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I agree with this and have been long saying something g similar. The manager has his pick of every player in Meath. There must be one player in Meath who can kick over 80% of frees. I don't care what else he does or can't do, he has to be on the panel. There must be one player in Meath who is 6 ft 3 plus and can field most balls played to him and would allow us to launch the ball over an aggressive press like Tyrone do. Is this player on the panel? There must be one or two tenacious man marker/headbangers in the county, are they on the panel? Are we aggressive enough? Apart from a half of football last year , we've genuflected to Dublin and watched them make fools of us. Barely a hit put in when a few of them deserved a dirty stroke. Just often have the feeling that nearly every player on a McEntee panel is exactly the same. Nearly all of them could play in every position 6/10 and only about 2/3 of them 7 or more out of 10 on a given day. All nice inoffensive lads. Groundhog Day every year. Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 24/01/2022 21:38:26 2396297 Link 14 |
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There's probably only 4/5 lads in the county who can nail over 80% of their frees. Newman & Ward who are both retired. O Connor who's work rate is questionable from what I've seen. Lynch who is untested at this level and Lenihan who should be on the panel. For the midfielder, there's no one who really stands out in the Senior championship. Jones, Devine, Menton & Harnan are all really hit and miss. O Rourke is probably the closest to a midfielder who can lord it on his day. Brian Meade can also do it with Rathkenny. Rob Bourke from Trim might be worth a look too. UsernameInvalid (Meath) - Posts: 355 - 25/01/2022 12:43:43 2396351 Link 2 |
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Agreed with this. I think some young keepers have put their hands up. Midfielders I really don't see stand outs around the county. And then free taker I would say Lenihan or Aaron Lynch should be there. It's easy to say things are staying the same but I don't see the answers there. Hopefully Jack Flynn will step up when he gets his chance. Think he's due to return from injury soon. He was very impressive in the one under 20 game last year
LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1462 - 25/01/2022 12:53:58 2396356 Link 7 |
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Jeez, looking at that its pretty grim reading for this year and i wouldn't say you are wrong either. Free takers : Lenihan should 100% be a nailed on starter and is better than any inside forward we have but no use going over it again. Whomever the next man is after Andy i simply hope and pray they can get in a proper kicking coach and have them work with whomever is on the free's and have 5/6 lads working with him at all times, whoever the free takers are plus an extended panel of guys on the fringe, at U20 and minor level too. For example have them working with Morris and O'Connor on senior panel, Lynch on the fringes and Eoghan Frayne and Jimmy Corcoran. Technique, routine and practice repeated to the nth degree. Midfield : Awful to say all those already on the panel are inconsistent and the next best are guys beyond intercounty football. You'd really hope that some of the next group coming through from underage can start establishing themselves over the next couple of years at club level and that they're not rushed through because our options are so limited. Conor Gray, Sean Emmanuel and Jack Kinlough are the future of our midfield along with Ronan Jones, but that's a couple of years from now. Lets hope these boys can all make a name for themselves collectively as Emmanuel and Jones would be great to have in the half forward line as they are both dynamic at getting forward and scoring too. brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 25/01/2022 13:03:34 2396360 Link 8 |
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Lenihan a shocking and unnecessary loss. Why he was never played I'll never know. Dare I say it I'm not convinced Newman was treated well last year either and while he retired, I reckon he'd still be there under a different manager. Remember he wasn't even brought on against Dublin even though flying in training and has been working like an animal all winter to be ready for the hard ground. Excuse my ignorance but I always thought Flanagan at Clonard was a mighty fielder if somewhat limited in mobility (but not as much as has been said). Has he gone back a lot? Not seen enough club football with Covid etc. Surely 20 minutes here and there is in him to win ball when defending a lead or trying to beat a press with an out ball. As I said above, a squad should be all about various options for different challenges and periods in a given match. To my eyes, about 95% of our panel is the exact same player - 5ft 10 wing back/half forward who is an ok footballer but not Div 1 or high Div 2 material. Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 25/01/2022 15:58:13 2396418 Link 12 |
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Lenihan got numerous chances in a Meath jersey, and while he is brilliant for Dunboyne, he never played consistently well for Meath. As for Newman, he was simply past it. Injuries took its toll on his body and the speed of Intercounty football was just to much for him, he wasn't treated poorly in any way and he will tell you that himself. Flanagan is another player who simply wasn't good enough, injuries didn't help him but being able to catch a ball isn't enough to play intercounty football, and even at that, against other county midfielders he wasn't even good enough at that. He was a more limited version of Harry Rooney who was another player just not suited to the modern game and doesn't even Lord it at club football. As for your comment about 95% of our panel being 5ft 10....give over. Take out Banty, McMahon and the two Wallaces and nearly every other player is 6ft+. ratlag (Meath) - Posts: 557 - 25/01/2022 16:18:59 2396425 Link 1 |
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Ryan, lavin, gallagher, Clarke, kane, o Sullivan, j mcentee, hickey are definitely not 6 ft plus. Add to that the 2 Wallace's, Bryan McMahon, Conlon (Banty), Ben Brennan, Harkin, O'Connor. Add in the two Trim lads due to join. That's 17 players under 6 ft. Aside from you being pedantic, you have missed my point. We have a squad full of very similar players, mostly half backs and half forwards. Lenihan was excellent for Meath when he had a bit of momentum behind him and is a far better player than any other forward we have, with the exception of Morris. As for Newman, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't tell you that himself! We'll have to agree to disagree there. Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 25/01/2022 18:55:12 2396461 Link 10 |
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I think you need a new tape measure. Whea about Keogan, O'Sullivan, Morris, O'Reilly to name just a few. None of them are 6ft.
latouche25 (Meath) - Posts: 520 - 25/01/2022 21:05:02 2396480 Link 1 |
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Think you need glasses lad. You do realise when you are up in the stand players look smaller when they are further away don't ya ???? All of the players are minimum 6ft bar Wallaces and banty Lavin is 6ft 2 ffs, harkin something similar to that, UCD had him number 3 last night, menton, devine, walsh, . Ryan, cos, hickey keogan costello, harnan all 6ft or over. Its a ridiculous thing to be arguing about, but your waffle has to be called out nonetheless
southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 890 - 26/01/2022 07:54:50 2396485 Link 17 |
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Gallagher isn't on the panel anymore as far as I know (if he is then fair enough). Ben Brennan isn't either, Ryan, Hickey, O Connor, O Sullivan are all 6ft and definitely not 5'10. Over the past number of years I've played with and/or against almost all of them, and considering I myself am 6ft I can be quite confident in my assumptions here. I don't disagree that we have a number of similar players (just that most are about 5'10) but when you look at the club scene, what players that are different to what's in there at the minute are actually good enough for county? Leno was at best hot and cold with Meath, and while I don't think any of the lads in there currently are doing much better than he did (exception being maybe Morris and O Sullivan) to say he was excellent is a big overstatement, and I'm a fan of him on the club scene by the way ratlag (Meath) - Posts: 557 - 26/01/2022 08:19:20 2396488 Link 2 |
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The We are Meath podcast saying that Menton will miss the entire league with a finger injury. A massive loss to go along with Jones. Really up against it to get promoted missing both of our first choice midfield LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1462 - 26/01/2022 12:21:23 2396528 Link 1 |
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It's a loss for sure, but we've got to see what the other options are now. Menton ain't a spring chicken either so let's see the future Although I still expect it to be a combination of Jones (once fit) Devine, Harnan and Shane McEntee brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 26/01/2022 13:50:22 2396546 Link 3 |
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Menton and Jones our starting midfield out for the whole league before a ball is even kicked. Same dour injury luck seems to be happening every year. redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 26/01/2022 14:03:52 2396549 Link 1 |
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All teams deal with injuries, not having good back ups who are ready to step in and play with out a drop off is no excuse.
brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 26/01/2022 14:09:52 2396553 Link 2 |
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Ideally we could pick between Nash/Menton/McBride/Jones, all unavailable. however reading some posts here some people seem to think that these talented midfielders grow on trees and that we can easily find replacements within the county. I would challenge you or them to name those players who could slip in.
redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 26/01/2022 14:34:21 2396562 Link 2 |
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Well it kinda is an excuse if you don't have good back ups???
Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 870 - 26/01/2022 14:40:40 2396563 Link 3 |
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Lavin isn't his hole 6ft 2! I marked about three years who and no way is he taller than me. I'm 6ft 1. O Sullivan and Hickey aren't over 6ft either. The other lads you mention I never said weren't over 6ft.
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 26/01/2022 14:48:46 2396566 Link 5 |
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Nash and McBride, give it a rest. Sure if we're including them you might as well include Liam Hayes, John McDermott and Gerry McEntee.... It's a non runner, they're not here or available and they're not even playing the sport any more. And if Nash had stayed he was in the Leinster Rugby Academy, so it's unlikely he would've ever payed for Meath. There's no one suggesting we have talented midfielders growing on trees and ready to step in, far from it. As i said yesterday we've some decent ones coming through but we can't be in a rush to get them through and allow them to develop naturally. brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 26/01/2022 14:56:43 2396568 Link 7 |
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Hahaha I think he has you there Brian! We aren't Dublin!
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 26/01/2022 14:57:32 2396569 Link 5 |
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That's true i guess ;) I think the thing off Menton getting all the game time over the last couple of years has meant no one has had a chance to get much time. He's had McEntee, Devine, Jones and Harnan in there at various stages but no one has really nailed down the second jersey and now we're as you say without good back ups. As someone said yesterday we've a bunch of decent half forwards and half backs, they all look and play in a very similar way, all solid 6/10 players who can beat those teams they should, but no real standouts anywhere. Would any of the current squad make the Dublin, Kerry, Mayo or Tyrone starting 15's?? Hopefully that standouts who made up the successful underage teams starts coming through and showing that they're up to senior inter county football. The like of Morris, Costello, Walsh and Hickey are decent but if we're going to improve as a team we need all of them to make a huge jump in 2022 and take over this team. Then when the likes of Eoghan Frayne, Ciaran Caulfield, Sean Emmanuel, Conor Gray, Jack Kinlough, Liam Kelly, Mossy Corbett, Conor Ennis and others starting coming in and pushing other aside we might be able to get back to where we'd all like to be and that's in Division 1 and challenging for Leinster and All Ireland Titles. brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 26/01/2022 15:24:18 2396578 Link 7 |