Jesus that was some step back...
Looked way off pace and nothing like what they are capable off.
Very disappointing. After last years heights at minor and u20, we seemed to have regressed somewhat thus year.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6158 - 09/07/2019 21:06:09    2208666

Hugely disappointing.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 09/07/2019 21:43:55    2208699

A terrible terrible performance. I get that a lot of these lads are under 20 again next year but that's not an excuse to play the way they did. Just a lack of effort. Didn't want it at all. Finally got into it from mins 50-60 and missed a few chances but it was far too late. Didn't deserve to win. The lads born in 2000 and 2001 better get back into their clubs and knuckle down and work their socks off over the winter because I thought they had loads of talent but talent means nothing if you don't want it enough and tonight they just didn't. As for the 99's. Let's just say there'll be no lads like Campion, Devine or Conlon this year. Robbie Clarke might get some game time maybe. Connell Ahern has talent but was nowhere to be found in both under 20 games this year. As for the other 5 full age that started they aren't up to that level

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 833 - 09/07/2019 22:37:27    2208742

Just back from game absolutely shocking stuff. Though I expected Laois to win as this team as I said are very young. I agree with Leitrim royal when he says not many of these full 20s will kick on, it seems to be a weak age group. I just can't understand the tactics and line out. Everyone is saying Cian McBride is the next best thing at midfield, then why would you play him wing forward. And playing another midfielder in McGowan in full forward starting off is baffling. Callaghan completely changed team from league and even took out the top scorer Lynch who was probably the brightest player when he came on, along with bannon. These are a good bunch of lads who are underage next year but there needs to be serious consideration of who develops them further. Also Laois has two seniors playing tonight after being knocked out, how does that work and could Shane Walsh have played tonight, because he will be needed next year

mr.lucky (Meath) - Posts: 10 - 09/07/2019 23:48:59    2208793

jackhackett (Meath) - Posts: 765 - 10/07/2019 01:15:28    2208811

Aloblack (Meath) - Posts: 265 - 10/07/2019 08:29:18    2208839

The team didn't get going by all accounts. This can happen.

Most important thing is that all these lads keep playing football now at club level to keep participation levels high and help the standard of Meath club football improve. Hopefully, 3/4 of them in the future make senior county footballers.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 926 - 10/07/2019 09:45:10    2208863

ASaminthehand (Meath) - Posts: 292 - 10/07/2019 10:00:05    2208874

Were any of last year minors playing last night? Very impressed with them last year. Was at our game v Laois in u20 and while they haven't outstanding players they worked their socks off.

St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1623 - 10/07/2019 10:34:58    2208898

summerof09 (Meath) - Posts: 237 - 10/07/2019 10:59:11    2208926

I'd be careful about saying "these lads beat X team at 18, so they'll beat them at 20 too". We beat Dublin out the gate in 2016 at minor, but last year that same Dublin team beat us heavily at U20.
Our 2006 and 2008 Leinster winning minors only won 1 game at U21 from 2009 to 2012 (against Dublin of course)

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1391 - 10/07/2019 12:48:54    2209009

Dublins hammering of Laois in the U-20 final tonight is a bit of stark reminder of how strong they still are at underage. I know every game is different but at the same time Laois beat Meath by 10+ and Dublin beat Laois by 10+ so its a bit of an eye opener to any of us who thought we might be starting to make up the ground on Dublin. Archer who scored 3-7 tonight for Dublin is underage again next year so it will take a massive effort to get the better of them in 2020.

A couple of years ago I was confident we were making ground on Dublin at underage level but with our U-17s and 20's struggling this year and with Dublin hammering us at u-20 last year (despite the fact that the same group had beaten them by 10 points at minor level) its a concern).

The continual conditioning and development of their players as they move from their teenage years into their 20's is most impressive and the power of some of their players tonight was remarkable considering they are only 20. They absolutely destroyed Laois at midfield by regaining most of the kickouts at both ends, this is something we are really struggling at, while Dublin seem to have it mastered at all levels.

Thunderstruck (Meath) - Posts: 449 - 19/07/2019 22:09:01    2213329

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 19/07/2019 23:52:48    2213375

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 20/07/2019 12:37:27    2213490

For years now our u20/21s have performed well below the corresponding minor teams. This is where we are falling down. Why? One reason I think is that our minors have been exposed to college's football and a fairly competitive minor structure, where at U20/21 level only some of our players make it on to third level college teams and are exposed to a fairly haphazard All County League and to what many within the county consider to be an out of date County Championship that only gets competitive in October when many teams have been eliminated in a matter of weeks once the county team has been eliminated from the championship. Even then it's possible that those finishing rounds of the championship may not be fully competitive as teams may be eliminated by a combination of other results in their group. It's the only explanation that I can give for the dramatic fall off in performance from Minor (U18/17) to U21/20

MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 742 - 20/07/2019 18:39:15    2213603

ASaminthehand (Meath) - Posts: 292 - 20/07/2019 22:03:43    2213731

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 21/07/2019 08:47:40    2213839

Yes

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 21/07/2019 11:49:01    2213901

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 03/08/2019 17:12:52    2220117