Meath Forum

Longford v Meath, April 7th, Pearse Park, Longford

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First round of the championship. Always a defining time in the year. Hard to get used to it being barely two weeks from the end of the league so no opportunity for the traditional opportunity to guage how the panel are moving up close and personal at a variety of pitch openings.

I think the team will be on these lines considering where we are with injuries etc.

1. Sean Brennan
2. Donal Keogan
3. Adam O'Neill
4. Brian O'Halloran
5. Ciaran Caulfield
6. Darragh Campion
7. Sean Coffey
8. Ronan Jones
9. Cian McBride
10. Daithi McGowan
11.Eoghan Frayne
12. Jack O'Connor
13. Shane Walsh
14. Matthew Costello
15. Ruairi Kinsella

Not saying that's the best team but I think that it's the most settled based on the league. We need more invention in attack but options are still looking limited.

stillaroyal (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 24/03/2024 13:24:12    2533037

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Replying To stillaroyal:  "First round of the championship. Always a defining time in the year. Hard to get used to it being barely two weeks from the end of the league so no opportunity for the traditional opportunity to guage how the panel are moving up close and personal at a variety of pitch openings.

I think the team will be on these lines considering where we are with injuries etc.

1. Sean Brennan
2. Donal Keogan
3. Adam O'Neill
4. Brian O'Halloran
5. Ciaran Caulfield
6. Darragh Campion
7. Sean Coffey
8. Ronan Jones
9. Cian McBride
10. Daithi McGowan
11.Eoghan Frayne
12. Jack O'Connor
13. Shane Walsh
14. Matthew Costello
15. Ruairi Kinsella

Not saying that's the best team but I think that it's the most settled based on the league. We need more invention in attack but options are still looking limited."
Reasons to be optimistic
- We looked strongest in the must-win run of games Louth-Kildare-Cavan, showed real mettle
- Young team, lots of room for improvement
- Might have been training hard through the Cork and Donegal fixtures
- Finally showing some disciplined defensive structure
- Outside Dublin, Kerry and Derry other teams are no great shakes
- Donal Keoghan exists

Reasons to be pessimistic
- blunt in attack
- question marks over S&C levels
- way off Donegal and Armagh
- far too many turnovers for elite level
- no indication we're attempting modern attacking patterns
- no evidence we're trying anything ambitious or different in prep or tactics

Which is all to say, I think we'll beat Longford well. There were brief patches in Div 2 where it looked like the forward would fill their boots. Expect it to happen against Longford. After that is the tough part.

Still, I live in hope. Dublin game, sadly, doesn't matter at present. If we learn lessons from league and train savagely in the 5 weeks from inevitable Dublin loss to the AI-series first round then who knows?

MeathAbroad (Meath) - Posts: 101 - 24/03/2024 17:39:13    2533205

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Also, for reference ahead of the Championship season, if the privincials go to form (ie along league performance lines with no major shocks) then the seedings will look like this:

Kerry
Dublin
Derry
Mayo

Armagh
Clare
Louth
Galway

Tyrone
Donegal
Armagh
Roscommon

Monaghan
Meath
Cavan
Cork

MeathAbroad (Meath) - Posts: 101 - 24/03/2024 18:07:41    2533225

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Replying To stillaroyal:  "First round of the championship. Always a defining time in the year. Hard to get used to it being barely two weeks from the end of the league so no opportunity for the traditional opportunity to guage how the panel are moving up close and personal at a variety of pitch openings.

I think the team will be on these lines considering where we are with injuries etc.

1. Sean Brennan
2. Donal Keogan
3. Adam O'Neill
4. Brian O'Halloran
5. Ciaran Caulfield
6. Darragh Campion
7. Sean Coffey
8. Ronan Jones
9. Cian McBride
10. Daithi McGowan
11.Eoghan Frayne
12. Jack O'Connor
13. Shane Walsh
14. Matthew Costello
15. Ruairi Kinsella

Not saying that's the best team but I think that it's the most settled based on the league. We need more invention in attack but options are still looking limited."
Meath should be beating Longford comfortablely, anything other than that isn't acceptable. Longford got tanked by Wexford today. That shows where they are at. However, with that team above, I would be very very fearful of what Dublin would do to us.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 998 - 24/03/2024 20:53:52    2533320

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I notice that if Longford beat us, they play Dublin in Longford. However, if we beat Longford, Meath play Dublin in Croke Park. What is going on there. Have Meath given away home advantage? There won't be any construction happening in Páirc Tailteann any time soon, so if Meath have volunterly given away a home game against Dublin to get Croke Park experience, they need their heads examined.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 998 - 24/03/2024 20:58:09    2533324

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It's very simple, Longford are a mid division 4 team and we're a mid division 2 team. We should be beating them by 10+ points. We had our safety with 3 games to go. I was talking to a player after the Cork game and he was saying that the lads were putting a lot of hard work in and they even went for a few points after it to relax so the Cork and Donegal results don't surprise me.

Last year against Offaly had a number of factors contributing to the shock result including our poor form off the back of a league campaign and their u20 success. Longford aren't a patch on the Offaly team we played and we aren't as bad as we were last year going into Leinster.

UsernameInvalid (Meath) - Posts: 409 - 24/03/2024 21:49:50    2533348

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Replying To stillaroyal:  "First round of the championship. Always a defining time in the year. Hard to get used to it being barely two weeks from the end of the league so no opportunity for the traditional opportunity to guage how the panel are moving up close and personal at a variety of pitch openings.

I think the team will be on these lines considering where we are with injuries etc.

1. Sean Brennan
2. Donal Keogan
3. Adam O'Neill
4. Brian O'Halloran
5. Ciaran Caulfield
6. Darragh Campion
7. Sean Coffey
8. Ronan Jones
9. Cian McBride
10. Daithi McGowan
11.Eoghan Frayne
12. Jack O'Connor
13. Shane Walsh
14. Matthew Costello
15. Ruairi Kinsella

Not saying that's the best team but I think that it's the most settled based on the league. We need more invention in attack but options are still looking limited."
After last night is Keith Curtis worth a shot over Kinsella, and the u20 management drew up a contract with the county board that Brian o' Halloran has to return to the u20 setup for championship which will make him unavailable for Longford.

Mmmeath (Meath) - Posts: 15 - 24/03/2024 23:44:22    2533398

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Replying To Mmmeath:  "After last night is Keith Curtis worth a shot over Kinsella, and the u20 management drew up a contract with the county board that Brian o' Halloran has to return to the u20 setup for championship which will make him unavailable for Longford."
O'Halloran can technically both . See article below. But with the likes of Ronan Ryan back training I would imagine they will let O'Halloran focus soley on 20s until its over. Jack Kinlough would probably link up with the senior Panel as soon as 20s is finished too.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-congress-motion-to-allow-players-to-play-u20-and-senior-inter-county-championship-games-in-same-week-passed/a1861651792.html

Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 184 - 25/03/2024 07:51:00    2533413

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Replying To UsernameInvalid:  "It's very simple, Longford are a mid division 4 team and we're a mid division 2 team. We should be beating them by 10+ points. We had our safety with 3 games to go. I was talking to a player after the Cork game and he was saying that the lads were putting a lot of hard work in and they even went for a few points after it to relax so the Cork and Donegal results don't surprise me.

Last year against Offaly had a number of factors contributing to the shock result including our poor form off the back of a league campaign and their u20 success. Longford aren't a patch on the Offaly team we played and we aren't as bad as we were last year going into Leinster."
No problem with the pints after that league game, what i do find strange is COR giving them another night out after the donegal game sat night..its two weeks to championship is it not?

Ed2010 (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 25/03/2024 08:23:33    2533420

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Even with current set up we should win by 8+. What awaits us then is probably the biggest ever loss to Dublin. Particularly if Colm does what he did v them in league and go man to man. I'd hope he has learned something but I don't know. We are lower end div 2 team with Longford been mid table div 4. So I don't have any worries apart from complacency and the obvious it doesn't matter until 2026 attitude that has seeped into the team from sidelines .
But my god what will we face in game after sends shivers down my spine. McCarthy said that the league game in navan was the one they really went for due to issues between Colm and Dessie and that they wanted to show Dessie that they had his back and put down a marker in Meath home ground. What that's all about I don't know. I think it goes back to Dessie days in gpa and some disagreement with Colm. If they have that same attitude in croke park they will take us apart. Need 15 men behind the ball. Keep it respectable. But for this game a easy win or we in real trouble

Wtaf (Meath) - Posts: 29 - 25/03/2024 09:29:01    2533436

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Replying To Ed2010:  "No problem with the pints after that league game, what i do find strange is COR giving them another night out after the donegal game sat night..its two weeks to championship is it not?"
Are you sure that happened? Cause if it did it shows extremely bad management

Wtaf (Meath) - Posts: 29 - 25/03/2024 11:07:29    2533474

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Replying To Wtaf:  "Are you sure that happened? Cause if it did it shows extremely bad management"
Why do you see this as extremely bad management?

oceanofnoise (Meath) - Posts: 52 - 25/03/2024 12:09:27    2533513

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Replying To Ed2010:  "No problem with the pints after that league game, what i do find strange is COR giving them another night out after the donegal game sat night..its two weeks to championship is it not?"
Now while I'm not happy about the league performances or Colm s excuses regarding the team! are we seriously going to have a pop at him for letting the team have a couple of drinks after a long trip to Donegal and let them have a bit of a life.3 days max and a good training session and the alcohol would be out of their system.Honestly it just seems people want to have a go non stop.

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 296 - 25/03/2024 12:43:24    2533526

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Replying To Proudroyal:  "Now while I'm not happy about the league performances or Colm s excuses regarding the team! are we seriously going to have a pop at him for letting the team have a couple of drinks after a long trip to Donegal and let them have a bit of a life.3 days max and a good training session and the alcohol would be out of their system.Honestly it just seems people want to have a go non stop."
Wasnt having a pop as such, just find it strange timing thats all

Ed2010 (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 25/03/2024 12:48:34    2533529

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Replying To Ed2010:  "No problem with the pints after that league game, what i do find strange is COR giving them another night out after the donegal game sat night..its two weeks to championship is it not?"
Ah will ye go way out of that.

I've been a big critic of COR and his management but absolutely nothing whatsoever wrong with young fit lads having a night out 15 days before their next game. Ridiculous to even bring this up and suggest there is something wrong with it. A good training session on Tuesday and they'll be brand new.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1012 - 25/03/2024 13:18:28    2533541

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Replying To Wtaf:  "Are you sure that happened? Cause if it did it shows extremely bad management"
Drama queen

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 938 - 25/03/2024 13:38:20    2533558

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Only listened to COR interview with LMFM there. Agree that it's not wise to talk too much about development and future seasons, that can take the edge off a group of players. Leave that talk to committee meetings at end of the year. Even his comments about potentially not being in charge when (if!) we become successful again suggest he's thinking of it like a development team. Obviously, we want to be competing for silverware again. But just being a tough team to play this Championship would be great. Beating a Clare or a Louth if we're lucky enough to draw then, maybe beating a Monaghan or a Roscommon, sticking it up to a Tyrone or Galway. That'd feel exciting after the past few years. I hope they're going all out to achieve that.

I feel like COR has a pre-backdoor mentality, where it's "beat the Dubs or bust". Meath have been the most underperforming county in the country since the backdoor came in. That's down to a lot of factors, but I think that includes not moving away from that "one-big-performance" approach to preparation. Teams like Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal, the teams we can emulate in the medium term, learned how to manage a whole season. When COR came in he made some big statements about getting to the Dubs level. It's nice to hear from a Meath manager, but I wonder does he have the appetite to 'just' get us to Div 1? For us to be competitive against at the top level, but not necessarily AI contenders. I hope he does. I think this group is good enough and committed enough, with the right preparation.

MeathAbroad (Meath) - Posts: 101 - 25/03/2024 13:56:58    2533573

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Replying To Wtaf:  "Are you sure that happened? Cause if it did it shows extremely bad management"
Get a grip, you are some one for the whinging, what harm do you thing a few drinks would do? Sounding more and more like another poster the more you say. SB did likewise over thirty years and it certainly did no harm.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2196 - 25/03/2024 14:01:52    2533576

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Completely different as they have a league final this weekend,we dont play for 2 weeks so no harm in letting guys have a couple.of drinks.Do you honestly think that all teams dont let their hair down when possible ie a 2 week gap to next game.I would say Jim would let the Donegal lads have a few after Sundays final win or lose if they have a 2 week break before next game not sure if they do.By all means have a pop at Colm for team performances and structure but don't have a pop at him for this is.Is laughable and you really need to get a grip.3 days max and good session and alcohol would be completely gone as I've said in my previous post so that leaves 11 days before the next game which is loads of time.

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 296 - 25/03/2024 14:14:34    2533588

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Replying To MeathAbroad:  "Only listened to COR interview with LMFM there. Agree that it's not wise to talk too much about development and future seasons, that can take the edge off a group of players. Leave that talk to committee meetings at end of the year. Even his comments about potentially not being in charge when (if!) we become successful again suggest he's thinking of it like a development team. Obviously, we want to be competing for silverware again. But just being a tough team to play this Championship would be great. Beating a Clare or a Louth if we're lucky enough to draw then, maybe beating a Monaghan or a Roscommon, sticking it up to a Tyrone or Galway. That'd feel exciting after the past few years. I hope they're going all out to achieve that.

I feel like COR has a pre-backdoor mentality, where it's "beat the Dubs or bust". Meath have been the most underperforming county in the country since the backdoor came in. That's down to a lot of factors, but I think that includes not moving away from that "one-big-performance" approach to preparation. Teams like Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal, the teams we can emulate in the medium term, learned how to manage a whole season. When COR came in he made some big statements about getting to the Dubs level. It's nice to hear from a Meath manager, but I wonder does he have the appetite to 'just' get us to Div 1? For us to be competitive against at the top level, but not necessarily AI contenders. I hope he does. I think this group is good enough and committed enough, with the right preparation."
I just listened to the interview and could not find anything amiss whith what Colm said. He has been consistant with his view's from day, saying it is a long term project and I fully agree with him. We have stumbled around for last 10/15 years having the odd decent season only to fall flat the following year. I think CB and management have identified this and are now attempting an alternative route, one that will take time and annoy the hell out of some supporters. Most importantly the players have bought into plan and many supporters see the merit in it. Some posters just focus on the negative's of these interview's never thinking it might be better looking at the positive points. I liked the way he talk's about the players alway's putting them front and centre. Also the news on Morris and Scully returning to full training has been overlooked. It also looks like we may have Grey and Ronan Ryan back before A/I series. I have no doubt he realise's Division One is must before we can even consider the Dub's who are starting to look better than ever.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2196 - 25/03/2024 20:11:49    2533726

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