Meath Forum

Meath 2026

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Replying To Sheridan2010louth:  "You're probably from dunshaughlin with that sort of comment, as the commenter said before you Kinlough and McConnell are top prospects. I heard Robbie say McConnell was the best player in meath club championship in 2025 and i totally agree he was outstanding, also I'd be stunned if Kinlough didn't end being one of our most important players. All Ireland Minor champion, Leinster u20 champion and was starting to find his feet in his first year of senior before he got injured against Carlow."
Im not from Dunshaughlin no, but like most others on here i seen that kinsella is the answer to our long standing centre forward question. Superb workrate, skill set and can score 2 pointers, brilliant at breaking ball. A unique footballer that we dont have a direct replacement for unfortunately.

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 1043 - 12/01/2026 08:28:53    2650737

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Replying To Sheridan2010louth:  "Teams we beat last year without Ruairi kinsella - Cavan, Down away and Roscommon. He's a nice player but far from irreplaceable."
Oisin Martin is a great replacement, big powerful, great engine, good hands very accurate great work rate. We are not short of replacements by any means. To say Kinsella is irreplaceable shows a total lack of knowledge of football.

latouche25 (Meath) - Posts: 559 - 12/01/2026 13:14:44    2650795

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Replying To latouche25:  "Oisin Martin is a great replacement, big powerful, great engine, good hands very accurate great work rate. We are not short of replacements by any means. To say Kinsella is irreplaceable shows a total lack of knowledge of football."
Good lad

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 1043 - 12/01/2026 15:04:42    2650812

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Replying To Coylesrighthand:  "No one will be able to replace Kinsella. Not even a fully fit Kinlough IMO. However we are in this position so here are some options as i see them:

I thought Campo in his last full year was starting to show play making potential, under the old rules he ended up at 6 as this was almost the best position to play that role with packed defences, but I dont he's going to hit top speed until the middle of summer. If happens to be further ahead than I thought he could be an option.

Charlie O'Connor plays a good bit at 11 for Dunshaughlin so has experience there and would be another fethcher, albeit we would be losing a ground hog in Kinsella for another fethcher in O'Connor. We need to get that balance right.

Rian McConnell - still concerned about top level intercounty phisicality for him. He's very thin frame and could be could short for power and pace. He has Kinsella footballing IQ levels, in fact I would say the two are alone in front in that aspect for Meath.

Killian Smyth plays 11 for Castletown, I was hoping he would really rise above everyone in the O'Byrne cup and really stick his hand up, he ended play well but didnt stick out as much as I hoped."
Killian Smyth operates best around the half back line, he's definitely not a forward. But a powerful hard runner that has a lot of acceleration. And could see him being useful around the half back line/midfield

Agree on Rian McConnell, so talented, but might lack the size and physicality for intercounty football. A bit casual on the ball too, can't be carrying it into traffic at this level. That been said, he bullied Padraig Harnan who is twice is size in terms of physicality in the Intermediate semi, so he's deceptive strong.

Kinsella will be a huge loss regardless and nobody in the country offers what he does. So hopefully it's nothing serious anyway.

Cabbagepatch1667 (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 12/01/2026 16:07:26    2650821

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Replying To latouche25:  "Oisin Martin is a great replacement, big powerful, great engine, good hands very accurate great work rate. We are not short of replacements by any means. To say Kinsella is irreplaceable shows a total lack of knowledge of football."
Totally agree, Oisin is as tough as old boots and looked very good in the obyrne cup games I thought. Don't think there's any irreplaceable player, Morris and Costello supposedly irreplaceable yet we had some of our best wins without them last year.

Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 278 - 12/01/2026 16:28:47    2650823

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And update on Jones , Kinlough and Conlon did they take any part in recent friendlies.
Kinsella will be a huge loss if not available to start the league .
Who else is out injured for the start of the league .

Royalmc (Meath) - Posts: 16 - 12/01/2026 21:48:38    2650861

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I'm really looking forward to seeing how this Meath team shapes up. It feels like the most important season in years.

If they can achieve something this year - Division 1 status, a Leinster title, or another All-Ireland semi-final - even just one of those - it could really steady senior football in the county for the next couple of years.

It would be fantastic to see them leapfrog a Division 1 team and, like Armagh, start dining with the big boys.

Jack Flynn showed real class in the club championship when he was fit, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what a fully fit Jack Flynn can do.

The big question for me is whether our All-Star nominees can push on and become genuine elite players and is someone like mcbride,curtis, lynch,smith, really genuinely going to make impact off the bench. Adam O'Neill is a great example he's not a regular but because of injuries and the run of games in the championship he had a fine season, we need more of that ! Especially in the backs.

royalcounty1 (Meath) - Posts: 32 - 12/01/2026 22:06:36    2650865

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Replying To Royalmc:  "And update on Jones , Kinlough and Conlon did they take any part in recent friendlies.
Kinsella will be a huge loss if not available to start the league .
Who else is out injured for the start of the league ."
No word, but they're all back running, Jones and Conlon are fit to play

Dunshaughlin4keegan (Meath) - Posts: 14 - 13/01/2026 14:51:52    2650941

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Starting to feel that excitement again. A huge year ahead. If we can kick on there could be a very fun decade of football for Meath. Such a tricky league, as always. The away days are all tough. Tyrone will coast through imo. Derry could be back to their pre 2024 levels. Kildare will be stronger again. Beat Derry and it's all in our hands. Don't and maybe another 3rd or 4th place awaits. Unlike other recent years the league doesn't feel as all or nothing. Of course it would be great to be division 1. But all that shadow boxing arguably leaves teams undercooked for provincials.

MeathAbroad (Meath) - Posts: 172 - 15/01/2026 11:33:50    2651130

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Replying To Dunshaughlin4keegan:  "No word, but they're all back running, Jones and Conlon are fit to play"
Who's Meaths best midfield pairing?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1844 - 15/01/2026 12:24:44    2651142

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Replying To bert09:  "Who's Meaths best midfield pairing?"
This is a tough one and a good headache for meath management and selectors:

Midfield options include 2 of:

Jack Flynn, Bryan Menton, Conor Gray, Ronan Jones, Cian McBride and Charlie O'Connor. Think Adam O'Neill more of a utility man as cover in other areas

Jones not fully fit yet so he is ruled out for now
Jack Flynn was really going strong last year until injury and showed great club form on return so is likely a dead cert to start next weekend
Menton became one of Meath's most important players last year especially in Flynn's abscence but was out for a long time and may be just slightly off full match fitness so may be intially used from bench?
Conor Gray has had a very good club championship, impressing with Maynooth and is now fully fit and injury free
Cian McBride looks like is in really good form from challenge reports and impressing with TUD so could start with Flynn for early part of league
Charlie O'Connor very similar to Gray with good club form and impressing with Maynooth

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 894 - 15/01/2026 13:44:21    2651161

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Replying To bert09:  "Who's Meaths best midfield pairing?"
Mcbride and Jones if both are fit

contributingtoamelee (Meath) - Posts: 77 - 15/01/2026 14:02:41    2651169

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Replying To winatallcost:  "This is a tough one and a good headache for meath management and selectors:

Midfield options include 2 of:

Jack Flynn, Bryan Menton, Conor Gray, Ronan Jones, Cian McBride and Charlie O'Connor. Think Adam O'Neill more of a utility man as cover in other areas

Jones not fully fit yet so he is ruled out for now
Jack Flynn was really going strong last year until injury and showed great club form on return so is likely a dead cert to start next weekend
Menton became one of Meath's most important players last year especially in Flynn's abscence but was out for a long time and may be just slightly off full match fitness so may be intially used from bench?
Conor Gray has had a very good club championship, impressing with Maynooth and is now fully fit and injury free
Cian McBride looks like is in really good form from challenge reports and impressing with TUD so could start with Flynn for early part of league
Charlie O'Connor very similar to Gray with good club form and impressing with Maynooth"
Yes, a fully fit Jones has to start. No question for me.

Menton- brilliant servant , and huge experience but id query has he the legs for 2026?

Would love to see mcbride step up, tbh. Gray/Flynn both huge potential alos and potentially a great partnership,

Be interesting to see what we go with

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1844 - 15/01/2026 16:53:33    2651205

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Anyone aware of rumour Kerry goalkeeper Devon burns getting called in to setup?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1844 - 15/01/2026 16:56:22    2651207

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Replying To bert09:  "Anyone aware of rumour Kerry goalkeeper Devon burns getting called in to setup?"
This is old news....
It has been in the pipeline for weeks.

Moving from Kilmacud Crokes to Ratoath so he could play for Meath.

Doesnt say a lot for the current batch of Meath goalies tbh - not sure RB is doing the right thing here but that is for others to decide...

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/kerry-underage-star-meath-move-devon-burns-647737

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4766 - 15/01/2026 17:25:13    2651217

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Replying To Fionn:  "This is old news....
It has been in the pipeline for weeks.

Moving from Kilmacud Crokes to Ratoath so he could play for Meath.

Doesnt say a lot for the current batch of Meath goalies tbh - not sure RB is doing the right thing here but that is for others to decide...

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/kerry-underage-star-meath-move-devon-burns-647737"
Thanks, has he been called in?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1844 - 15/01/2026 19:39:11    2651236

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Replying To Fionn:  "This is old news....
It has been in the pipeline for weeks.

Moving from Kilmacud Crokes to Ratoath so he could play for Meath.

Doesnt say a lot for the current batch of Meath goalies tbh - not sure RB is doing the right thing here but that is for others to decide...

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/kerry-underage-star-meath-move-devon-burns-647737"
Well he can't play for Meath until he plays club championship in Meath so that rules him out of Meaths 2026 campaign. Well unless they do a kildare on it and throw a Ratoath hurling championship game on in March and Ratoath put him on for 30 seconds. Which obviously isn't happening so let's see how he goes this year for Ratoath.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1090 - 15/01/2026 21:18:21    2651244

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Replying To bert09:  "Yes, a fully fit Jones has to start. No question for me.

Menton- brilliant servant , and huge experience but id query has he the legs for 2026?

Would love to see mcbride step up, tbh. Gray/Flynn both huge potential alos and potentially a great partnership,

Be interesting to see what we go with"
Great to be finally going into the start of the year confident Meath can do well.
The lads let go from the panel after the O' Byrne cup I do feel sorry for as it is very hard to make an impression at this time of year and the conditions the O' Byrne cup is played in, the pitch in Offaly the grass was very long, in any case Brennan had to start reducing numbers and there are probably a good few more players to be cut.
He will probably play a few different midfield combinations in the league, as a Dunshaughlin man I would love to see the Gray/O' Connor duo in the middle, but if I was betting at this stage (before the league even begins) who will be the two starting midfielders in the championship I would think it will be Ronan Jones partnered with Gray and if not Gray (in order of best chance) Menton, McBride, Charlie O' Connor, Jack Kinlough, Flynn, McGowan.
It is a long time since Meath had so many good options at midfield.

madmeath (Meath) - Posts: 107 - 15/01/2026 22:01:14    2651250

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Replying To madmeath:  "Great to be finally going into the start of the year confident Meath can do well.
The lads let go from the panel after the O' Byrne cup I do feel sorry for as it is very hard to make an impression at this time of year and the conditions the O' Byrne cup is played in, the pitch in Offaly the grass was very long, in any case Brennan had to start reducing numbers and there are probably a good few more players to be cut.
He will probably play a few different midfield combinations in the league, as a Dunshaughlin man I would love to see the Gray/O' Connor duo in the middle, but if I was betting at this stage (before the league even begins) who will be the two starting midfielders in the championship I would think it will be Ronan Jones partnered with Gray and if not Gray (in order of best chance) Menton, McBride, Charlie O' Connor, Jack Kinlough, Flynn, McGowan.
It is a long time since Meath had so many good options at midfield."
Any news on final panel for league and new additions from last year?

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 894 - 16/01/2026 07:51:46    2651259

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It will be an interesting year ahead. Simple goals:
- Promotion to Division 1 or Win Leinster
- All Ireland quarter final

On Devon Burns, I don't think he will be in goals for us this year, he will have to play a championship match with Ratoath. Hogan should be the keeper for the year ahead but he is going to feel pressure from other keepers around the county.

Kinsella will be a big loss for us but last year was his first year and it's not as if he has been a seasoned campaigner doing it year in year out. We don't really have anyone who can take his place but I would suspect Martin will get some game time there. He is a completely different player to Kinsella.

I expect Maynooth and DIT to go far in the Sigerson so Brennan will have to manage a lot of player minutes to ensure lads don't pick up muscle injury.

We have a lot of good options at midfield but again we don't have that first choice partnership like Kerry, Donegal, Galway and Tyrone have nailed down.

UsernameInvalid (Meath) - Posts: 457 - 16/01/2026 09:47:39    2651276

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