any news on what players were dropped off panel ? I heard the panel was been cut last night or maybe its tonight.

thelutch (Meath) - Posts:521 - 26/01/2016 13:27:51 1819375

I'd doubt there'll be a cut this week, probably reintegrate the Ratoath and Curragha lads and see where they are at. Mick probably wants to be training with a panel of about 40 supplemented by a few U21's (Rowe, O'Coilean etc) and make a cut closer to the end of the league.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1981 - 26/01/2016 14:28:37    1819406

Interesting comments!! A good defender can win the ball and if he does not win it he can tackle without fouling, very little to be gained by trying to shoulder someone over the line as in most cases you will miss the shoulder as anyone who has played at any good level will know and bulk will win you very little at any level!. My advice would be to go out and concentrate on playing good clever football which means not hand or kick passing to the opposition would be a start and forwards please stop complicating the movements. A couple of incidents stood out in my memory on Sunday which requires improving. The goal came from a 25m kick in front of goals which was kicked into keepers hands and the attack started from there- nobody picked up the player with the ball who was 80-90 from our goals, in fact they ran in opposite direction- where were the HB'S HB'S and MF'S? - this turn of events cost 4 points. On a number of occasions I seen the full back on his own and corner back on his own in front of goals with no protection within 40m, a dangerous scenario- where was our other defending players (nothing came of it as both have pace). The best of luck to all on Sunday and there is no reason why we cannot win if everybody ups their game. Remember we are not playing Dublin or Kerry.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 26/01/2016 14:46:09    1819415

Easy to shoulder someone over the line (and win a line ball) if they are beside it stationary having just picked the ball off the ground (legally). Rather than making a timid hand tackle for the sake of it, or fouling them by holding, pulling or dragging. Good (consistent) hand tackling hasn't been Meath's forte for quite some time. And you need a certain amount of bulk, power and strength not to be physically dominated by those players/teams that have it in abundance and to break tackles consistently against certain opposition.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 26/01/2016 15:32:14    1819431

Did McGill play the full game ziggy?

Coolnahinch (Meath) - Posts: 22 - 26/01/2016 15:32:18    1819432

No idea if McGill played the full game,but he did start.

Richieq and Ratoath Royal were at the game,so perhaps they could let us know..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 26/01/2016 16:05:22    1819447

McGill played the whole game and in fairness to him played quite well considering how bad Ratoath were. I'd expect him to start against Armagh, provided MOD doesn't give the Ratoath lads a break.

Anybody know what the problem is with Donnacha Tobin?

Uncle_Fester (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 26/01/2016 16:54:28    1819464

UncleFester

Not sure what the problem is with D.Tobin,but he was kicking a ball about the the warm up the last day

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 26/01/2016 17:31:33    1819485

Good to hear that McGill played the full game in that case. I read a piece (obviously by an ill-informed journalist!) where there was no mention of Conor in the team. If he was still carrying an injury, you'd imagine that he would've been withdrawn towards the end of the game. He could slot straight into the full back line so.

Thought I heard before that Tobin had a shoulder problem but I'm open to correction on this. He was togged out in Drogheda as well as far as I can remember so he must be near a return.

Coolnahinch (Meath) - Posts: 22 - 26/01/2016 18:55:29    1819498

biggy, tormey, newman, eamon wallace, c. o'sullivan, b. mcmahon, lenihan, james mcentee, harnan, sean tobin, bobby obrien.. plus more i havnt mentioned

absolute log jam of forwards it seems, pick 6 from that...

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 411 - 26/01/2016 18:58:05    1819499

Biggy Newman Wallace e, McMahon, McEntee, osullivan. Tobin as a sub. But some of those lads need to up their performance, but biggy will play at centre field until either Flanagan or Gillespie comes back id say which is a bit of a waste.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 26/01/2016 19:22:54    1819505

Harnan will play in defence surely?

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 26/01/2016 19:39:45    1819509

royaldunne

is that what you want or think Mod will go with ? because i cant see james mc in the forwards yet, be a bit of risk seeing as he's never played a meath senior game in the forwards, would think he'll go for the tried and trusted

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 411 - 26/01/2016 19:43:05    1819512

Need plan A, B, and C using those forwards. E.g. need a plan to have target man sit on the keeper with ability to win/field ball in the square if shock and awe tactics of pacey forawrds fails. Also, we need to prepare for situation where we lose biggie like what happened against Westmeath. I want to see a better strike rate with frees/45s. If Newman can hit form again with frees it will make opposition think twice about fouling and inspire confidence to the entire team knowing that hard work in getting frees is paying off.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1821 - 26/01/2016 19:46:21    1819514

For Armagh - Reilly, Harnan, O'Sullivan, Newman, McDonagh, Lenihan. Need a half forward who's happy to do the donkey work of tracking back and covering the defence.cthendays of 6 natural forwards are gone for now. Harnan is the best option for that role, he played it for a UCD in their league. I'd not throw in any curraha or Ratoath player from the start except perhaps McEntee for McDonagh and leave two side with him drifting out to the half forward line and hoping to get space for th inside pair.

The pace of Wallace and McMahon to come on later in the game when the opposition defence are tiring may be the way to go on Sunday.

I'm assuming there that Tormey will be midfield with Rooney.

jackhackett (Meath) - Posts: 773 - 26/01/2016 20:08:57    1819520

redser

Why would it be a risk playing McEntee in the forwards? It was a risk to play him in defence..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 26/01/2016 20:18:55    1819526

A leagues next weekend will surely tell a tale regarding Donnacha Tobin. Possibly also regarding Shane O'Rourke. Has anyone any idea regarding Gillespie.

If we got one of these guys bedded in at midfield then we wouldn't have to take Biggy out of his best position to play there.

Sort the midfield position and I think we have an improving team / squad that could push for promotion and at least put it up to the Dubs in Leinster.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 26/01/2016 20:30:44    1819530

ziggy, that was because we had a crisis of defenders, we dont have a lack of forwards, royaldunne has picked mcentee over players like tormey who is a class act, we can want him to play all we want, i just dont see o'dowd picking him there sunday

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 411 - 26/01/2016 20:39:24    1819538

I doubt we will see more than one (if even that) of the four defensive newbies who made a very good impression in the OBC start on Sunday. I'd say MOD will play safe and start a very conservative if more experienced team. So it will be last years team with COS definitely and Lenihan possibly/probably starting.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 26/01/2016 21:12:39    1819551

Well redatar this is one of the problems I have with mod, playing a very good forward as a back. Tormey for me isn' doing as good as he can now I know what he has been through is terrible, bit above all those you mentioned i wouldn't put him into forward line, now as a makeshift midfielder maybe , but he has to up his performance substantially.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 26/01/2016 21:16:03    1819553

Yeah I think Tormey has to do improve to be honest.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 26/01/2016 21:26:52    1819559