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Replying To Smb2: "Mayo showed great character in defense, all Corks danger men were well marshalled. The very same players who destroyed Meath eg Sherlock.
Meath need to learn to defend like that - they are potentially a fine team but no steel at the rear, which is very unusual for a Meath team. What has the defense coach brought to the party?" I think what was proven in the 3 quarter finals not involving Kerry is that there's a cohort of teams that can beat each other on any given day. Even Tyrone gave Kerry a good game. And that's got to give confidence to the likes of our selves that if we can get it some way right, you can get to an All-Ireland final.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 169 - 29/06/2026 11:03:14
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Replying To NYRoyal: "I think what was proven in the 3 quarter finals not involving Kerry is that there's a cohort of teams that can beat each other on any given day. Even Tyrone gave Kerry a good game. And that's got to give confidence to the likes of our selves that if we can get it some way right, you can get to an All-Ireland final." Did any of those teams throw away commanding half times leads or fail to manage a numerical advantage/disadvantage.
Meath have the capacity to be in that mix of QF/Semi. But if they cannot sort their mental strength and in-game cuteness they should forget about it.
2027 a massive massive year.
Royalio11 (Meath) - Posts: 853 - 29/06/2026 14:01:40
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Replying To NYRoyal: "I think what was proven in the 3 quarter finals not involving Kerry is that there's a cohort of teams that can beat each other on any given day. Even Tyrone gave Kerry a good game. And that's got to give confidence to the likes of our selves that if we can get it some way right, you can get to an All-Ireland final." Very optimistic, we are way off the pace and attitude of majority of these teams, only fooling ourselves to think otherwise. No getting away fron fact we lost three championship games and more or less collapsed in all three. Still short in many areas, players, tatics and awareness of where we're at.
seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2255 - 29/06/2026 15:11:10
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Replying To Royalio11: "Did any of those teams throw away commanding half times leads or fail to manage a numerical advantage/disadvantage.
Meath have the capacity to be in that mix of QF/Semi. But if they cannot sort their mental strength and in-game cuteness they should forget about it.
2027 a massive massive year." Monaghan had a 1 man advantage for 64 minutes. Galway up 6 points down the straight and absolutely bottled it.
I do agree though we're the 4th best team in Leinster but we're in division 1 next year and have to believe Robbie and the management team will address a lot of issues.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 169 - 29/06/2026 19:16:12
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Perhaps we are 4th best team in Leinster based on championship results but really it matters little in the end. One team only will win the All Ireland and the rest will be disappointed. Div 1 is a great platform next year with survival and finding a few players to improve what is already there a priority. Meath didn't look to blood many this year with Killian Smyth the main addition. He did well but more are needed.
Robbie Brennan probably showed a little too much loyalty but he will need 25 really good players. Think we have maybe 12 or 13. We have seen recently the impact of players like the young McDonnell's for Louth. They were really good U20 players but so too was Jamie Murphy for Meath. Think they need to throw him in. Would be hopeful McIvor, Commons and Jordan also get chances while a return to top form of Morris, Frayne and Costello is a priority. They have looked a little drained. McBride and Flynn give us a good platform at midfield and hopefully Menton will stay on and Jones will be injury free for another go. O'Connor will push on too.
The backs need work and more support. They actually finished the year well but could do with a natural centre back and more options. Perhaps not wholesale change os needed but a few tweaks here or there, a few more hungry young players and luck with injuries could help push this team on again.
winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1026 - 29/06/2026 21:22:02
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Replying To NYRoyal: "Monaghan had a 1 man advantage for 64 minutes. Galway up 6 points down the straight and absolutely bottled it.
I do agree though we're the 4th best team in Leinster but we're in division 1 next year and have to believe Robbie and the management team will address a lot of issues." Yes so just flip that around. Louth played for 64 minutes with 14 men and won the game - adapted tactically, didnt panic. Meath collapsed when going a man down with only 15 odd minutes left. Likewise Cork won well having lost a man against us.
Galway 6 up down the straight. Are you actually having a laugh? That has to be a wind up if you are willing to stand over that claim of throwing away a lead. It was 0-20 to 0-17 before the Galway goal, 1-20 to 0-17 at about 55 minutes. Dublin followed up with a 2 pter and 1 pt so it was 1-20 to 0-20 on 59 minutes - less than 4 minutes later. Penalty was then awarded about a minute later. So yes Galway were 6 up, for a very brief period. Not comparable to Meaths complete domination of games to subsequent implosions.
Hopefully we address the issues. Thats all we have to build on. But that big old elephant was there all year and wasn't addressed, as a result we were 1 from 4.
Royalio11 (Meath) - Posts: 853 - 29/06/2026 22:34:44
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Replying To winatallcost: "Perhaps we are 4th best team in Leinster based on championship results but really it matters little in the end. One team only will win the All Ireland and the rest will be disappointed. Div 1 is a great platform next year with survival and finding a few players to improve what is already there a priority. Meath didn't look to blood many this year with Killian Smyth the main addition. He did well but more are needed.
Robbie Brennan probably showed a little too much loyalty but he will need 25 really good players. Think we have maybe 12 or 13. We have seen recently the impact of players like the young McDonnell's for Louth. They were really good U20 players but so too was Jamie Murphy for Meath. Think they need to throw him in. Would be hopeful McIvor, Commons and Jordan also get chances while a return to top form of Morris, Frayne and Costello is a priority. They have looked a little drained. McBride and Flynn give us a good platform at midfield and hopefully Menton will stay on and Jones will be injury free for another go. O'Connor will push on too.
The backs need work and more support. They actually finished the year well but could do with a natural centre back and more options. Perhaps not wholesale change os needed but a few tweaks here or there, a few more hungry young players and luck with injuries could help push this team on again." Agree we need to find more players. A lot of talk that we've a good forward line, which we do but it's only that - good, we've a lot of steady Eddies. We don't have a Sam Mulroy, or a Ryan O'Donoghue or Con O'Callaghan or Kerry who've any number of forwards, we don't have a consistent marquee forward like those competing at the very, very top. Good forwards yes. Great forwards, no. Kinsella is the one for me but he's after suffering a major set back.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 169 - 30/06/2026 02:58:11
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Replying To Royalio11: "Yes so just flip that around. Louth played for 64 minutes with 14 men and won the game - adapted tactically, didnt panic. Meath collapsed when going a man down with only 15 odd minutes left. Likewise Cork won well having lost a man against us.
Galway 6 up down the straight. Are you actually having a laugh? That has to be a wind up if you are willing to stand over that claim of throwing away a lead. It was 0-20 to 0-17 before the Galway goal, 1-20 to 0-17 at about 55 minutes. Dublin followed up with a 2 pter and 1 pt so it was 1-20 to 0-20 on 59 minutes - less than 4 minutes later. Penalty was then awarded about a minute later. So yes Galway were 6 up, for a very brief period. Not comparable to Meaths complete domination of games to subsequent implosions.
Hopefully we address the issues. Thats all we have to build on. But that big old elephant was there all year and wasn't addressed, as a result we were 1 from 4." Galway's capitulation against Dublin is the exact same as Meath against Mayo - up about 6 points in the middle of the second half, lose a man and then just get steam rolled. Every single one of these red or black cards in the last couple weeks are being questioned but don't allow yourself to get in the situation to get sent off. That's game management as well.
I do agree Meath certainly have issues that are related to game management. But my point is a lot of teams have them and we've seen this in the new rules where 10 point leads are nothing. I think game management issues are fixable in the off season but it starts with unearthing new personnel and integrating younger lads into the team.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 169 - 30/06/2026 11:55:45
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Replying To NYRoyal: "Agree we need to find more players. A lot of talk that we've a good forward line, which we do but it's only that - good, we've a lot of steady Eddies. We don't have a Sam Mulroy, or a Ryan O'Donoghue or Con O'Callaghan or Kerry who've any number of forwards, we don't have a consistent marquee forward like those competing at the very, very top. Good forwards yes. Great forwards, no. Kinsella is the one for me but he's after suffering a major set back." You could argue that James Conlon showed elite form for his time on the field up to the Mayo game. Kinsella would be considered elite for his all round game. Morris and Frayne did not score heavily enough for inside scoring forwards. There is certainly room for competition for an inside scoring forward to stake a claim. Was hoping Jamie Murphy would get the chance but his opportunities were limited up to now.
winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1026 - 30/06/2026 16:40:50
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Replying To winatallcost: "You could argue that James Conlon showed elite form for his time on the field up to the Mayo game. Kinsella would be considered elite for his all round game. Morris and Frayne did not score heavily enough for inside scoring forwards. There is certainly room for competition for an inside scoring forward to stake a claim. Was hoping Jamie Murphy would get the chance but his opportunities were limited up to now." I really like James Conlon and would have him as first name on the team sheet next year. It's just his physique that's holding him back a little. Whereas Jamie Murphy has the physique, and he could develop into a top player imo if given time. Maybe league next year we've that extra spot in the forwards he can get game time.
Love Frayne and all that he brings. Morris needs to adapt his game still, he's trying do it all on his own but he needs to look at likes of Dylan Geaney who has evolved his all round game and just keeps clipping easy scores. We all know he's top class but consistency is the key.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 169 - 30/06/2026 18:06:15
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Replying To NYRoyal: "I really like James Conlon and would have him as first name on the team sheet next year. It's just his physique that's holding him back a little. Whereas Jamie Murphy has the physique, and he could develop into a top player imo if given time. Maybe league next year we've that extra spot in the forwards he can get game time.
Love Frayne and all that he brings. Morris needs to adapt his game still, he's trying do it all on his own but he needs to look at likes of Dylan Geaney who has evolved his all round game and just keeps clipping easy scores. We all know he's top class but consistency is the key." Conlon has been our best inside forward all year, he's elusive and quick, a bit like Chris Og Jones for Cork - I don't think him being more physical would make him much better. He beats his man 1 on 1 and scores.
Morris has been a massive disappointment this year, consistently doing too much with the ball, and the end product wasn't there. Frayne is not scoring enough either.
But I do agree Jamie Murphy has to be looked at, he's a monster from frees too and a constant threat. We do need to get a bit more out of our successful minor and U20 winning teams.
Cabbagepatch1667 (Meath) - Posts: 172 - 01/07/2026 10:16:16
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Replying To Cabbagepatch1667: "Conlon has been our best inside forward all year, he's elusive and quick, a bit like Chris Og Jones for Cork - I don't think him being more physical would make him much better. He beats his man 1 on 1 and scores.
Morris has been a massive disappointment this year, consistently doing too much with the ball, and the end product wasn't there. Frayne is not scoring enough either.
But I do agree Jamie Murphy has to be looked at, he's a monster from frees too and a constant threat. We do need to get a bit more out of our successful minor and U20 winning teams." Not making excuses for Jordy and Frayne but it has to be acknowledged how much football they played end of last year/start of this year. Both won club championships with Kingscourt and summerhill respectively, leading to provincial club championship games, Both then played 4 or 5 games of sigerson football. I dont think either of them missed a single game with Meath all year. Jordy is operating with partially torn ligament in his knee too.
Think Jordy will be playing sigerson again next year (i wish he wasnt, not sure whats to gain from it) think Frayne is done with sigerson now. In his 3 years on the meath panel he's played sigerson each year, 2 out of those 3 years summerhill have won the meath championship so he's had 3 extra games of club football. It's an awful lot ot football. He'll be a lot fresher next year for having no sigerson football.
Compare that to James Conlon who i don't think played much if any club championship last year or Sigerson and for the whole league was only playing short cameo roles off the bench, He was clearly sharper for it.
Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 348 - 01/07/2026 12:49:35
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Hi new to this, unfortunately this 2nd half capitulation has been an ongoing occurance the whole league apart from the first round v Derry in Croke Park this year
No much difference from last year's championship games where we Nearly blew an 18 point lead at one stage v Dublin and they nearly reeled us in. Offaly game we turned it around in 2nd half. Louth game in Leinster final where we totally dominated the game until last 15 mins after giving away 3 bad defensive goals and refereeing decisions. Should have been 12/15 points up before last 15 minutes of that game.
This year in league games we should of had Cavan Louth Tyrone games over early but somehow just scraped over the line. Championship games been same in most of them.
WestMeath game was taken as a gimme and only woke up for a 10 minute spell from 55 to 65 min and too much to do.
Cork game we missed too much in first half and again undone within 20 minutes of 2nd half through mixture of Cork's play and reffering decisions you would expect in an u12 game.
Derry game was a brilliant performance for 70 mins but wayward kicking kept them in it.
What can one say about Mayo game where we made them look bad yet kicking or last of it only had us 7 up at HT. Should have been double. Had we a 2 pointer, not sure.
We let them come at us after we scored first scores of 2nd half. Thought we sored 3 on bounce but only 2 points recorded. The free we didnt get when 4 points up cost us as sending off would never have happened.
Taking 2 big off with 15 to go didnt help. Forwards not firing on all cylinders. Frayne poor all year tbh.
We need a set of old time robust no nonsense defenders in place for next year in Div 1.
Think if we can sort defense out rest will fall into place.
Renn2 (Donegal) - Posts: 1 - 01/07/2026 13:01:20
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Replying To Cabbagepatch1667: "Conlon has been our best inside forward all year, he's elusive and quick, a bit like Chris Og Jones for Cork - I don't think him being more physical would make him much better. He beats his man 1 on 1 and scores.
Morris has been a massive disappointment this year, consistently doing too much with the ball, and the end product wasn't there. Frayne is not scoring enough either.
But I do agree Jamie Murphy has to be looked at, he's a monster from frees too and a constant threat. We do need to get a bit more out of our successful minor and U20 winning teams." I would agree with this, its amazing how influential Conlon and to a lesser extent Mc Bride were this year for Meath considering that neither of them seen a lot of action last year.
Conlon was brilliant this year but with the exception of Kinsella most of the other forwards were inconsistent, I felt Aaron Lynch was hard done by and personally I would have went with him or Curtis from the start against Mayo and used Morris as an impact sub. We have been waiting all championship for Morris to come with a big display but it never really looked like happening.
There is a lot of teams in similar territory, but if Meath are to get to the very top tier I think they need to unearth 2 defenders who are water tight along with significant structural changes to the way the team defends and also 2 more forwards who are a consistent scoring threat, at the moment we have a lot of forwards who on their day are unmarkable but unfortunately they are inconsistent.
I think with Mc Bride, Flynn, Mc Ivor, maybe Menton and Jones we have strong options around the middle.
Thunderstruck (Meath) - Posts: 485 - 01/07/2026 14:20:59
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Replying To Renn2: "Hi new to this, unfortunately this 2nd half capitulation has been an ongoing occurance the whole league apart from the first round v Derry in Croke Park this year
No much difference from last year's championship games where we Nearly blew an 18 point lead at one stage v Dublin and they nearly reeled us in. Offaly game we turned it around in 2nd half. Louth game in Leinster final where we totally dominated the game until last 15 mins after giving away 3 bad defensive goals and refereeing decisions. Should have been 12/15 points up before last 15 minutes of that game.
This year in league games we should of had Cavan Louth Tyrone games over early but somehow just scraped over the line. Championship games been same in most of them.
WestMeath game was taken as a gimme and only woke up for a 10 minute spell from 55 to 65 min and too much to do.
Cork game we missed too much in first half and again undone within 20 minutes of 2nd half through mixture of Cork's play and reffering decisions you would expect in an u12 game.
Derry game was a brilliant performance for 70 mins but wayward kicking kept them in it.
What can one say about Mayo game where we made them look bad yet kicking or last of it only had us 7 up at HT. Should have been double. Had we a 2 pointer, not sure.
We let them come at us after we scored first scores of 2nd half. Thought we sored 3 on bounce but only 2 points recorded. The free we didnt get when 4 points up cost us as sending off would never have happened.
Taking 2 big off with 15 to go didnt help. Forwards not firing on all cylinders. Frayne poor all year tbh.
We need a set of old time robust no nonsense defenders in place for next year in Div 1.
Think if we can sort defense out rest will fall into place." Good summary. Question for me (and management too presumably) is why it has been happening. Is it symptomatic of a young team learning how to close out games? It is that we're lacking tactically or structurally? Just one more minor point - we tried to use McBride as a goal threat in every game where he went in near the square for a high ball. Don't think we got a single goal out of it?
gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 203 - 01/07/2026 16:26:44
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Replying To Thunderstruck: "I would agree with this, its amazing how influential Conlon and to a lesser extent Mc Bride were this year for Meath considering that neither of them seen a lot of action last year.
Conlon was brilliant this year but with the exception of Kinsella most of the other forwards were inconsistent, I felt Aaron Lynch was hard done by and personally I would have went with him or Curtis from the start against Mayo and used Morris as an impact sub. We have been waiting all championship for Morris to come with a big display but it never really looked like happening.
There is a lot of teams in similar territory, but if Meath are to get to the very top tier I think they need to unearth 2 defenders who are water tight along with significant structural changes to the way the team defends and also 2 more forwards who are a consistent scoring threat, at the moment we have a lot of forwards who on their day are unmarkable but unfortunately they are inconsistent.
I think with Mc Bride, Flynn, Mc Ivor, maybe Menton and Jones we have strong options around the middle." Agree here. McBride was very good in nearly all games apart from Cork in league and he was suffering with a virus on the day. There is improvement in him too if he could trouble the score board a little and improve defensively. When Flynn is fully fit, he is very powerful and a game controller along with his 2 point threat. He just needs to focus on being fully fit. There are other good players in and around panel and hopefully a few more come through as could be seen this year, Meath far from finished arricle.
winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1026 - 01/07/2026 17:00:14
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