(Oldest Posts First)
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Time to turn the page. The lads had their first training session last night knowing what they're up against. Just looking at how Derry lined out against Armagh. Very settled team, basically same 17/18 players we faced in the league with the addition of Lachlan Murray who will need serious watching. Overall, I'd say we have the more potent attack but they have the stronger defence so could see it being won at midfield. The game is going to be won in the last 10 minutes so the only debate for me is how much firepower we leave on the bench. We need 2/3 lads we can bring in with 15/20 mins to go to make an impact. Keep McBride and Jack O'Connor in reserve? gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 178 - 03/06/2026 09:30:15 2677497 Link 0 |
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Tough game in store. This is the game where all the good parts of our year have to come together. Kickouts need to be on the mark, or at the very least when they are going wrong, they go wrong long. Breaking ball is key, we're hot and cold but capable of winning enough to give us the platform we need. Our forwards have to spark as a unit rather than 1 or 2 shooting the lights out and the rest just hanging in there. We're best playing on the front foot, being ultra aggressive. Every ball matters type of stuff. We need a few lads to have their best game of the season, especially our defensive players. Derry have some decent forwards as we know, but if we can get Raff and co back to levels they are capable of then we can tie them up. With most our games this year, if we can hold a team to less than 25 points then we have a great chance. GoalsWinGames (Meath) - Posts: 322 - 03/06/2026 10:21:14 2677517 Link 0 |
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I think it's a very tough draw going away to Derry, but they are beatable and they are very up and down. Their style probably suits how we defend. Cabbagepatch1667 (Meath) - Posts: 161 - 03/06/2026 10:41:13 2677527 Link 0 |
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I think McBride or O'Neill start at wing forward as the extra big man around the middle. I'd have ONeill in if he's fit. He's the man you want in a dog fight. Brennan needs to get his kick outs right though or we can have all the big men around the middle we want, but it'll be a waste of time and we can forget about winning as kick outs so key. Hard to know with Jack O'Connor, he's really suited to an impact sub role with his pace but he's probably played his best this year when he started and emptied the tank and brought off on 50 minutes. I'd go; 1. Brennan 2. Lavin 3. Rafferty 4. Ryan 5. Keogan 6. Coffey 7. Caulfield 8. Flynn 9. Menton 10. O'Neill (Charlie O'Connor if he's not fit) 11. Kinsella 12. Costello 13. Morris 14. Frayne 15. Conlon Off the bench; Jack O'Connor with pace, McBride to make some crucial catches, Curtis, Charlie O'Connor and Hickey NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 147 - 03/06/2026 11:02:43 2677532 Link 0 |
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It's a tough draw but you make the point yourself, rather than playing a Kildare or Cavan and not really knowing where we are at, this type of game will define if the players are serious about going to the next level or just letting it peter out. Derry are kind of like a dying wasp, have the potential to sting us but they look to be in the dying embers of the 22/23 team so we'll see if we have the mental strength to go there and bury them. The question will be who will have learned more from the league game? The problem is teams usually learn more from defeat but hoping we caught onto Derrys exact style and to be honest, if Brennan didn't drop that goal in we would've won more comfortably. But it was the first round of the league so this will a different game altogether. NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 147 - 03/06/2026 11:14:24 2677536 Link 0 |
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There's 2 or 3 subs you are bringing on there who I'm not sure are adding anything. Why not leave the best players on the field? Too many subs is disruptive. I think they're going to take a gamble on Jones, he's over his latest injury setback. Probably worth this risk in knockout football and Charlie struggled against Cork.
Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 335 - 03/06/2026 12:11:18 2677558 Link 0 |
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Do you see Jones starting or more of an impact sub? If he's fit they should use him as we'll be out again the following week if we beat Derry so may as well get some minutes into him. He's the type of player we have been missing - brings leadership when it's in the melting pot.
gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 178 - 03/06/2026 13:45:20 2677610 Link 0 |
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Game fixed for 7pm Saturday evening, rotten time for a game Cabbagepatch1667 (Meath) - Posts: 161 - 03/06/2026 14:16:10 2677617 Link 1 |
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The last time he played a competitive game for meath was against Dublin last year where he played the impact sub role quite well. I'd probably see how long Menton can go for then bring in Jones.
Sheridan2010louth (Meath) - Posts: 335 - 03/06/2026 15:37:24 2677661 Link 0 |
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Jones has been trying to get back all year and can't. I hope you're right and comes in and does a job for us but it will be difficult. If he does play, can see it being off the bench when lads are tiring as if he starts against Rodgers and Glass, can see him getting the run around.
NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 147 - 03/06/2026 16:12:14 2677682 Link 0 |
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A wet raining evening, umbrellas up, overlooking the walls of derry, trying to find a parking space in the bogside and half full Celtic park. That is the toughest of all tasks, Goodluck, you will need it all!! monaghanmad (Monaghan) - Posts: 494 - 04/06/2026 11:25:16 2677811 Link 0 |
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If we're to win the midfield then McBride has to start in there, he's been our best fielder this year by a country mile. O'Neill/Jones at 10 as an extra midfielder and someone in to win the breaking ball. We've lost our games this year by going long patches of losing kickouts and teams have had a field day running through us, need plenty of willing bodies & aggression in the middle third, that'll be the winning of it for us.
LowerHogan (Meath) - Posts: 94 - 04/06/2026 13:51:35 2677881 Link 1 |