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Let's get the ball rolling on this topic,
With ,Westmeath,Kerry,Antrim,London and Mayo to play in the league , it's a very hard league but one that will stand to the team when May comes around for the Christy Ring cup, now unfortunately the 3rd tier hurling competition behind the McCarty and McDonagh cups. Away to Mayo in the first round, After that we play Antrim at Home,London at home, Westmeath away and Kerry away. We have to beat Mayo and London to stay up, We can get a result against Antrim but I expect nothing from the away fixtures to Westmeath and Kerry. The priority must be to stay in DIV 2A.
In the Christy Ring Cup were are in group 2 , we play London at Home first , Kildare away in second match and Rosscommon in the last match away. Top two from each group qualify for the semi finals. In the other group you have Down, Wicklow, Donegal and Derry. Down and Derry should come out of this group.
My semi Final predictions are Meath, Kildare, Down and Derry. Don't underestimate Derry this year they will have all the Slaughtneil player in training from November as they were out of Ulster Club in October. Derry with the Slaughtneil players are a very different proposition.
So My predictions for Meath Hurlers for 2019 are , Will Stay in Div 2A by winning the first two matches against Mayo and London,and reach the final of the Christy Ring Cup (Anything can happen in the final of the ring cup, remember 2016)
lets have your opinions people
gardentree (Meath) - Posts: 194 - 04/01/2019 15:49:40
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Replying To gardentree: "Let's get the ball rolling on this topic,
With ,Westmeath,Kerry,Antrim,London and Mayo to play in the league , it's a very hard league but one that will stand to the team when May comes around for the Christy Ring cup, now unfortunately the 3rd tier hurling competition behind the McCarty and McDonagh cups. Away to Mayo in the first round, After that we play Antrim at Home,London at home, Westmeath away and Kerry away. We have to beat Mayo and London to stay up, We can get a result against Antrim but I expect nothing from the away fixtures to Westmeath and Kerry. The priority must be to stay in DIV 2A.
In the Christy Ring Cup were are in group 2 , we play London at Home first , Kildare away in second match and Rosscommon in the last match away. Top two from each group qualify for the semi finals. In the other group you have Down, Wicklow, Donegal and Derry. Down and Derry should come out of this group.
My semi Final predictions are Meath, Kildare, Down and Derry. Don't underestimate Derry this year they will have all the Slaughtneil player in training from November as they were out of Ulster Club in October. Derry with the Slaughtneil players are a very different proposition.
So My predictions for Meath Hurlers for 2019 are , Will Stay in Div 2A by winning the first two matches against Mayo and London,and reach the final of the Christy Ring Cup (Anything can happen in the final of the ring cup, remember 2016)
lets have your opinions people" Main area for development is the conditioning. If they can get the lads in the same condition they were for winning the ring then they could take it all!
In_da_ditch (UK) - Posts: 165 - 05/01/2019 21:36:25
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Anything less than ring cup victory is a disaster , wont be easy
Staying in 2a is also a must, should be ok
Hard to know where the team will be this year , nick fitz had a poor year last year
No new players worth talking about and lost a few
Team played nowhere near as good as it is last year
Was a step back
hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 312 - 06/01/2019 20:23:49
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what is the squad like. Any1 asked to come in or opted out?
Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 476 - 06/01/2019 22:04:40
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League will probably be 2 wins vs. London and Mayo and 3 losses vs. the rest.
KIldare are probably the biggest challenge in the Christy Ring as Wicklow and Down seem to have fallen back in recent years and even with their Slaughtneil players, Derry aren't that good. London could spring a surprise though, depending on what sort of players they have this year.
That said who knows how motivated Kildare are to win it as they won it last year already. Also every time Kildare win the CR they've been made to enter a playoff, whereas everyone else got automatic promotion (or in the case of Antrim, they got promoted without even winning it).
CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1391 - 07/01/2019 00:04:07
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Replying To CastleBravo: "League will probably be 2 wins vs. London and Mayo and 3 losses vs. the rest.
KIldare are probably the biggest challenge in the Christy Ring as Wicklow and Down seem to have fallen back in recent years and even with their Slaughtneil players, Derry aren't that good. London could spring a surprise though, depending on what sort of players they have this year.
That said who knows how motivated Kildare are to win it as they won it last year already. Also every time Kildare win the CR they've been made to enter a playoff, whereas everyone else got automatic promotion (or in the case of Antrim, they got promoted without even winning it)." Will be interesting to see how Derry get on this season. I believe the inclusion of the Slaughtneil players from the start of the season will be a major boost to them, Castlebravo dose not agree with me, so lets see who's right.
London could be the dark horses, they now under new management so depending on who they have over there working will determine the strength of their challenge in the league and CR.
gardentree (Meath) - Posts: 194 - 07/01/2019 14:20:20
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Kildare have been working hard on S&C down in Johnstown house. They seem to be very hungry & will be a real threat in the ring
In_da_ditch (UK) - Posts: 165 - 07/01/2019 15:32:11
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kildare have always been well prepared
hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 312 - 07/01/2019 15:53:49
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Replying To hurlit: "kildare have always been well prepared" Kildare are always big men, 2 games played over the weekend with different squads i hear, anyone hear how they went, interesting to read Keith Keoghan interview in the year book, reckons he was never as fit he was last year,
StickFan (Meath) - Posts: 192 - 08/01/2019 09:26:33
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Replying To StickFan: "Kildare are always big men, 2 games played over the weekend with different squads i hear, anyone hear how they went, interesting to read Keith Keoghan interview in the year book, reckons he was never as fit he was last year," Did not hear how matches went. I was at all the matches last season and their is no way the team were as fit as they were when the boxing lad was the S&C when Ennis had the team. The team that won the Ring cup , the NHLDIV2B and that played in the leinster championship were the fittest Meath hurling team I have ever witnessed. The lad from the boxing background(Can't think of his name) did a brilliant job with them. Can anyone remember his name ? is he with any team now ?
gardentree (Meath) - Posts: 194 - 08/01/2019 13:49:02
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Replying To StickFan: "Kildare are always big men, 2 games played over the weekend with different squads i hear, anyone hear how they went, interesting to read Keith Keoghan interview in the year book, reckons he was never as fit he was last year," hes hardly going to say otherwise
mayby he was but the other 14 on the pitch were not by look of them
hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 312 - 08/01/2019 14:25:06
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Replying To gardentree: "Did not hear how matches went. I was at all the matches last season and their is no way the team were as fit as they were when the boxing lad was the S&C when Ennis had the team. The team that won the Ring cup , the NHLDIV2B and that played in the leinster championship were the fittest Meath hurling team I have ever witnessed. The lad from the boxing background(Can't think of his name) did a brilliant job with them. Can anyone remember his name ? is he with any team now ?" Mickey McCullough from Antrim.
Was with Dublin SHC champions Ballyboden in 2018 and with the Dublin hurlers for 2019.
Good luck to us getting him again :)
Belt (Meath) - Posts: 205 - 08/01/2019 14:27:29
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Mickey McCullough wasn't the S and C coach he was just a coach, i think the lad he's talking about is the Stylers son who used to referee..
tuppy23 (Meath) - Posts: 120 - 08/01/2019 16:32:04
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Replying To tuppy23: "Mickey McCullough wasn't the S and C coach he was just a coach, i think the lad he's talking about is the Stylers son who used to referee.." That's Ciaran McDonagh you are thinking of - he joined the year after they won the Christy Ring.
Fairly sure McCullough was responsible for the fitness side of things as well during his time with Meath.
Belt (Meath) - Posts: 205 - 08/01/2019 17:00:27
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No The S&C coach with Ennis was not McDonagh from Athboy he only joined Nicks team at the start of 2018 and I believe he is gone now. The lad that was with Ennis as S&C for his 3 years was I think from Trim, was involved with the White Collar boxing gigs. I think he boxed for Ireland. For the life of me I can't think of his name , a skinny fit looking lad about 6ft tall shaved head, pale complection. (Its driving me mad I can't think of his name)
The hurling coach with Ennis was yer man from Antrim, Mickey McCullough, he was not the fitness coach he was hurling coach, he was with Boden in 2018 and I will have to take your word for it that he is with Dublin for 2019.
the point is that lad I on about had the Meath Hurlers in fantastic shape, as fit a team that was in the country that year. Look at the way they ran Antrim into the ground in the two Ring finals, Down by 8/9 at half time in both matches. Fitness and great hurling got them back into the games. Great S&C performance
gardentree (Meath) - Posts: 194 - 08/01/2019 17:28:04
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it was Comiskey from Trim who was the S&C, can think of his first name.
StickFan (Meath) - Posts: 192 - 09/01/2019 12:37:37
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Replying To gardentree: "Did not hear how matches went. I was at all the matches last season and their is no way the team were as fit as they were when the boxing lad was the S&C when Ennis had the team. The team that won the Ring cup , the NHLDIV2B and that played in the leinster championship were the fittest Meath hurling team I have ever witnessed. The lad from the boxing background(Can't think of his name) did a brilliant job with them. Can anyone remember his name ? is he with any team now ?" Maybe they looked fitter in a lower competition like the Christy Ring, compared to a competition at a higher level like the Joe McDonagh cup? Its always something thrown out when a team is losing matches, that they don't look fit etc.
BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 565 - 09/01/2019 14:03:28
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Replying To BigJoe14: "Maybe they looked fitter in a lower competition like the Christy Ring, compared to a competition at a higher level like the Joe McDonagh cup? Its always something thrown out when a team is losing matches, that they don't look fit etc." Incorrect , When Meath were managed by Ennis they were very fit in 2106 the year they won the CR cup, the next year they won the NHLD2B and played in the leinster championship, Beat Kerry, lost to Laois and were narrowly defeated by Westmeath in mullingar to miss out on a quarter final spot bu just two pints on score difference. That bad performance against Laois came back to haunt them. In the the NHL in 2017 they trounced every team with their superior fitness and skill levels. Again in their leinster championship they looked ande were a very fit and well prepared team. At no point last season did the team look near fit for the level of hurling they were playing and that is down to the S&C coach which was McDonagh. Look at the facts from last season, In the League we well ahead of Kildare in Newbridge in the first round and let them back into the game in the last twelve minutes. The same happened in London a match I was not at but I read the report on it and again they were well ahead and let London Back into it. This is all down to fitness levels. In the championship against Antrim in Navan we weer 7 points up after twenty minutes and then Antrim walked all over us. Kerry trounced us in Kerry and again we had a great start against Westmeath and in the last ten minutes of the first half Westmeath took over. All of these collapses are down to squad fitness levels and its speaks for itself that Nick has not McDonagh involved this season. So Bigjoe14 facts are facts.
gardentree (Meath) - Posts: 194 - 09/01/2019 19:47:35
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Replying To gardentree: "Incorrect , When Meath were managed by Ennis they were very fit in 2106 the year they won the CR cup, the next year they won the NHLD2B and played in the leinster championship, Beat Kerry, lost to Laois and were narrowly defeated by Westmeath in mullingar to miss out on a quarter final spot bu just two pints on score difference. That bad performance against Laois came back to haunt them. In the the NHL in 2017 they trounced every team with their superior fitness and skill levels. Again in their leinster championship they looked ande were a very fit and well prepared team. At no point last season did the team look near fit for the level of hurling they were playing and that is down to the S&C coach which was McDonagh. Look at the facts from last season, In the League we well ahead of Kildare in Newbridge in the first round and let them back into the game in the last twelve minutes. The same happened in London a match I was not at but I read the report on it and again they were well ahead and let London Back into it. This is all down to fitness levels. In the championship against Antrim in Navan we weer 7 points up after twenty minutes and then Antrim walked all over us. Kerry trounced us in Kerry and again we had a great start against Westmeath and in the last ten minutes of the first half Westmeath took over. All of these collapses are down to squad fitness levels and its speaks for itself that Nick has not McDonagh involved this season. So Bigjoe14 facts are facts." i would agree with all of that
the kilkenny boys were some waiste of money aso
hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 312 - 09/01/2019 22:41:22
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Replying To gardentree: "Incorrect , When Meath were managed by Ennis they were very fit in 2106 the year they won the CR cup, the next year they won the NHLD2B and played in the leinster championship, Beat Kerry, lost to Laois and were narrowly defeated by Westmeath in mullingar to miss out on a quarter final spot bu just two pints on score difference. That bad performance against Laois came back to haunt them. In the the NHL in 2017 they trounced every team with their superior fitness and skill levels. Again in their leinster championship they looked ande were a very fit and well prepared team. At no point last season did the team look near fit for the level of hurling they were playing and that is down to the S&C coach which was McDonagh. Look at the facts from last season, In the League we well ahead of Kildare in Newbridge in the first round and let them back into the game in the last twelve minutes. The same happened in London a match I was not at but I read the report on it and again they were well ahead and let London Back into it. This is all down to fitness levels. In the championship against Antrim in Navan we weer 7 points up after twenty minutes and then Antrim walked all over us. Kerry trounced us in Kerry and again we had a great start against Westmeath and in the last ten minutes of the first half Westmeath took over. All of these collapses are down to squad fitness levels and its speaks for itself that Nick has not McDonagh involved this season. So Bigjoe14 facts are facts." I except what you say but I think it is very easy to point to fitness when a team is losing. Maybe confidence and believe wasn't as high as it was in the Christy ring 2016. The Christy ring competition took 4 games (against lower quality teams) to reach the final. The 2018 Joe McDonagh was a 5 round competition that was played 2 weeks after the April for clubs nonsense where the Meath hurling manager noted how preparation was interrupted considerably by players having to go back to their clubs for football commitments. In 2018 Meath also were missing probably their best player in James Toher for the majority of the competition, compared to 2016 when they had a full deck to chose from. Fitness levels are not an excuse any more as all intercounty teams at all levels put a huge amount of detail into their conditioning and is little between any team in this stake.
BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 565 - 10/01/2019 08:53:32
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