Provide me with thoughts on game. Assume Yorke is no. 1? Who partners menton? Our best front six for this game?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1807 - 06/01/2020 17:55:07    2257823

I just want to see some of the old meath spirit back. Never say die attitude. Everyone fights for each other and believes they can win. No handpassing. Let the ball in fast and early. Test out the fullback line

LoyalRoyal66 (Meath) - Posts: 85 - 06/01/2020 20:05:06    2257846

1. Yorke
2. S Gallagher
3. McGill
4. R Ryan
5. J McEntee
6. D Keoghan
7. G McCoy
8. Menton
9. Conlan
10. O Sullivan
11. McMahon
12. J O'Connor
13. D Lenihan
14. S. Walsh
14. T O'Reilly

If I had to guess I think we will see something like above with maybe clarke in for Gallagher if he isn't ready. A lot of our injuries aren't that bad either and you could see a few on the bench, Devine and Campion possibly

Thejoeshow (Meath) - Posts: 687 - 06/01/2020 20:44:47    2257854

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 998 - 07/01/2020 07:32:55    2257890

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1527 - 07/01/2020 08:25:56    2257896

LoyalRoyal66 (Meath) - Posts: 85 - 07/01/2020 10:41:50    2257914

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 07/01/2020 10:59:35    2257922

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 07/01/2020 21:49:26    2258074

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1073 - 08/01/2020 12:36:18    2258175

GenderNeutral (Meath) - Posts: 115 - 08/01/2020 12:51:52    2258177

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 08/01/2020 13:23:11    2258180

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 08/01/2020 13:45:39    2258186

Adam Nynch from St Colmcilles is moving well in training I'm hearing, anyone hear of him before. Hmmmm

ThebigD (Meath) - Posts: 2 - 08/01/2020 23:01:17    2258310

Anyway back on planet earth.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 09/01/2020 08:07:07    2258335

Think we have a great opportunity to go far though. Mix it with the big boys. We should make navan a fortress

LoyalRoyal66 (Meath) - Posts: 85 - 09/01/2020 10:48:26    2258355

What do people think about the injury situation?. Do we have an injury crisis?. I cannot remeber any stage in Andys tenure so many injuries. We had 10 players injured on saturday. Pretty much ten first team starters. All of these players started in the super 8s last year.

Players injured on saturday were Micheal Newman, Donal Lenihan, Padraig Harnan , Seamus Lavin , Shane Gallagher , Shane McEntee , Ethan Devine, Cillian Sullivan , Dara Campion and Byran McMahon. Every single one of those players played v Mayo or kerry in Meaths last competitive games. If fit everyone of them would pretty much start.

5 of the players have had operaitions . They are Newman, Harnan, Lavin , S McEntee and Devine. Newman is out for 5 or 6 months. Harnan is out fot 3 or 4 months. Devine will also miss the whole league also. Lavin and S McEntee I dont know the timescale. I think Lavin might be available in first couple of games. But that is not certain. Campion looks like he is out for the league.

It does mean for the championshop along with Ronan Jones returning we should have Newman , Harnan, Devine and Campion returning. Thats going to substantially improve our bench in the championship. But the league is a concern. Big worry would be Lenihan, Gallagher , Sullivan and McMahon. These ten players missing with injury means we are without two corner backs eg Lavin and Gallagher. One of our best defenders eg Harnan. Our first choice midfielder last year eg S McEntee. And our two best inside forwards eg Lenihan and Nenman. And our whole half forward line from last year eg Sullivan , McMahon , Devine and Campion.

Hopefully we get a few players back for Tyrone and then Donegal and Mayo. Thats 3 weeks and game 2 and 3 is 4 and 5 weeks. Injuries can clear up in that time scale. But we know are definately gone for months eg Newman , Devine , Harnan and Campion. But if we could get most of the rest back I think we can deal.with the injuries. But if we have 9 or 10 first team starters missing v Tyrone that is a huge concern. Our panel has improved with new talent and returning players. But can we deal.with so many injuries? Hopefully we get a few back for Tyrone.

Yes we have players returning eg Brian Conlon, Joey Wallace, Eamon Wallace , Donal lenihan , Paddy kennelly and Jones will be back for championship and the emergence of new young talent eg Shane Walsh , Matthew Costello and Jack O Connor. When we get all our injured players back hopefully by the championship , the return of experienced players and new young talent. Its means there will be serious conpetition for places on our first 15 and also the match panel. Our midfield options are substantially improved with addition of Brian Conlon, Ronan Jones and Paddy Kennelly. Our full forward line is substantially improved with addition of Donal lenihan , Joey Wallace , Oisin O Brien , Shane Walsh , Jack Connor and I expect Jordan Morris will be called onto seniors after under 20s. We have some real good young talent forwards coming through eg Shane Walsh 19 , Dara Campion 20 , Ethan Devine 20 , James Conlon 20 , Jordan Morris 19 , Matthew Costello 18 and Jack Connor 19. All under 21 its long time we had such young forward talent making an immediate impact.

Walsh is very young we need to be careful with him but he is a big addition, he gives a fulcrum to the attack , he gives a target man option something we havent had in years. Also his freetaking is good. It looks he will take frees in league. I think he is a freetaker that could hit 80 % plus mark with Dean Rocks or Ciillian O Connors hit. Jack O Connor and Costello could start v Tyrone. I thought Costello was brillant on Saturday. I have feeling he will start. Himself and Campion are very exciting half forwards for future. Costello has vision somwthing you dont see now much for half forwards.

A player I am a big fan of is Jordan Morris. He was excellent v Dublin in under 20s. Like Walsh and Connor he has the physique for inter county football. He reminds me a bit of Ollie Murphy. I am not saying he is as good. We dont know how good he can become , but he is a serious prospect. James Conlon was brillant in leinster championship v Offaly , Carlow and laois last year. I think he is a player in 2 or 3 years time when he 23 24 or 25. When gets nore strenght and conditioning and learns his trade he has serious potential. I would use him and Joey Wallace as impacts subs in the league. If you bring Joey Wallace , James Conlon and Eamon Wallace on in last 10 or 15 mins thats allot of pace for opposition defenders to deal with in the dying minutes. Barry Dardis , Sean Toibin and Oisin O Brien are also potential impact subs. Dardis and especially Toibin looked good on sat. And O Brien everytime he comes on , he scores , thats all you want an impact sub to do. I think our bench could keep us in the league div 1 . But injuries is an issue.

Regards Tyrone McShane is not gone yet. Tadgh Kennelly has said he wouldnt be going this year. So its hard to know if he will go or stay. Tyrone have had a better pre season then us. They didnt play well v Cavan but still.won by 6 points. They beat Armagh last night and scored 3 - 18. Tyrone in Omagh is one toughest places to go in the country. They could have a poor league if McShane and Donnelly are missing but they could also get to league final. They have been in top 4 or 5 teams in the country for last few years and at half time in All Ireland semi final v kerry last year ,they looked like they were going to reach their second All Ireland final in 2 years. Tyrone are not easy opposition and the one county outside Ulster , they love to beat is us. We have a chance but it wouldnt be easy.
If we win it would be a landmark win for Meath..We havent beaten an Ulster team in Ulster in the league since 2015. And we havent beaten one best teams in the country in the league in 14 years since Eamon Barrys Meath beat Armagh in the league in 2006. So any victory in this years league will be first time we have beaten one of the best teams in the country in well over a decade. It could be a real.turning point. I think if we could get one victory early v top team on in the league everything coulf snowball.

I felt a few weeks ago we would stay in div 1 and have a better season then last year in 2020. My major concern is this injury issue. If our team and panel are seriously depleted for Tyrone and Donegal and Mayo games, it could really scupper our chances. And we could even be at the risk of some bad beatings. My gut feeling is we will stay in div 1. But as I said this injury issue is critical. We need Lenihan , Sullivan and McMahon and Gallagher fit for Tyrone. Lenihan is a real.worry. If we are down Newman and lenihan thats a major concern.

Even though it must be said these young Meath forwards have a bit old swagger and belief of Meaths forwards of Old. Since 2010 we havent been producing great young forward talent. It seems as we enter 2020s , there is a group of young talentede forwards who have great confidence talent and are showing a fearlessness we havent seen from Meath young forwards in a while.

I think these young forwards have allot of traits of Meaths forwards of the past. Im not saying they are as good as O Rourke or Giles. We dont know how good they will come. We only know that in 5 or 6 years time fully. But just the way tbey walk onto the team and perform straightaway with no fear and with great aplomb. I havent seen young Meath forwards making such an immdiate impact on Meath seniors in years. We had the youngest forwards in the super 8s with 5 forwards aged 18 19 and 20. 4 Meath forwards played in Byrne cup v louth were 19 years old. We dont know how good they will become. But I have been very impressed especially with Shane Walsh and Matthew Costello, they are real prospects. And Walsh at 19 is one of our most important players. Campion, Morris, J Conlon , Devine and O Connor have also impressed. Aaron Lynch and Luke Mitchell are also real prospects from under 20s. While young Eoghan Frayne with this years minors is a brillant prospect.

It great to see young Meath exciting forward talent coming on the scene. Forwards are always players who win you big matchs and competitions. We dont know how good they can become. But Shane Walsh and Dara Campion causing kerry huge problems in Super 8s , Matthew Costello excellent v Laois on Sunday , James Conlon scoring points for fun v laois in leinstet semi final , Devines catch v Clare last year. Jack O Connor being top scorer in Meath at 19. All these are great signs. We dont know how good they can become. But I have been very impressed with them. Our improvement has allot to with the confidence and positivty these young forwards are bringing to the panel.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 09/01/2020 13:59:36    2258414

More about injury update.

5 key players have had surgerys recently. Seamus Lavin has a knee injury, he has got surgery. According to Andy he is out for forseeable future. And will miss half the league. Harnan has a shoulder injury, he has got surgery. He will be out for most of the league. Maybe back for latter half of league. Mickey Newman has a hip injury, he also had surgery. He is out til May or June, 5 or 6 months. However an update on Devine and S McEntee is much better then I first thought. Devine has an elbow injury and also had surgery. According to Andy he is not million miles away from playing. He could participate in opening games. His injury is not as bad as first thought. Shane McEntee has back injury , he has had surgery and according to Andy he is also not a million miles away from playing. He could partake in opening games.
Regards Ronan Jones the management are expecting him back in March. So he could be back for end of the league , which is great.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 09/01/2020 14:20:42    2258417

Looks like a change of venue for first match, must be urgent work to close it this late in the day.....

https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/307255

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3744 - 09/01/2020 15:46:28    2258442

Oops sorry folks read that wrong, crisis averted

https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/307255

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3744 - 09/01/2020 15:48:57    2258444

As regards the injuries, it may have been a result of the squad having had a longer season than they were used to.
The likes of Dublin and Kerry operate in 3rd gear from January - August whereas we were busting a gut to get promotion and into the super 8's. Unfortunately, injuries are the price of success for us.

Hopefully Yorke in goals is an improvement on what went before. I think that between McGill, Keoghan, Ryan, McEntee and McCoy we should have enough experience in the backs. Menton plus Conlon / Kennelly gives us a decent midfield. It's the forwards where we are short on firepower and experience. We'll be relying on the likes of Walsh and O'Reilly to lead the line and for the likes of Costello and O'Connor to hit the ground running from day 1. It's a lot to ask. I think the goal will be to get to the last 3 games with survival still on the line and then hopefully we will have a few players back to have a crack at Galway and Monaghan.

gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 09/01/2020 16:09:25    2258453