Muckrosshead

Who looked better form the games against Donegal? Down or Meath?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 16/03/2014 21:35:28    1560631

Tir Conaill Abu is correct to say that Down could easily have had three first half goals, and after the break it was largely a question of copying Donegal's long established tactics by defending a lead through keeping as many players back as possible. Murphy and McFadden had a mixed day from frees, putting over some fine long range efforts but missing a few straightforward efforts as well. However, they were both suprisingly limited from open play. Murphy will always a threat when the championship comes round but McFadden looked as though the years were catching up with him. The other big Donegal problem was discipline. McHugh could easily have walked in the first half and Gallagher was incredibly lucky to get a yellow rather than a red for a blatant punch in the final quarter. Derry will be fancying their chances in the summer on this form.

MourneRising (Down) - Posts: 238 - 16/03/2014 21:53:46    1560649

laois the big winner of the wend with the draw in drogheda. am worried even if we have shown signs of our potential coming through. armagh the next day is a must win game for us and may not be enough if we manage the win. throw of a dice to see who will go up but monaghan have 2 home games so the wind is with them.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1977 - 16/03/2014 21:55:28    1560651

16/03/2014 21:35:28
ziggy320001
County: Meath
Posts: 308

Muckrosshead

Who looked better form the games against Donegal? Down or Meath?

Difficult one Ziggy,

Two very different games played in different conditions against teams with contrasting styles.

Meath were very direct, Down much more elaborate. There was a strong breeze yesterday while Ballybofey was fairly calm.

I would have to say that yesterday worried me more. We got off to a dreadful start against Meath due to some weird midfield experiment But came back into it well & took some great scores. Yesterday, even with the wind at our backs we scored only 4 points in the second half. McFadden is way off his game & Molloy is not up to the task. JMcG supposedly rested the U21's but we need McBrearty back in the full forward line quickly.

What worries me most is that this all has echoes of last year. We started the year well against Laois, Galway & most importantly Monaghan. Since then we have gone into reverse & I didn't sleep well last night!!

To answer your question directly Down would be the better of the two sides in my opinion.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 17/03/2014 09:22:51    1560686

Galway have a great chance of survival if they bate Armagh actually with the head to head rule being supreme over score diff. Am I correct?

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1231 - 17/03/2014 09:31:23    1560693

Muckrosshead

Ya I would have guessed so,can't see us beating Down in two weeks..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 17/03/2014 11:10:39    1560748

I wouldn't be too pessimistic Ziggy. Div 2 is topsy turvy & Down are no world beaters. Bring your A game & your in with every chance especially if the game is in Navan

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 17/03/2014 11:58:08    1560776

A lot of discussion here about Meath. I think Meath's current position battling it out with the likes of Armagh, Galway and Laois for mid-table mediocrity is a reflection of where this side is currently at. I would expect some improvement come championship but then again so will everyone else. It's looking like two of Donegal, Down and Monaghan will go up which says a lot about the other sides in Division 2 as Down and Donegal were only just relegated. Perhaps the gap between Divisions 1 and 2 sides is wider than you would expect.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 17/03/2014 17:56:52    1561027

muckrosshead. . . rich words coming from a Donegal man " down are no world beats " !!!

topdownfan (Down) - Posts: 555 - 17/03/2014 18:23:36    1561043

It looks at the moment that meath laois will be joined by westmeath and kildare in this division next year with only one leinster side in top flight , rather than closing the gap on dublin the rest are slipping further behind.
Leinster football at a all time low.

foreverroyal (Meath) - Posts: 349 - 17/03/2014 19:12:18    1561074

Ulster does seem to be levelling out at a higher level, not seen since the 90s. Armagh will sort themselves out some day, Louth have gone backwards, while Meath are inconsistent. Can't comment on Galway or Laois as we've yet to see them.

MiseMuineachain (Monaghan) - Posts: 212 - 17/03/2014 19:38:36    1561094

Down is a tough place to go and get a result. There is a lot of football to be played in this division. If down and monaghan draw, then we are potentially in big trouble. But I would think that either team will prevail, and leave our scoring differential a vital factor in deciding promotion and a place in the final.

I think that we are at a stage of training that is probably at its most intense in the pre season for the championship. Every team does this donkey work at around the same time, but not exactly the same. I think that we will improve, despite the worrying holes in our defense yesterday. Meath and Down will be close. Monaghan to my mind are in a good place, I watched the game on sat night and they looked very well organized.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3849 - 17/03/2014 19:41:30    1561095

Donegalman, Down and Monaghan have already played out a draw in the first match of the league. Monaghan have two home games left against Laois and Galway, both of which they will be expected to win. Down are away to both Meath and Laois, which is a tough run-in, so Donegal are still in pole position. However, your trip to Armagh on the last day will be a tough one.

MourneRising (Down) - Posts: 238 - 17/03/2014 20:08:56    1561138

topdownfan
County: Down
Posts: 168

1561043
muckrosshead. . . rich words coming from a Donegal man " down are no world beats " !!!

I don't think any but the most myopic Down supporter would imagine that they are "worldbeaters". For the record Donegal aren't either.

Yesterday's game was desperate stuff with two forward lines that couldn't hit a barn door from 20 yards. On what I saw neither will win Ulster let alone Sam, so yes, Down are no worldbeaters.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 17/03/2014 20:29:00    1561166

I wasn't suprised that Donegal got beat by Down, It was the one game I felt they would be seriously troubled in this season.

However this league run is an ideal learning curve, and McGuinness should be studying these games closely and learning from them.

Colm McFadden wasn't clicking against Meath, and hasn't been at his best in recent games. It isn't pace or fitness, as he constantly managed to slip his marker and get shots away. He starts every single game, yet hasn't always been performing to his best.

The half forwards need to help out with scoring a bit more. I would play Martin McElhinney and Neil Gallagher in Midfield, and play Rory Kavanagh and MacNiallais as half forwards, alongside Christy Toye. Kavanagh is a more natural half forward than midfielder.

Drop Colm McFadden and replace him with McBrearty. Start Brick Molloy, but replace him early in 2nd half ( 40-45mins ) with O'Connor if Molloy isn't producing. Mark McHugh could officially play Right half back position.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 17/03/2014 20:57:16    1561200

Don't think Mc Fadden will be dropped. Yesterday was the worst I've seen him play in a long time. However he's still our best scoring forward more often than not. As for Mc Brearty he has yet to live up to his billing. Even in 2012 he was inconsistent at best. Molly works hard but is not the required standard. Our best performers in the league have been Thompson and Mc Elhinney. We need to improve substantially just to be competitive against Derry anything less and we'll be beat out the gate. Sleepless nights indeed Muckross.

Cleatus (Donegal) - Posts: 125 - 17/03/2014 21:25:13    1561225

Has anyone seen samforthehills lately? I'm getting worried :).
Not a sign of him.
Even I the most optimistic Meath fan will come on here and moan or whatever after I get things wrong.
I've seen most teams now and I think its fair to say no team in division 2 will trouble the big 4 of Dublin cork Kerry and Mayo

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/03/2014 21:59:27    1561259

royaldunne
County: Meath
Posts: 5589

1561259
I've seen most teams now and I think its fair to say no team in division 2 will trouble the big 4 of Dublin cork Kerry and Mayo

I really disagree. I think come championship that Donegal, Monaghan, Down and Meath will all pose serious problems for any team they face in the summer time.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 18/03/2014 10:46:24    1561332

Every team has everything to play for (promotion/relegation) but this is the way I see it playing out.
Looking at the remaining fixtures, you'd have to fancy Donegal and Monaghan to get promoted. Louth have been brutal so far and they've got Donegal next, so could be in Div 3 before their last match against Meath. Donegal's last match is against Armagh who have Galway next, can see Armagh beating Galway but probably not Donegal, will still make for a very interesting game depending on other results. Monaghan to beat both Laois and Galway in their last games. Meath have Down and Louth, the Down game is probably a 50:50 bet, and will probably beat Louth. Don't know what to make of Galway, beat Down and then draw a poor game against Louth. At this stage, they are my favourite to join Louth in Div 3. Laois have a tough final 2 games against Monaghan and Down, can't see them getting anything from either of these, making them next favourites after Galway for Div 3.
Donegal and Monaghan to finish on 11 pts, with the possibility of Down joining them on that number, Meath and Armagh in mid table obscurity and a 2 way between Laois/Galway to join Louth in Div 3.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 486 - 18/03/2014 10:47:01    1561333

royaldunne
County: Meath
Posts: 5589

1561259
Has anyone seen samforthehills lately? I'm getting worried :).
Not a sign of him.
Even I the most optimistic Meath fan will come on here and moan or whatever after I get things wrong.
I've seen most teams now and I think its fair to say no team in division 2 will trouble the big 4 of Dublin cork Kerry and Mayo

Bit early to make those judgements. Most teams are at certain stages in their preparation, and some are training harder than others. So lets wait and see how the teams fair when they eventually meet up. I have not seen meath yet. I have seen an understrength monaghan, and a laois and galway team that looked like they had just started to train again.
I saw armagh in january, but did not see louth or down yet. Of the 5 teams I have seen, I am fairly ok about our own progress, despite the defeat on sunday. There is work to be done in mixing the tactic of the long and the short game. But to rule out teams in division 2 would not be sensible at this stage. All are capable of improvement, (some more than others), but I would say that donegal, down, monaghan and meath on a good day will give any team their fill of it.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3849 - 18/03/2014 11:21:12    1561380