Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1046 - 28/01/2018 22:46:09    2071690

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1046 - 28/01/2018 22:55:54    2071692

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 29/01/2018 10:18:22    2071792

Martinr5399 (Meath) - Posts: 7 - 29/01/2018 10:40:14    2071809

Mickey Burke said he had a poke in the eye on lmfm. I taught that substitution tactical.

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1192 - 29/01/2018 10:49:34    2071813

Great that heads didnt go down as soon as the opponent went a bit ahead but the old problem of not closing it out when we're ahead reared its head again.
Its one point more than I expected so cant complain too much though.

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 29/01/2018 10:57:43    2071818

SheridansTry (Meath) - Posts: 168 - 29/01/2018 12:18:35    2071879

We done brilliantly to come back from 5 points down but you'd still have to say it is a point dropped, no team leading by 4 points in added time should fail to win the game.

But anyway look, this is still a young team and McEntee is only starting his second season incharge so there's plenty of time for improvement. Roscommon were comfortable favourites for the game but we showed that we're for a fight in Div2, fingers crossed we can build on this result.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8583 - 29/01/2018 15:35:10    2072009

Its not good when someone is being caught for pace on the soft ground in January. I always thought center back would susuit mickey better but he was never really tried there.

Foley91 (Meath) - Posts: 339 - 29/01/2018 16:34:10    2072050

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2410 - 29/01/2018 17:51:52    2072084

Great to see McGill on team of the week. He's turning into a really good no-nonsense full back and hopefully can build on the Meath tradition of having top class full backs.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1668 - 29/01/2018 17:52:33    2072085

Just seen highlights of Meath v Roscommon,just didn't get the number of the player who lost the ball just before the penalty.It was criminal to loose such a ball and it was lost very timidly,also the penalty seemed very harsh.

jake1 (Meath) - Posts: 268 - 29/01/2018 20:34:45    2072167

Very disappointed with RTE coverage of game. Once again the emphasis is all on top division games. With exception of Offaly v Dublin, even 2nd tier hurling holds no Providence despite the fact that it's almost an annual occurrence to see the eventual winners coming from 1B.

ClonardGael (Meath) - Posts: 75 - 29/01/2018 20:53:51    2072178

Firstly it was a very exciting game by two of the youngest teams in the country. Roscommon are ahead of Meath in terms development. And achievements. Provicial champions and two years in division 1. Roscommon are ahead of Meath at the moment. But I always expected yesterday to be close. Meath have played Galway 5 times in recent years and only lost once. And Meath had defeated Roscommon in two challenge matchs last year. Both Galway and Roscommon are up and comig teams with lots of potential and teams to watch out for. So always felt the gap wasnt as big as people wanted to believe it was.

In the firsthalf Roscommon where the better team and into the second half this contd. Roscommon have good backs. And they were playing well. At midfield I thought Meath won this battle. Roscommon weakness is probaly midfield. And with Menton/ Flanagan and Rooney on the bench and under the guidance of Gerry McEntee, I think our midfield is improving . We only had 1 midfieder last year in Menton ( Jones showed glimpses of potential but he only play 2 games and Toher is not a midfielder he is a wing forward). This year we have 3 midfielders. In the last 20 minutes Meath took control of midfield. And if you take control of midfield in the last 20 mins of game. You always have a chance of winning. Midfield has been problem area since John Mcdermont retired. We still have issues there. But I think we rimproving in this sector. We still need to improve on breaking ball.

The difference was the Rossies forwards in the first half Meath backs did well. Players like McGill Keoghan Lavin and Conlon are good defenders. And they played well especially McGill. Who has replaced Kevin Reilly without fuss. And has slowly developed into another top class Meath full back. But there is still a few weak links in the Meath defence. We havent got the right mix back there yet . While Rossies have some of the best young forwards in the country. Roscommon have class young forwards. And when the ball went up to the Roscommon forwards the ball sticked and the Roscommon forwards got their scores easier then Meath. Becuase Roscommon have better forwards at the start.
Meath where playing a full forward of three light young half forwards because Lenihan our best inside forward was injured. Sullivan T Reilly and J Wallace couldnt make the ball stick. While the quality young Roscommon back where playing well. That why Roscommon where better in the first half. But still there was only 1 point between the teams at half time.

The last 20 mins I have seen Roscommon people on the forum saying Roscommon got complacent. However if you look at the evidence, maybe the 1-6 Meath scored was a bit down to Meath upping their game and playing well. Meath had a role in the game changing from a 6 point lead for Roscommon to 4 point lead for Meath. Murtagh was a loss. But to say Roscommon collasped after he went off makes no sense. Firstly Murtagh is a quality young forward with a great future, a probale all star forward.

But Murtagh going off is not going to lead to good Roscommon collasping. Roscommon are not a one man team. They have plenty of good footballers all over the field. Meath had a role to play in the comeback. People always downgrade Meath performances. The fact of the change in the game was based in 4 factors 1 Meath taking control of midfield. Meath looked stronger in midfield 2 Meaths fitness 3 Impact of Meath subs 4 Return of the old Meath spirit.

1 Meath took control at midfield in the last 20 mins. Menton and Flanagan looked a stronger partnership overall then Roscommon with Enda Smith. Who is top class footballer. But probaly is more a top class half forward then a traditional midfielder

2 Meaths fitness has improved under McEntee. We have had a problem with fitness for years. Since Boylan left we have faded badly in games. Under McEntee even in the championship we looked very fit v Louth in June and Donegal in July. Our fitness levels have improved dramatically under McEntee throughout the league and championship.

3 Both teams had strong benchs. The Roscommon bench looked really good on paper but with the exception of Donie Smiths peno the bench made little impact. Im sure that Roscommon will make a big impact in future games. The Meath bench made a huge impact. The Meath bench looked stronger then I have seen in a long time. Even under Boylan we didnt have strong bench. Our bench was Mattie Mcabe in the 80s, Jody Devine in the 90s and Ray Magee in the 00s . And that was it. But McEntee has brought 11 players into Meath who never played before for the county. This has added a depth to the panel I have not seen before.

Conlon came on and he made a big impact. Eamon Wallace who also was a sub who came on, made a big impact with his and his running at Rossies defence with his brother Joey caused problems. But it was Mckeever and Toibin coming of the becnh that changed everything. In thefirst the young light Meath forwards could not make the ball stick. Toibin is strongly built player and is turning into a big impact sub for Meath. He came of the bench to help us draw with Cork last year, and he also came on bench to win the game v Sligo in the championship and he came off the bench in the Roscommon yesterday and against longford two weeks ago and made a big impact in both games.. While McKeever who was making his debut has been the best club forward by a mile in Meath club football in the last few years. He has had injuries. But he is available this year, hes 26 so hes actually one of the older players on the team now. But he made a difference scoring 3 points and setting up the goal. In the first half Meath had no one in the forwards standing up. Our two three best forward two of them where not playin well Sullivan and G Reilly. And D Lenihan was injured. In the last 20 minutes Toibin and Mckeever where making an impact

4 The final reason why Meath came back is a return of the old never say die spirit under MCentee. I will explain this in another separate message below

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1046 - 30/01/2018 01:28:49    2072262

The final reason for the change in the last 20 mins is something that is giving me postivety for the future. The return of the old Meath spirit. Meath football always has this reputation of a never say die spirit. Under Boylan, Meath where the best team in the final quarter in the country for 20 years. In the final quarter of games, Meaths mental resolve got stronger. And Meath won so many big games and titles in the final 20 mins with this resolve eg 1988 All Ireland v Cork, 1991 4 games v Dublin, and the two All Ireland finals v Mayo in 96 and many many more games. All these games are examples when the oppostion got tired and nervous and Meath grew stronger and showed great nerve and mental strenght. Meath would also make these extraordinary comebacks under Boylan. The never say die spirit of Meath football became legendary. But it was always part of Meaths teams going back to the 40s 50s 60s and 70s. The three games v Louth in the late 40s caught the countries imagination like the 4 games in 91. And Meath showed great will and desire to beat one of the best teams in the country in 47. While the 1970 Leinster final v Offaly is considered not only one of the greatest leinster finals ever, but one of the greatest games ever with the greatest Meath comeback of all time.

But since Boylan left that old Meath spirit has disapppeared. For 13 years since he left, there has been no great comebacks. And Meath teams instead of having a great spirit where now wilting in the second half and half second collaspes where common occurence. Which became almost game after game occurence under O Dowd in his final year. There has been so many games where Meath had poor second halfs since Boylan left eg Wexford 2006 Cork 2007 Wexford 2008 Louth 2010 Kildare 2010 Westmeath 2015 Cavan 2015 Dublin 2016.

However under McEntee this has stopped. Now I know we let a goal in the Roscommon game to draw. But that was down to inexperience. Players dont know how to close out game. Like Dublin did v Mayo last year and kerry did v Mayo in 2015.

But overall not since Boylan have I seen Meath comebacks. While under McEntee ,Meath have finished pretty much every game very strongly, which is soemthing I have not seen in 12 years or more. With the exception of the two kildare games. We are now making comebacks and never giving up and if we have a lead we now bury the oppostion team, something we havent done in years.

For example
In the league we finished very strongly v Derry ,
We finished very strongly v Clare,
We finished very strongly v Fermanagh,
And we finished very strongly v Galway ( we were 5 points at one stage with 15 mins to go and we won the game),
And finished very strongly v Cork ( We were 9 points down with 25 minutes to go and we drew the game, first bona fide great Meath comeback since Boylan retired).
And finally finished strongly v Down, but not enough to win, left it to late

In the championship
We finished very strongly v Louth ( scoring 7 points in a row to finish with 27 points) ,
We finished very strongly v Sligo,
And we finished strongly v Donegal ( But McBreaty and Michael Muprhy brillance won the game for Donegal in injury time)

This years Byrne cup and league , the above thread has contd
We finished very strongly v Carlow, Wicklow and Longford , and in first league game v Roscommon we were 6 points down with 20 mins to go and by injury we went onto draw the match.

So in every Meath game since McEntee took over ( with the exception of the two kildare games), Meath have found that old never say die spiirt in every game. I have not seen that once consitently any year since Boylan left. But also this has been associated with all McEntees teams. At underage leve when he got Meath to the All Ireland minor final in 2011 , there was two great comebacks v a very highly fancied Tyrone team in the quater final and a comeback v Mayo in the semi final.

With Ballyboden, when he won the Dublin senior title. In the quater final, semi final and final ,Ballyboden under McEntee finished all these games very strongly and carved out 1 point wins in the dying minutes. These type of winning performance was also seen in the semi final v Clonmel with another comeback in the dying minutes. I remeber a friend of mine from the Ballyboden club, thought the performances under McEntee where similar to Meaths wins under Boylan in the 80s and 90s.

McEntees key strengh, if you ask anyone who has been managed by him, is his man management skills. But also all his teams at minor inter county level, club level and now at senior county level seem to be very fit, but also have a never say die spirit and fight to the bitter end. This has to be good that Meath have a manger who is steeped in the traditons of Meath football, in that what Sean Boylan used to say to the players " dont look at the clock, just keep playing and never give up". If McEntee can engrain this in this young Meath ( many of which he managed to a minor All Ireland final) a true Meath never say die spirit, then Meath have every chance of being stronger in the coming years and even been a sucessful gaelic football team .

We are are far from the finished artIcile. Still years behind Dublin and the Kerrys. And we still havent got grip to the modern way of defending and attacking with the ball, Our traditonal kick and catch is no longer the sucessful way of playing. The possesion game is the new way to sucess. It will take us while to sort that out. We are still physically light and we can be outmuscled in the tackle. We are very experienced and still havent learned how to close out a game v stronger teams eg Donegal Roscommon. But that will come with experience.

But we do have is good young backs who can defend eg Donal Koeghan, Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Brian Conlon Brian Power and Shane Gallagher . We have a midfield that is no longer being cleaned out, it is more competitive midfield under Gerry McEntees guidance and tutorship. We have some modern young wing forwards eg James McEntee and Alan Forde . And good young forwards like Cillian Sullivan, Padraig McKeever, Donal Lenihan, Bryan McMahon, Joey Wallace , Eamon Wallace, Mark Mcabe, Ben Brennan, Thomas Reilly, Daire Rowe. Along with strongest management team since Boylan left . We do have the basis of proper functioning decent inter county team which in the next few years as these young players reach their mid 20s, I believe they will be more able for divsion 1 football.

(And also some of the young talent coming through at underage in my view is the best we have produced since the 90s. And hopefully in the next few years , we will see the excellent work done at underage level turning into titles and silverware at the new under 17 and under 20 level. When they come on the intercounty scene at the start of the next decade that could be postive addtion to the mix also).

But it will take time. But this return of the old Meath spirit is a very good sign indeed. A never say die spirit is the cornerstone of every sucessful Meath team. Boylans teams always made comeback and never gave up.
(The only time there was not a comeback under Boylan was in the 2001 final. Galway were the better team, but there was no Meath comeback simply because in 10 mins we had the worst run events in a final ever eg Player sent off, Fay deciding to take himself off Joyce unknown to management, Giles missing a peno and Ollie Murphy going off with a asmashed hand. This all happened in 10 mins. Galway would have still have won, but those events led to no Meath fightback .)

in the future ,We will be up and down for a year or two. But we are going in the direction.
Finally simple as this, The road to sucess is simply explained in two sentences. Obtain promtion to division 1 . Stay in divsion 1 . or put it this way
Obtain promtion to division 1 + Stay in divsion 1 = sucess
This will be very difficult, but it is not impossible. I would say we are 24 months away from being good enough for divsion 1.After that anything is possible.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1046 - 30/01/2018 01:34:07    2072263

Loyalroyal17 (Meath) - Posts: 627 - 30/01/2018 08:53:39    2072274

A bit off topic maybe but - with all the new trends and modernization of the GAA, how can keepers still not have a jersey that doesn't clash with the opposition? Colgan wearing a training top. and the Kerry keeper too. Looks terrible.

meathgaa91 (Meath) - Posts: 47 - 30/01/2018 13:19:30    2072393

I have to say I thought Colgan played well. First competitive start. He made 3 great saves. Kick outs where decents. Those 3 saves were important. Any of them went in and it was curtains for us. Good debut for Colgan.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1046 - 30/01/2018 13:38:22    2072403

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1192 - 30/01/2018 14:37:04    2072422

Was O'Sullivan as bad as people were making out, only saw the highlights, but his goal was excellent. Our movement and hand passing looked pretty good, but again I'm only basing that on the little I saw.

GlasgowRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 275 - 30/01/2018 14:48:06    2072425