Meath vs Carlow, Dr Cullen Park, June 15th

[thejuice]

Out For The Season:
Conor Gilespie
Cillian O'Sullivan
Eamon Wallace
Davy Dalton

Out For Just The Carlow Game (hopefully):
Eoghan Harrington
Brian Menton

[Sea The Stars]

Out For The Season:
Conor Gilespie
Cillian O'Sullivan
Eamon Wallace
Davy Dalton

Out For Just The Carlow Game (hopefully):
Eoghan Harrington
Brian Menton

Meath have their fair share of injuries especially in the last 5 years. If I went through the 30 man panel, I would bet that around 20 of them have missed, O'Byrne Cup, League or u21 championship games this season through injury. It was the same last year, u21 players being brought in on the day of league games to make up the subs.

The 4 "out-for-the-seasons" are huge blows. With the 4 of them in the team, Meath would be a far stronger outfit. Saying that, Conor Gillespie missed the whole league, Cillian O'Sullivan and Davy Dalton missed the last 5 games of it, Eamonn Wallace played a few minutes against Donegal and missed the last 3 games. So we managed without them.

It's a shame about Gillespie really and it's really dented my hopes for the year. It was looking like we were building a lot of depth to the panel but the injuries have taken that away again. Hopefully Menton and Harrington get themselves back in order fairly soon.

[thejuice]

The lads had a challenge arch against Kerry over the weekend. Lost by six but everyone got a run. Rumour has it we won't have Michael Newman for the Carlow game either.

[stevecw]

Carlow team is picked and it's seriously bad. The half forward line is a complete joke, the backs are brutal, midfield has 1 decent player and 1 slow unfit guy. The full forward line picked is lethal, they are full of scores but can't see them getting anywhere near enough ball to be involved.

Meath will win this by at least 15 points, despite the injuries etc. I've heard it a few times from people I was talking to today and I agree, this is the worst team Carlow have ever put out for a championship game. 

[thejuice]

Meath (SFC v Carlow) -

Paddy O'Rourke;

Caolan Young, Kevin Reilly (capt), Mickey Burke;
Padraic Harnan, Donal Keogan, Damien Carroll;

Brian Meade, Shane O'Rourke;

Donncha Tobin, Bryan McMahon, Andy Tormey;
Graham Reilly, Stephen Bray, Michael Newman.

Subs: Conor McHugh, Paddy Gilsenan, Adam Flanagan, Donal Lenihan, Dalton McDonagh, Seamus Kenny, David Brady, Mark O'Sullivan, James McEntee, Sean Curran, David Larkin.

[thejuice]

It is still a strong team with enough experience on the field to get through it even if things don't go our way. It's will be interesting to see how Brian Meade and Shane get on. They'll have Tormey and Carroll to help win breaks and Biggy should be in there too.

Hopefully Meade can get back to his old self. He was regarded by many as the best MF player in the county before his injury.

Burke and Young might be a bit vulnerable against quick corner forwards while Keoghan at Centre Half might not present as physical presence as we might like. But we'll see. If we can get through this winning without more injuries id be happy enough.

[Jinxy]

I think Menton will go to centre-back when he's fit although I'm happy enough to see how DK gets on there.
Biggy is better when he's facing the play so assume he will drop deep.
Need a big game from Stephen Bray to get his confidence up.

[armaghniac]

This could be one of the most colourful games in the championship.

[Sea The Stars]

Looking at the forwards, I think it could be a kind of 2-2-2 formation. Tobin/Tormey - Bigey/McMahon - Brayer/Newman.

I'd be slightly worried about Meade. No idea how he has been going in training at all but there'll be a lot of expectation amongst the support for him to jump straight back into last year's form. It never works like that. I hope he's going as well as be can be though.

I'd prefer to leave Keoghan at centre-back. He's as strong as you get these days with a serious turn of pace. To be honest Menton has been a disappointment for me personally. I had him down as a doubtful starter if everyone was fit. He didn't play well in the League games I was at.

The only other concern for me is we're back where we were last year as regards a panel of 20. There is only one option for the midfield third on the bench and James McEntee is the only new player in there. No place for Anthony Forde, Joey Wallace or Bobby O'Brien. I had really hoped one or two of them might have stepped up.

[ardchieftain]

Any latest score lads?

[Agent Orange]

Leinster SFC latest (27mins): Carlow 0-02 Meath 1-04

[Captain Obvious]

The worst side in Leinster against the 2nd best? Should be a big win for Meath.

[Hardy]

Half Time:
Meath 3-6
Carlow 0-2
Newman(pen.), MacMahon, Bray the goalscorers.

[thejuice]

Tormey with the 4th goal. Perhaps we should try this tactic of only going for goals against Kildare.

[rodney trotter]

Result: Leinster SFC, Carlow 0-6 Meath 7-13