Meath Forum

Senior Football Championship 2021

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Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "Very accurate post, I think your point about the power base shifting south side in Dublin is a very good one, with Crokes now the most successful team over the last 20 years and all 4 semi finalists in Dublin this year being south of the Liffey while Plunkett's and Vincent's got relegated. I think a lot of the North Meath resentment comes from something similar happening in Meath. If you look at senior 20 years ago it had clubs like Cortown, Ballinlough, Syddan, Oldcastle, Kilmainhamwood. And now with population influx Ratoath, Ashbourne, St Colmcilles have replaced them and I think there's a resentment of this and that's why most of North Meath seems to row in behind Tones and Kells the last few years. But like you correctly said when it comes to Meath teams who cares. All we need to do is look at our successful minor teams lately. The 2018 minors had no starters from Dunboyne, Ratoath or Ashbourne and only 1 from St Colmcilles and won Leinster and lost a semi final to Galway. On the 2021 minors there were 7 starters from those 4 clubs including the 3,6,8,9 and 14. And they won the all Ireland, so it doesn't really matter as long as it's the best players. What I can't stand are the description of those south east border clubs as soft, and claims that north Meath footballers are overlooked because there's a clique of south Meath people keeping it to themselves which some people on here come out with it and it's just simply not true"
Best post on this in a long time. The bitterness from North Meath teams to the South is just ridiculous. I know population has had a huge effect on clubs from South and North Meath in different ways, but it seems North Meath clubs are to quick to blame this for their demise, whereas they should probably look at themselves first, and reflect as to whether the level of coaching/S&C/commitment from players is where it should be to compete at a higher level. St Vincents and Curragha are not exactly huge clubs and they have made huge strides over the past five to six years despite having the same if not less of a population than some North Meath clubs that do a lot of winging. Moynalvey and Ballinabrackey are also small rural clubs and they are also competing strongly at Senior level.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 998 - 12/11/2021 14:22:41    2389203

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Replying To BigJoe14:  "Best post on this in a long time. The bitterness from North Meath teams to the South is just ridiculous. I know population has had a huge effect on clubs from South and North Meath in different ways, but it seems North Meath clubs are to quick to blame this for their demise, whereas they should probably look at themselves first, and reflect as to whether the level of coaching/S&C/commitment from players is where it should be to compete at a higher level. St Vincents and Curragha are not exactly huge clubs and they have made huge strides over the past five to six years despite having the same if not less of a population than some North Meath clubs that do a lot of winging. Moynalvey and Ballinabrackey are also small rural clubs and they are also competing strongly at Senior level."
not one to rain on anyone's back slapping....but id like to draw breath for a moment & just try & bring an alternative viewpoint to this one way discussion. Im not convinced that the Northmeath so called "bitterness" is in fact that. I think , some complaints by northmeath posters are quickly labelled taht way....but are they not like any other posters from anywhere else, just giving off. I also don't think there is any monopoly in South Meath on this idea of "i dont care where a lad is from once he is wearing green" ....but in addition i think its an overstated & over simplified statement in itself
I do happen to think that if we don't show Young lads i& lassies n North meath that they can wear the green...then we do have a problem....
The other ironic things i find is...posters on here waxing about the so called bitterness of Northmeath people...have been teh same lads on about the Dubs & their unfair advantages & resources for Years ...WFT!

Thelongwoodslasher (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 12/11/2021 16:08:42    2389211

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Replying To brian:  "Cheers LR, good to hear your opinion on things. You always present a balanced and thought out opinion and I enjoy reading what you have to say. You always know an LR post will be a good post.

Yeah I agree with your point of the likes of Cortown, Ballinlough dropping down the grades replaced by Dunboyne Ratoath etc is rubbing some up the wrong way. But those clubs are being helped by an influx and growing population in their football clubs where as the north Meath clubs are more rural. Strangely I'd never count Syddan as a north meath club but you're right there. My own ignorance in not knowing they're close to Ardee (did a goggle maps)

I think if you look at Meath the older/ traditional clubs like Skryne, Senchelstown, Walterstown, O'Mahony's to a lesser extent have fallen back due a lack of population and a strong group of players together at the same time where as clubs like Ratoath, Dunboyne, St Colmcilles, Donaghmore/ Ashbourne and probably Simonstown have flourished due to huge growth at population, people investing time at underage, dominating the age grade football and that flowing through into the senior set up. I think the recent division 2 minor league final was between kells and navan which is strange considering the population those clubs should have to pick from at underage. Maybe they need to get their underage/ academies in order before blaming a perceived South Meath bias.

Another interesting point is that old schools system of winning Leinster titles in Trim, Kells and St Pat's Navan has all dried up. I remember in my time late 90's that those schools were almost always challenging for Leinster league and championship titles. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I think (and I may be wrong) it's Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne and Dunboyne that are competing at schools level now, whereas they used to be cannon fodder for the others ..."
Thanks Brian.

I see from previous Development Squads, the club breakdown was as follows:-

North
Gaeil Colmcille, Round Towers, Inny Gaels, Ballinlough, Oldcastle,
Carnaross, Moynalty, Nobber, St. Michaels, Kilmainhamwood,
Drumconrath/Meath Hill, Rathkenny, Castletown, and Syddan

South
Moynalvey, Summerhill, Ballivor, Longwood, Trim, St. Peters/St. Pauls,
Blackhall Gaels, Clonard, Ballinabrackey, Boardsmill, Na Fianna,
Dunshaughlin, and Dunsany.

Central
St. Cuthberts, Clann na nGael, Dunderry, Wolfe Tones,
Bective/Cannistown, Simonstown Gaels, Navan O'Mahony's, Walterstown, and Seneschalstown.

East
St. Patricks, St. Colmcilles, Duleek/Bellewstown, St. Vincents,
Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Ratoath, Kilbride, Slane, St. Marys, Skryne, and
Curraha.



Maybe, Central and East are re-classified these days.???

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4051 - 12/11/2021 17:16:49    2389222

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Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "Very accurate post, I think your point about the power base shifting south side in Dublin is a very good one, with Crokes now the most successful team over the last 20 years and all 4 semi finalists in Dublin this year being south of the Liffey while Plunkett's and Vincent's got relegated. I think a lot of the North Meath resentment comes from something similar happening in Meath. If you look at senior 20 years ago it had clubs like Cortown, Ballinlough, Syddan, Oldcastle, Kilmainhamwood. And now with population influx Ratoath, Ashbourne, St Colmcilles have replaced them and I think there's a resentment of this and that's why most of North Meath seems to row in behind Tones and Kells the last few years. But like you correctly said when it comes to Meath teams who cares. All we need to do is look at our successful minor teams lately. The 2018 minors had no starters from Dunboyne, Ratoath or Ashbourne and only 1 from St Colmcilles and won Leinster and lost a semi final to Galway. On the 2021 minors there were 7 starters from those 4 clubs including the 3,6,8,9 and 14. And they won the all Ireland, so it doesn't really matter as long as it's the best players. What I can't stand are the description of those south east border clubs as soft, and claims that north Meath footballers are overlooked because there's a clique of south Meath people keeping it to themselves which some people on here come out with it and it's just simply not true"
Think that's it. As someone from ballinbrackey and spent time in bettystown. I can't get my head around it. If the 15 starters for Meath were from kells I wouldn't care once they won or same if they from dunboyne. You put on the Meath shirt ur club is Irrelevant.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 13/11/2021 09:29:10    2389246

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Replying To Thelongwoodslasher:  "not one to rain on anyone's back slapping....but id like to draw breath for a moment & just try & bring an alternative viewpoint to this one way discussion. Im not convinced that the Northmeath so called "bitterness" is in fact that. I think , some complaints by northmeath posters are quickly labelled taht way....but are they not like any other posters from anywhere else, just giving off. I also don't think there is any monopoly in South Meath on this idea of "i dont care where a lad is from once he is wearing green" ....but in addition i think its an overstated & over simplified statement in itself
I do happen to think that if we don't show Young lads i& lassies n North meath that they can wear the green...then we do have a problem....
The other ironic things i find is...posters on here waxing about the so called bitterness of Northmeath people...have been teh same lads on about the Dubs & their unfair advantages & resources for Years ...WFT!"
My argument about the Dubs advantages were rarely population based (although if you combined Dunboyne, Ratoath, Ashbourne and Dunshauglin together it would have about the same % of Meath as Dublin has of Ireland). The Dubs had a huge population 20 years ago and it counted for nothing. My more major issues are the self inflicted GAA ones. If one club in Meath got more money from Meath GAA for 10 years than the rest of the clubs combined and got to play every championship game at home then it would be comparable.

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1527 - 13/11/2021 10:43:41    2389256

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Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "My argument about the Dubs advantages were rarely population based (although if you combined Dunboyne, Ratoath, Ashbourne and Dunshauglin together it would have about the same % of Meath as Dublin has of Ireland). The Dubs had a huge population 20 years ago and it counted for nothing. My more major issues are the self inflicted GAA ones. If one club in Meath got more money from Meath GAA for 10 years than the rest of the clubs combined and got to play every championship game at home then it would be comparable."
and you don't think that the sponsorship capability fo teh bigger clubs in meath dont give the big Clubs an advantage ..come on....i was in PT recently....and Dunboyne's second Team , had a bludy prepacked End go game meal ready for them....

Thelongwoodslasher (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 14/11/2021 12:33:17    2389358

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Replying To Thelongwoodslasher:  "and you don't think that the sponsorship capability fo teh bigger clubs in meath dont give the big Clubs an advantage ..come on....i was in PT recently....and Dunboyne's second Team , had a bludy prepacked End go game meal ready for them...."
The owner of the company who supplies those meals is a member of that panel so he looked after them with the meals. Don't make something of nothing there lad!!

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1012 - 14/11/2021 14:13:19    2389366

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Replying To Thelongwoodslasher:  "and you don't think that the sponsorship capability fo teh bigger clubs in meath dont give the big Clubs an advantage ..come on....i was in PT recently....and Dunboyne's second Team , had a bludy prepacked End go game meal ready for them...."
That was by the teams sponsors from Dunboyne, a local family business who had a player on the team. Local business looking after team in their championship final hardly groundbreaking.

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 14/11/2021 15:06:15    2389373

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Replying To Thelongwoodslasher:  "and you don't think that the sponsorship capability fo teh bigger clubs in meath dont give the big Clubs an advantage ..come on....i was in PT recently....and Dunboyne's second Team , had a bludy prepacked End go game meal ready for them...."
Players getting a bit of grub after a game ... outrageous carry on

royler (Meath) - Posts: 278 - 14/11/2021 15:11:00    2389375

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I'm not even from anywhere near Dunboyne and knew that one of their panelists is involved with Hanley catering. Hardly shocking that they'd link up with the club to supply food....

Should they stop sponsoring the Intermediate Hurling Championship too?

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1668 - 14/11/2021 15:59:10    2389379

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Replying To CastleBravo:  "I'm not even from anywhere near Dunboyne and knew that one of their panelists is involved with Hanley catering. Hardly shocking that they'd link up with the club to supply food....

Should they stop sponsoring the Intermediate Hurling Championship too?"
Lovely bit of sensationalism from there from the Slasher. Sure everyone knows Dunboynes 2nd team are looked after better than the Dubs..........

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1012 - 14/11/2021 18:44:04    2389416

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Replying To Blackspot09:  "The owner of the company who supplies those meals is a member of that panel so he looked after them with the meals. Don't make something of nothing there lad!!"
ok bad example , but argument is still the same , which is larger town larger panels larger opportunities . this all started out about North meath apparent bitterness, against south meath, and if my previous post has anything positive in it, it is the fact that i for one was stilled bowled over of teh organisation involved in it . and no matter what you say , there was/is organising , which needs people and structure
Ive been on here time & again "defending the dubs" against many of the same guys who were waxing on about anti North Meath bias and my point is you cant have it both ways.
without doubt Dublin got too much & still gets too much percentage of central funds , But the key thing is , and ive argued this...its what they did with the funds. You couldnt Give our lot the same money , or it would be wasted with some ego Project, or worse still wittled away & nothing to show for it. There should be more "investment" per cpiat in teh North & west of the Country than the South & east. That is just a basic common sense approach by any CB, to redress the population inbalance , and that wont get any better in the years ahead.
and before some ejit here starts talking about Wolfe Tones this year ...please, maybe the Same packed meals didnt work for the dunboyne Seniors

Thelongwoodslasher (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 15/11/2021 09:55:39    2389479

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Replying To Thelongwoodslasher:  "ok bad example , but argument is still the same , which is larger town larger panels larger opportunities . this all started out about North meath apparent bitterness, against south meath, and if my previous post has anything positive in it, it is the fact that i for one was stilled bowled over of teh organisation involved in it . and no matter what you say , there was/is organising , which needs people and structure
Ive been on here time & again "defending the dubs" against many of the same guys who were waxing on about anti North Meath bias and my point is you cant have it both ways.
without doubt Dublin got too much & still gets too much percentage of central funds , But the key thing is , and ive argued this...its what they did with the funds. You couldnt Give our lot the same money , or it would be wasted with some ego Project, or worse still wittled away & nothing to show for it. There should be more "investment" per cpiat in teh North & west of the Country than the South & east. That is just a basic common sense approach by any CB, to redress the population inbalance , and that wont get any better in the years ahead.
and before some ejit here starts talking about Wolfe Tones this year ...please, maybe the Same packed meals didnt work for the dunboyne Seniors"
Navan - population - 30,000 plus
Ashbourne - 12,500 plus
Laytown - 11,800 plus
Ratoath - 9,500 plus
Trim. - 9,100 plus
Dunboyne - 7,200 plus
Kells - 6,100 plus

Summerhill- 878

By those counts (all from most recent census!) and your reasoning Navan should be winning every year and Summerhill shouldn't ever compete at Senior!

ASaminthehand (Meath) - Posts: 422 - 15/11/2021 22:03:31    2389591

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Replying To ASaminthehand:  "Navan - population - 30,000 plus
Ashbourne - 12,500 plus
Laytown - 11,800 plus
Ratoath - 9,500 plus
Trim. - 9,100 plus
Dunboyne - 7,200 plus
Kells - 6,100 plus

Summerhill- 878

By those counts (all from most recent census!) and your reasoning Navan should be winning every year and Summerhill shouldn't ever compete at Senior!"
exactly.....resources plus bets use of those resources = results
navan have maxed out there resources many times in the past, and we shouldn't be overly critical of them when that slips and they fall backwards. ask anyone in navan & they will tell you they took theiri eye off the ball post that 2011 crop .
summerhill, skyrne, tones ...and others have maxed out their resources for years and brought them great success.
reality is...once a "big gun" gets things 100% right...the rest of us are unfortunately playing catch up....luckily, most of the big guns, dont egt it right....and without actually knowing the exact prescription, its the smaller clubs that create a winning environment time & time again

Thelongwoodslasher (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 16/11/2021 10:51:45    2389611

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Replying To ASaminthehand:  "Navan - population - 30,000 plus
Ashbourne - 12,500 plus
Laytown - 11,800 plus
Ratoath - 9,500 plus
Trim. - 9,100 plus
Dunboyne - 7,200 plus
Kells - 6,100 plus

Summerhill- 878

By those counts (all from most recent census!) and your reasoning Navan should be winning every year and Summerhill shouldn't ever compete at Senior!"
For Navan you would have to take multiple clubs and their catchment areas into account on the recent census. NOM, Simonstown, Bective, Walterstown and even parts of Skryne, Tones, Seneschalstown would come under Navan.

Best way to look at the size of a club is number of adult teams, playing numbers for each underage team and then overall playing members. If we were to base it on the the recent census then Summerhill wouldn't be senior and St. Mary's, St. Paul's and Slane should be competing at a higher level

UsernameInvalid (Meath) - Posts: 409 - 16/11/2021 11:31:02    2389621

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You learn something new every day. Since apparently Summerhill GFC can only pick from the 878 people in the village itself, what club do the good folk in the countryside of Summerhill parish play for? It stretches from the Kildare border to just outside Trim so it seems a pretty big number of people to have no club serving it.....

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1668 - 16/11/2021 15:31:52    2389667

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Replying To UsernameInvalid:  "For Navan you would have to take multiple clubs and their catchment areas into account on the recent census. NOM, Simonstown, Bective, Walterstown and even parts of Skryne, Tones, Seneschalstown would come under Navan.

Best way to look at the size of a club is number of adult teams, playing numbers for each underage team and then overall playing members. If we were to base it on the the recent census then Summerhill wouldn't be senior and St. Mary's, St. Paul's and Slane should be competing at a higher level"
In agreement on Castle bravo here.. Also St Marys gaa would have a smaller population compared to Summerhill gaa to deal with I'd imagine. Also to note, parts of Skryne would be part of Catchment area of Navan,, but definitely not in Football Club Catchment of the Town as stated. Skryne is big enough without another landgrab...

Jimmycricket (Meath) - Posts: 115 - 16/11/2021 16:23:53    2389686

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Replying To CastleBravo:  "You learn something new every day. Since apparently Summerhill GFC can only pick from the 878 people in the village itself, what club do the good folk in the countryside of Summerhill parish play for? It stretches from the Kildare border to just outside Trim so it seems a pretty big number of people to have no club serving it....."
keep the chat going lads ...you get the gist of the argument...just add to it...don't stop it...otherwise its a bloody long winter ahead for us

Thelongwoodslasher (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 16/11/2021 16:41:24    2389691

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Anyone else sickened Tones won this Championship as they are a very average side who got so lucky this year in what will go down as one of worst standards of senior championship I have seen in the last 45 Years

Head4TheBlackSpot (Meath) - Posts: 27 - 18/11/2021 12:26:34    2389848

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Replying To Head4TheBlackSpot:  "Anyone else sickened Tones won this Championship as they are a very average side who got so lucky this year in what will go down as one of worst standards of senior championship I have seen in the last 45 Years"
Grow up.

Beat Dunboyne, Ratoath and Kells in the knock outs stages to win it. Any team doing that given those teams records in recent seasons fully deserves to win a county championship.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 18/11/2021 14:13:23    2389880

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