Meath Forum

Club Fixture Madness.......Already.

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There is absolutely nothing positive to say about the craziness of Meath gaa and their attempts at fixture 'planning'. Firstly we can all see what the weather is like and now doubt a lot of pitches are cutting up badly and border line unplayable. Secondly not all clubs are blessed (not an attack on the bigger clubs, just reality) with a massive player selection and therefore fielding both A and B league is difficult and requires a number of players to play both. With a long summer ahead and one that will have a championship gap from April to July can somebody tell me the thinking in some clubs being asked to field in both A and B league in the space of 24hrs and in dome cases on the same pitch.

I seen a tweet from St Ultan, they are being asked to play A/B league on the same day!!! Do they want these clubs to not field?!

Clonard have a B league game at home on Sunday at 11am and then an away A league game in Slane at 3pm. I'm not exactly sure on Clonards player number but no doubt some lads will be leaving the pitch to jump in cars to drive to Slane. When they arrive will the game be playable as Slane pitch must endure two games in 24hrs ad their A/B league teams play at home.........and no doubt again they have players in a similar situation.

In a time when we hear about player welfare being paramount this is a laughable situation.

I know there are probably several more examples of this situation for the coming weekend.......will we have an explanation from the county board.........NO CHANCE. Just a stern hand and being told to do what we are told, way to promote football.

I_Play_County (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 23/02/2018 08:00:24    2079381

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What is the problem playing A&B Leagues on one weekend? Clubs name a Top15 for A League only. Also Hurling Clubs play A&B League hurling in one weekend for many a year now. Football clubs have it too easy.

Redsalltheway (Meath) - Posts: 116 - 23/02/2018 10:36:05    2079404

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while it is a struggle for a lot of teams to get 2 teams out, the whole idea of b league is to get games for the lads that dont play a league, there is far to much sending in dodgy lists and nearly all the a league team playing b league. defeats the whole thing,

longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 325 - 23/02/2018 11:38:43    2079423

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Replying To Redsalltheway:  "What is the problem playing A&B Leagues on one weekend? Clubs name a Top15 for A League only. Also Hurling Clubs play A&B League hurling in one weekend for many a year now. Football clubs have it too easy."
A lot of clubs only have to submit a top 10 and a few even top 8. Therefore the point made is very valid with players playing both and having to travel to 2 games on one day.
You must be from a club with plenty of players where this isn't an issue.

LetuceBFrank (Meath) - Posts: 67 - 23/02/2018 12:22:33    2079437

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I_Play_County (Meath)- You are correct. Most pitches are not able to take matches at this time of year. Matches should be concentrated in the late spring, summer and autumn times when conditions are suitable

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 23/02/2018 14:05:05    2079474

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I take the point that some pitches can't handle games this time of year but from a players point of view you wanna be playing games every weekend this time of year. No player would wanna be training for weeks on end with no competitive games. Most teams should be well able to field a b league team with lads that have either been training and not getting much a league time or lads that are just happy to show up whenever there needed to play a game so I i don't think the fixtures are that big of a issue where the players are concerned

Meath4Sam2020 (Meath) - Posts: 132 - 23/02/2018 14:36:06    2079486

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Replying To I_Play_County:  "There is absolutely nothing positive to say about the craziness of Meath gaa and their attempts at fixture 'planning'. Firstly we can all see what the weather is like and now doubt a lot of pitches are cutting up badly and border line unplayable. Secondly not all clubs are blessed (not an attack on the bigger clubs, just reality) with a massive player selection and therefore fielding both A and B league is difficult and requires a number of players to play both. With a long summer ahead and one that will have a championship gap from April to July can somebody tell me the thinking in some clubs being asked to field in both A and B league in the space of 24hrs and in dome cases on the same pitch.

I seen a tweet from St Ultan, they are being asked to play A/B league on the same day!!! Do they want these clubs to not field?!

Clonard have a B league game at home on Sunday at 11am and then an away A league game in Slane at 3pm. I'm not exactly sure on Clonards player number but no doubt some lads will be leaving the pitch to jump in cars to drive to Slane. When they arrive will the game be playable as Slane pitch must endure two games in 24hrs ad their A/B league teams play at home.........and no doubt again they have players in a similar situation.

In a time when we hear about player welfare being paramount this is a laughable situation.

I know there are probably several more examples of this situation for the coming weekend.......will we have an explanation from the county board.........NO CHANCE. Just a stern hand and being told to do what we are told, way to promote football."
I_Play_County (Meath) -
i cannot disagree with you more.what would players prefer... let the lads train like dogs for the next 2 months... and then have to play the leagues after championship. game time is the best thing for fitness this time of year...
so what if some lads play a game and then tog out for a 2nd game and maybe play a half. let them take it easy during the week training and they will be well able for 2 games.
when i was a player, i would rather 2 games and 1 training (easy training) then being dogged all week and then just 1 game. players want to play. and they would rather play now than next november.
also, in relation to the pitches, the county board can't control the weather.

overthehill72 (Meath) - Posts: 334 - 23/02/2018 15:21:12    2079499

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Do you honestly think it is acceptable for St Ultans and Clonard for example to play two games in one day with their two adult teams?! It's not just about players, these clubs have supporters, mentors etc and just saying get lads playing as much as possible is a simplistic approach. A smaller club, which are alway svelte forgotten about, they might only have a panel of 20-25 players. They name 10 players from that and then take into account injuries work etc. So there is a remaining panel of 15 expected to always fulfil both fixtures?! Some games on a Saturday and Sunday, two days when younger lads work etc. It really is a basic lack of respect for smaller clubs who strive to promote football and keep lads playing.

I_Play_County (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 23/02/2018 16:03:17    2079509

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Replying To longroadback:  "while it is a struggle for a lot of teams to get 2 teams out, the whole idea of b league is to get games for the lads that dont play a league, there is far to much sending in dodgy lists and nearly all the a league team playing b league. defeats the whole thing,"
That's another good outdated view there. Good lad.

I_Play_County (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 23/02/2018 16:05:02    2079511

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Replying To Meath4Sam2020:  "I take the point that some pitches can't handle games this time of year but from a players point of view you wanna be playing games every weekend this time of year. No player would wanna be training for weeks on end with no competitive games. Most teams should be well able to field a b league team with lads that have either been training and not getting much a league time or lads that are just happy to show up whenever there needed to play a game so I i don't think the fixtures are that big of a issue where the players are concerned"
Most teams is not all teams and the gaa is meant to be an inclusive organisation that promotes their games. Forcing the hand of smaller clubs who are trying to give the 6-8 lads who are not playing A game time by entering a B league team and are reliant on other A league lads to field this team are not being considered at all. Fact.

I_Play_County (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 23/02/2018 16:07:44    2079513

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Replying To LetuceBFrank:  "A lot of clubs only have to submit a top 10 and a few even top 8. Therefore the point made is very valid with players playing both and having to travel to 2 games on one day.
You must be from a club with plenty of players where this isn't an issue."
Is that common sense you speak on a gaa forum?! Be careful, they could be listening.

I_Play_County (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 23/02/2018 16:09:07    2079515

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Hurling clubs do it every round and never complain.
Counties like Cavan play both on the one day 1st team 1st and B team straight after.
Problem in meath too many lads in Oz or USA named on top 15. Top 8 has nothing to do with it

Brownepat (Meath) - Posts: 532 - 23/02/2018 16:47:20    2079525

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It'd take years to run a season's fixtures if we obeyed the complaints people have about them.

They don't like midweek games because players are coming home from Dublin.
They don't like games in February because the pitches are bad.
They don't want league games in september+october as they've lost interest in dead rubbers.
They don't want A and B league games on the same weekend because they want to field their A players in B league games.
They don't want to play championship in April because "it's too much of a break till the next round"
They don't want to play Saturdays because some people are working.
They don't want games in May because of college exams.

Etc.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1644 - 24/02/2018 13:11:44    2079672

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Two Div 1 A League matches OFF today because no refs.....

Count (Meath) - Posts: 93 - 25/02/2018 11:48:42    2079943

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Replying To Count:  "Two Div 1 A League matches OFF today because no refs....."
It is getting beyond a joke now. This weekend there was full round of U17 league directly clashing with Rugby for good measure, Full round of B league and also A league with 2 Div 1 matches pulled due to lack of referee. On top of this is there anyone out these who can keep up to date with fixtures or results with our new website ???? The old model was excellent, easy to navigate and always up to date within an hour of match being finished. I no longer know what's going on

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1467 - 25/02/2018 12:27:22    2079951

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Yes new website and app are very disappointing for updated results.

Last year all the results would be up within half hour of games being over

Belt (Meath) - Posts: 253 - 25/02/2018 17:25:13    2080091

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Replying To Belt:  "Yes new website and app are very disappointing for updated results.

Last year all the results would be up within half hour of games being over"
Yes its really really poor!!! Its now 5.30pm on sunday 25th and the last senior result (any A or B leagues matches )up on web site is from the 19th. It used to be very good and as you saod results would be up shortly after game, surely new formst doesn't affect that. Would Love to know what the problem is because it was a great service

Footnote (Meath) - Posts: 66 - 25/02/2018 17:37:16    2080103

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Replying To Belt:  "Yes new website and app are very disappointing for updated results.

Last year all the results would be up within half hour of games being over"
Not sure if it is the app or whoever is responsible for updating it but It is really poor compared to last year.
Eg Full round of 2018 u17 hurling league played last weekend and still only results up are for last year

showforit (Meath) - Posts: 156 - 25/02/2018 18:06:27    2080124

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Replying To showforit:  "Not sure if it is the app or whoever is responsible for updating it but It is really poor compared to last year.
Eg Full round of 2018 u17 hurling league played last weekend and still only results up are for last year"
It's a bit better this week, few results up at least!

Whatever way it worked the last couple of years was ideal, you could have no complaints

Belt (Meath) - Posts: 253 - 25/02/2018 21:06:19    2080229

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Replying To I_Play_County:  "Do you honestly think it is acceptable for St Ultans and Clonard for example to play two games in one day with their two adult teams?! It's not just about players, these clubs have supporters, mentors etc and just saying get lads playing as much as possible is a simplistic approach. A smaller club, which are alway svelte forgotten about, they might only have a panel of 20-25 players. They name 10 players from that and then take into account injuries work etc. So there is a remaining panel of 15 expected to always fulfil both fixtures?! Some games on a Saturday and Sunday, two days when younger lads work etc. It really is a basic lack of respect for smaller clubs who strive to promote football and keep lads playing."
two games in one day? this would never happen? and this is the basis of your argument. two games over a weekend yes happens and its better than training. people like you are the reason we play league and u21 in November and December.

overthehill72 (Meath) - Posts: 334 - 26/02/2018 10:21:52    2080363

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