Replying To royaldunne:  "Fermanagh have scored a average of 8 times or something ridiculous like that per game. Trust me they may win but they won't put 10 points on us, and donegal have to win by 7!i think too. So while it is still not mathematically impossible it won't happen, pp have us at 1/200 to be promoted. Anyway I actually think our panel is strong enough to win it either way, that been said we will play a strong team of that I have no doubt"

Replying To Ratoath Royal:  "I'd be 95% certain that they couldn't beat us by 10+. But why would you take that chance? Like another poster intimated, all it would take is a few flukey Fermanagh goals in the first half to throw the cat amongst the pigeons.
And regardless, why would you be up for possibly breaking the winning momentum of this team? We've won 4 on the trot in this division for the first time in God knows how long. I, personally, want to make it 5 and 6 wins in a row and win the first bit of decent silverware since 2010. Playing the best team possible on Sunday and not messing with a winning system is the best way to do this in my opinion."

Replying To meath1987:  "i often wonder will some of our supporters ever be happy! For the first time in years we are potentially going back to division 1 football , it's a changing time for our great county , you should really embrace it and enjoy it ."

Replying To longroadback:  "Going on reports, everyone will be available for the weekend, Shane McEntee only felt a tight hamstring and came off straight away, Ben Brennan would have played at weekend if absolutely needed. Sean Tobin is back in training. While there might be a couple of changes for this weekend cant see wholesale changes until the second half and the picture is a bit clearer. Don't think this is the game for young Conlan, super talent that he is, he will not get any room to work or freedom to play on Sunday. Don't see Fermanagh changing things, they will try to keep things tight and get a narrow win and hope that is enough. The game in Donegal will be tight as both teams still have it all to play for. While our subs are making a big impact at the moment I would not be inclined to start Biggy or Barry Dardis, For the way we are set up Biggy would only last 40/45 mins. Him coming on with 30 to go is a much bigger benefit to the team."

Replying To Furlong1949:  "Why have Meath improved this year. There are few reasons why this happened. Its a gradual process over a few seasons but there are few areas that have come together for Meath this season. I think most are very surprised by Meaths progress this year but the signs were there. In the last two years Meaths very good performances v Tyrone Donegal twice Galway Roscommon and even v Dublin in last few months were evidence Meath were not as crap as people thought. The loses v kildare Cavan Longford Tippearey and Cork in 2017 and 2018 were all well deserved victories for the above. But people only saw those defeats but ignored the 1 point losess to Donegal in 2017 and Tyrone in 2018.

So there is a surprise out there with. Meaths progress. For me the main surprise is that so many people are welcoming a Meath return , Meath progess. I never saw that one coming. Of course there is some of our neighbours and old enemies who if we score another point in championship it will a point to much. But overall because of Dublins domiance people wud welcome a stronger Meath. I think people might even miss the old Meath v Dublin battles which in their heyday were the biggest game in football after an All Ireland final. Definatly I feel people wud like to see Meath get stronger. Thats a surprise to me.

But why have Meath improved. Here are some reasons.

1 It was always in his third year McEntee would improve the team. It took Boylan Dywer and McGee, the three most sucessful managers in leinster football history outside Heffernan and Galvin , it took them years to turn around their counties. McEntees work with Meath minors and Ballyboden showed he had the CV. It also took McEntee a while to get use to inter county football. A common occurence for many managers.

2 Very good performances v Tyrone Galway Donegal and Roscommon and even Dublins showed good signs. Even the two games v Dublin in recent months were a help. Meath beat Dublin in a challenge game before christmas were Brian Fenton and 4 or 5 first team Dublin players were playing. Yes Dublin had allot of players missing and were not back training. But still dont underestimate that it was good boost for a Meath team to beat Dublin. And even if they lost on penalties to Dublins reserve team in Bynre cup. Just playing any Dublin team in two games in a few weeks and not been beaten in full time in both matchs. These things do help.

2 Meaths performance v Tyrone was important. Most people ignored it. The only person I saw recognising the importance of this performance was Alan Brogan. He said it was one of the games of the season. And Meath cud take an awful lot from the performance. He was right.

If Meath had beaten Tyrone I think this cud have been a bad thing. Lets say Meath reached the super 8 last year. Meath were weaker then Roscommon last year. look at what happened to Roscommon in Super 8 last year. If Meath reached super 8 last year they would have had worst defeats then Roscommon and would have ended the season a bit demoralised.

Instead Meath had a moral victory v Tyrone. They lost contervesaly and left the fans a bit aggrieved but also proud of the performance. A good way to end the season for a team rebuilding. Instead of getting bad hammerings in the Super 8. Meath took allot from that performance. And when Tyrone reached the All Ireland final afterwards, it made Meaths performance v Tyrone even more credible.

3 Since the Cork league game last year in about 14 or 15 games since longford defeat, Meath have only played one real bad game since. That was v Longford. What has happened,? Two posotional changes have transformed the Meath team. The moving of James McEntee to wing back and moving of Donal keoghan to centre back have been massive for Meath. Why?

Half back line has been a problem area for Meath for years. Half back line is most important line in modern football. If u dont have a quality half back line u cannot be sucessful eg Lee Keegan Karl Lacey James Mcarthy etc. James McEntee moving from wing forward to wing back has been a huge sucess. He has given many man of the match performances at wing back and is producing performances I havent seen at wing back for a Meath footballer in ten years at least.

The other was Donal keoghan. Donal keoghan has played at corner back wing back centre back in all 6 defence positions for Meath for years. If there was a player on the opposite team who was dangerous, Keoghan marked him. If Meath were struggling in a position, he played in that position. That meant Keoghan basically played corner back for Meath for 5 years. He was outstanding at corner back but it is not his best position. That was as a half back. A top class wing back is more important then top class corner back. U need good corner backs but half backs can really influence the game more.

Since the Cork game last year, Keoghan has played every game at centre back. His longest period out the field. Centre back has been a problem area since Enda McManus retired in 2000 for Meath. It is no coincidence that since the Cork game Meath have played well and improved and keoghan has played every game at centre back.

For me Donal keoghan is one of the best defenders in the country and could be the best. He wud walk onto any team in the country including Dublin and would walk onto Meaths teams of 80s and 90s. He is Meaths best defender since Darren Fay. And for me his level of performance for Meath is up there with Darren Fay Martin O Connell Robbie O Malley and Mick Lyons. Most people have not seen Keoghan as Meath have not been on telly much only when he was corner back when Meath were defeated by Dublin in 2014 and Westmeath in 2015. For me , Keoghan is up there with kieth Higgins and James Mcarthys , he reminds me of Meath Karl lacey. Meath have a top class centre back for the first time since Liam Harnan. That has been massive for Meath.

4 The main area ofs Meaths improvement was our defence. This is best Meath defence in ten years at least. Meath have 4 top class defenders. They are Donal keoghan Conor McGill Seamus Lavin and Shane Gallagher. Seamus lavin has emerged as quality corner back, the best we have had since Niall McKeigue retired 10 years ago. Conor McGill is one of the best full backs in the country. And Gallagher has been best man marker in Meath club football for years and has adapted to inter game very well. While young Ronan Ryan has been one of our finds of the season. He is tenacious Summerhill defender carrying on Mick Lyons and Mark Reilly Summerhill defending tradition. Mcoy has also been good. Niall kane and James McEntee means Meath have two quality effective wing backs. Its a pity kane will be out for months after picking up an injury v kildare. But overall this is Meaths best defence in at least ten years. Meath have a division 1 defence.

5 Meath have a group of players who are now peaking. Many of them r off the 2012 minor All Ireland finalist team eg Cillian Sullivan James and Shane McEntee Adam.Flanagan Seamus Lavin Padraig Harnan were all.on that team. While players like Donal Keoghan Brian Menton Conor McGill are also peaking. Player start to peak at 25 and reach peak at 27 28. These group of players have now years of strenght and conditioning and now are peaking and better equipped for inter county football.

6 Meaths tackling has improved in defence but also in attack. In the past few years Meath players would lose the ball in the tackle, we had a small team in stature. Who wud lose the ball in contact. Now after a few years strenght and conditioning ,these players are now stronger in the tackle. While younger players coming thru are the first generation of Meath players who have had strenght and conditioning training at underage. These new young players are bigger and more Atletic then underage players we have produced in a while.

7 Another reason for Meaths progress has been these new young players. Meath have a young team the average age is 23 24. But for the first time since 2012 when Padraig Harnan Alan Forde Damien Carroll Conor Gillespie in 2012 made a straightaway impact. For first time in years Meath have under 21 players making an impact straightaway. Players like Daragh Campion Ethan Devine Ronan Ryan and James Conlon all under 21 players all have made an impact . The good news is I can see 3 or 4 new young players next year and the year after making impact as Meaths best underage talent since 90s start coming through.

8 Andy McEntee in his first year or two was probably trying to do everything. Coaching and managing. This year he has brought in Nally as coach and this has worked real well. Andy McEntee is doing more one on one man mangement with the players this year. McEntees is good at man management. He can be blunt but he is a good motivator. Players like Michael Dara Macauley and Colm Keaney Dublin players who have been managed by Pat Gilroy Anthony Daly and Jim Galvin said McEntee was best manager they played under. McEntee managing the players this year is working.

8 The introduction of Nally as a coach has been very important. Coachs importance has grown massively recently. Paul Grimley Peter Lally Donie Buckley Cian O Neill Jason Sherlock have all showed how important a quality coach is. Jim Galvin or Mickey Harte dont do the coaching . They manage the team. The role of modern coach has improved recently. Look at Clare and Limerick All Ireland hurling win. Paul McKinnerk was the coach on both teams. He is possibly most important figure in hurling in this decade. Nally is one best coachs in leinster. He gives seminars and writes coaching manuals. The Meath players are very very happy with him.

I wud recommended every Meath person to check out Colm Nally appearance on off the ball football show recently. U cud listen to this guy talk about football all day long. He really impressed me in this show. Nally joining the Meath management team is a turning point.

Meath have failed to adapt to modern tactics in football. How do you get the Meath players to play tactically aware football with their old school passion. For me this is the first time I have seen Meath play tactics in a modern way sucessfully with old school passion. The management team of McEntee and Nally has had a massive role. McEntees passion combined with Nallys tactical nuance has really worked.

I have been so impressed as Nally , he is a Dub. Which I would never agree with having a Dub on any Meath management team. But to give Dubs their credit they always produce good managers coachs eg Paul Cafffry Pat Gilroy Jim Galvin Mickey Whelan and Jason Sherlock. Nally has been so good that when McEntee leaves and hopefully that is a couple of seasons. Nally for me would be a genuine and only candidate as a future Meath manager at the moment eeing the serious lack of young Meath managers out there. (Hopefully someone like Kevin Reilly at Navan O Mahoneys who is doing really well there at the moment can be sucessful at Mahonys. We need new sucessful talented managers to come thru. Hopefully Kevin Reilly is one. )

So there r 8 reasons why Meath have improved this year. Meath are still not the finished article and still wil have ups and downs. But they are going in right direction. They have young team with strong defence and strong management and new talent thru. A promotion for Meath to div 1 for the first time in 13 years wud be a masive boost for Meath. And I think Meath wud adapt better to divsion 1 football then people think. Galway adapted well. Galway feel like they belong in divsion 1 and have no inferior complex. Meath would also have same mindset as Galway and and wud have no inferior complex. If Meath cud get 4 games in Navan as Meath have a great record in Navan that would be massive for Meath. Hopefully we dont mess up next week. Meath football is turning the corner. And this can only be good for football. Leinster needs a strong Meath and kildare. Hopefully we see a Meath v kildare league final. 3 leinster teams in division wud be great for leinster football."

Replying To bobkarlgees:  "Alot of what you said makes sense. Its probably mixture a lot of things that has seen our fortunes change this year.
On Nally, he is A Dub. But he knows Meath Football,
He managed St Marys (Donore ), Duleek-Bellewstown, and the Cilles that I know off. So he probably a 10 years managing Meath teams.
Also he played in goals for Louth. He is officiated to the Blues in Drogheda where his sons play. So he has links all over the place, not your typical Dub. I have experience of him as a coach. And he is without the best coach I ever had, A great motivator.
I was really excited when I heard he joined Meath. And its interesting that Biggy and Ben Bennan are playing really well for Meath too players Nally knows well from the Cilles. Ben was MOM against Kildare IMO. Biggy is casing all sorts of chaos every time he comes on. I was a Little surprised Nally didn't go for the Louth job after Kelly left. He clearly heading towards the inter county manger direction."

Replying To longroadback:  "He is an excellent coach and the players rave about the impact that he has had. I think that he most enjoys the coaching element of the role, so maybe he does not want a managers role, hopefully he stays with us for a while"

Replying To ISupposeSoSheehan:  "He is making the difference this year. We should make changes for this game. Give some of the fringe players a run and let Fermanagh beat us. Be a handy piece of silverware to collect next weekend and an easy two points in Division 1 next year."

Replying To ISupposeSoSheehan:  "He is making the difference this year. We should make changes for this game. Give some of the fringe players a run and let Fermanagh beat us. Be a handy piece of silverware to collect next weekend and an easy two points in Division 1 next year."

Replying To ISupposeSoSheehan:  "He is making the difference this year. We should make changes for this game. Give some of the fringe players a run and let Fermanagh beat us. Be a handy piece of silverware to collect next weekend and an easy two points in Division 1 next year."

Replying To ISupposeSoSheehan:  "He is making the difference this year. We should make changes for this game. Give some of the fringe players a run and let Fermanagh beat us. Be a handy piece of silverware to collect next weekend and an easy two points in Division 1 next year."

Replying To longroadback:  "He is an excellent coach and the players rave about the impact that he has had. I think that he most enjoys the coaching element of the role, so maybe he does not want a managers role, hopefully he stays with us for a while"

Replying To KeshGFC:  "I agree.. we will roll over for ya in Croker no problem if ya go easy in PT on Sunday .. 2 or 3 point margin to be safe .. TIA ;-)"

Replying To Loyalroyal17:  "For all of those who said last year, Graham Reilly needs to retire, he is past his sell by date, how wrong were you! The level of play from Biggy has been superb IMO the best he has played in the past 3 years.
The changes that have been made to this team, keeping lads on the bench as impact subs i reckon was the trick Andy and Co. have been keeping up their sleeve.
Sunday is going to be a very defensive game i would think, i dont think Fermanagh are going to let us have this one too handy but i reckon we should win this game clear of about 5 points."