: 337 - 22/05/2012 18:57:48    1178358

Indeed your right gammy. Its very similar to last week westmeath v louth. Both will end up in first round and both will be beat.

Sedico I wouldn't like you to analyze games as a profession. The team that was lucky in navan was kildare. Mcanerneys ball off cross bar in injury time?

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 22/05/2012 19:02:38    1178363

2/05/2012 18:26:17
Gammy_Knee
County: USA
Posts: 690

1178332
neither of these 2 div3 teams will make an impact on the championship...........both will be in the draw for the 1st round of the qualifiers........there is where the 2012 championship will end for them.
-----------
The winners of this game will play Carlow a game they should win.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3993 - 22/05/2012 19:05:43    1178365

doublehop
County: Kildare
Posts: 1873

1178315 Wicklow defense isn't great though really, is it? They put up some big scores in Div.4 but they still conceded 4 goals at home to Waterford and 1-12 at home to Clare. Neither team being particularly potent up front. Against that kind of defense Meath will make hay. If Meath win at least half of posession they'll win it handy.

Forget all that 'Meath are at their most dangerous...' cliched nonsense. Where was the backlash against Louth if that was the case? They will win it because there is a huge difference between struggling in Division 2 and doing well in Division 4. The league matters, but not that much.

I think they've come on from the Waterford game though. Good win against Fermanagh in the final when Fermanagh were most peoples favourites. Furlong is no slouch and with the likes of Hannon and Glynn they've a decent forward line. I reckon midfield is the key and can see Wicklow eventually coming out on top here. they'll win enough possession around the middle to feed their forward line.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 22/05/2012 19:06:16    1178366

For people looking to put a bet on this. Here's a few facts determining whether you should bet on Wicklow or not.

No.1 Our 1st choice centre back (McLoughlin) is out for the game - He will be ably replaced by Stephen Bruiser Byrne of Rathnew. Good tough footballer.
No.2 There is a high possibility of our wing back Stephen Kelly will line out for our hurlers in the Christy Ring Semi-Final v Meath!! on Saturday!! (Possible injury or fatigue)

So the Wicklow half back line doesn't have a solid look about it to be honest. The other wing back will be Dean Healy a promising young 20 year old making his championship debut.

As a Kildare poster said I honestly believe we have better forwards than Meath - in Hannon, in Glynn and in Seanie Furlong (one of the best full forwards in Gaelic Football) we have a potent attack.

I think we will also shade the mid-field area - so Wicklow do have a great chance. Wicklow have momentum - and people on here dismiss us at the peril. In championship and qualifiers in the past 4 years we have beaten Kildare, Longford, Sligo, Cavan, Down, Carlow and Fermanagh. We drew with Armagh up there, so we're no pushovers anymore. Last week we beat a full strength Wexford 1-16 to 0-15.

It will be a close call but all in all a small bet would be advisable - but I would go for it.

Wicklowman (Wicklow) - Posts: 1161 - 22/05/2012 19:12:58    1178377

sedico
County: Kildare
Posts: 451

1178311
Meath haven't won a competitive game since the 12th February. Wicklow have won 5/6 games since then. Although they were operating in Division 4 they have been promoted while Meath have been relegated. Both are now Division three. I've only witnessed Meath once and frankly they were extremely lucky to have been within a point of Kildare at the end. The results since then speak for themselves culminating in a heavy defeat to Louth.

All the talk is about Meaths forwards who scored a total of 14 scores in their last two league games. IMO Wicklows forwards are more potent and I take them to grind out a victory by a narrow margin.

Good Lord have you as many stats to present on Kildare?? Your attention to detail regarding Meath is a bit freaky I thought that Division 2 title would have cured your inferiority complex!!!

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3772 - 22/05/2012 19:24:34    1178388

i think wicklow will put up a massive fight to wicklow they will not want to repeat their performance against kildare last year and will want to prove themselves. They know that if they win they will be playing carlow which they would reali fancy themselves and then could get another crack at their old rivals kildare. wicklow could sneak this one.

Ballon4Life (Carlow) - Posts: 102 - 22/05/2012 19:25:32    1178392

For people looking to put a bet on this. Here's a few facts determining whether you should bet on Wicklow or not.

No.1 Our 1st choice centre back (McLoughlin) is out for the game - He will be ably replaced by Stephen Bruiser Byrne of Rathnew. Good tough footballer.
No.2 There is a high possibility of our wing back Stephen Kelly will line out for our hurlers in the Christy Ring Semi-Final v Meath!! on Saturday!! (Possible injury or fatigue)

So the Wicklow half back line doesn't have a solid look about it to be honest. The other wing back will be Dean Healy a promising young 20 year old making his championship debut.

As a Kildare poster said I honestly believe we have better forwards than Meath - in Hannon, in Glynn and in Seanie Furlong (one of the best full forwards in Gaelic Football) we have a potent attack.

I think we will also shade the mid-field area - so Wicklow do have a great chance. Wicklow have momentum - and people on here dismiss us at the peril. In championship and qualifiers in the past 4 years we have beaten Kildare, Longford, Sligo, Cavan, Down, Carlow and Fermanagh. We drew with Armagh up there, so we're no pushovers anymore. Last week we beat a full strength Wexford 1-16 to 0-15.

It will be a close call but all in all a small bet would be advisable - but I would go for it.

Wicklowman (Wicklow) - Posts: 1161 - 22/05/2012 19:40:17    1178399

OntheWhiteSide
County: Kildare
Posts: 137

1178287
I don't see why Meath posters should be condemned for supporting their team and believing they can beat Wicklow. If it was this time last year nobody would be tipping Wicklow to win, Meath haven't gone back that much in a year nor have Wicklow improved that much.

It pains me to say it but I disagree with half of that last statement. Anyone who saw us in the league against Louth would not be backing us at 1/3 for this one. The only thing that you can judge teams on is current form, and on league form Wicklow have a great chance of turning us over. The heart says that Meath will win it, but that is based on history and loyalty. The head says that we could be in a lot of trouble in this one.

A few posters have said things like "if Meath can sort out their midfield" or "if Meath can get a fair share of possession". Did you see us at all in the league? Our midfield was an utter shambles the whole way through, and I can't see it having improved in the past month. We don't even know who our midfield will be. Our best midfielder in the league, Mark Ward, is out injured (best is a relative term - he was slightly less dreadful than anyone else). Our best midfielder last year, Shane O Rourke, is out injured again and probably wont be back this year. So we are probably left with picking two from Brian Meade (who hasn't been at county standard for about 3 years), Tom Walsh (who has no championship experience and is not a natural midfielder), Conor Gillespie (who is young and has never impressed any time he has played), and Brian Menton (who is a full back or centre half back and who has no inter-county experience at midfield). And I am not sure even Banty knows which of those he intends to pick. I genuinely think that we have the worst midfield in Leinster. Possibly by some distance.

So if we are going to win this, I think it may have to be with 40% of possession. We do have the ability to do that if the forwards hit form, but I wouldn't be staking the mortgage on it.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 22/05/2012 19:41:20    1178401

Thats a fair assesment anfearbear. Midfield is vital. Both teams have the forwards to punish to the other next Sunday so it depends a lot on the suplly going in. Wicklows forwards know where the posts are. They scored more in their final against Fermanagh than Meath did in their last two games. Real potential for a Wicklow victory. Would really love to meet Wicklow in the semi - nothing like a bit of GAA rivalry in the sedico household to keep us amused for a few weeks.

sedico (Kildare) - Posts: 1682 - 22/05/2012 19:55:20    1178411

no

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 22/05/2012 20:01:08    1178420

I would expect us to just about get past Wicklow by maybe a point or 2, but I can't see us being a team 'in the long grass' this summer, no chance of that I'm afraid to say. We had a few decent runs in recent times (07, 09 & 10) but fact of the matter is when John McDermott retired in 01 for whatever reason (possibly coincidentally) the fighting spirit disappeared at the same time.

Now I'm well aware that one swallow never made a summer, but we have been consistently getting over run at midfield ever since 01 and if Wicklow can gain dominance around the middle then they're in with a great chance. I just hope our lads can hold it together for 2 games and give us a crack at Kildare, the tide has to turn at some stage and us Royals suffer from a serious superiority complex so if we get hold of them lilys again it could be carnage for McGeeney's little flowers :-)

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 22/05/2012 20:28:33    1178444

so sorry meant meath*

Ballon4Life (Carlow) - Posts: 102 - 22/05/2012 20:36:55    1178453

its hard to see a wicklow win -but not impossible i suppose...

lilywhitemagic (Kildare) - Posts: 1693 - 22/05/2012 21:46:18    1178512

Will Wicklow beat Meath? NO, infact I predict an emphatic Meath win. No disrespect to the Wickla boys.

bluedubstar (Dublin) - Posts: 835 - 22/05/2012 21:50:56    1178520