Meath v Dublin U21

[The Claw]

Parnell Park this saturday.
Anyone konw how the dubs are going, Is Ross O Carroll back from injury. Dermott Connolly should be a big threat. Any word on the teams?

[tayto]

We're missing a good few players, will do well to keep it competitive i'd say ...

Captain Reilly ruled out as Dubs U21 face anxious wait
hill16.ie

Dublin under-21 football manager Paddy Canning faces an anxious week before naming his team to face Meath in this Saturday's Leinster U21FC clash at Parnell Park (2.30).

The Dubs have already lost team captain Donnacha Reilly (hamstring), Colin Daly (broken ankle) and Michael McAuley (back) through injury and Diarmuid Connolly suffered a shoulder injury in last Saturday's narrow NFL victory over Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds.

The news on Connolly is slightly more encouraging that originally feared but he still faces a race against time in order to prove his fitness while Ross O'Carroll is also expected to be available for selection.

However, several of the squad are in Sigerson action this week - forcing Canning to delay naming his team until after training on Thursday night.

Tomas Brady, Cian O'Sullivan and Mark Loftus are part of the UCD panel for their clash with St Mary's, the Vincent's duo of Michael Savage and Tiernan Diamond are involved with DCU who face Jordanstown, while Kevin McMenamin, Russell Cleere, Eoin Sommerville and Liam Fleming are all part of the DIT set-up.

[Northside Dub]

Dubs U21s look fairly strong but i hope they dont go into the game over confident or i feel our neighbours could take advantage of this!
Who have the meath 21s got???

[Hound]

The Dubs have a good U21 team this year, but Reilly and Daly will be big losses, and Connolly not being 100% is obviously bad news.

[tayto]

Dubs U21s look fairly strong but i hope they dont go into the game over confident or i feel our neighbours could take advantage of this!
Who have the meath 21s got???

Not sure how may of their minors from last year are still underage but if the bones of them came though then we'll have some game on our hands, especially with those injuries.

[The Claw]

Dubs U21s look fairly strong but i hope they dont go into the game over confident or i feel our neighbours could take advantage of this!
Who have the meath 21s got???

Big names for Meath would be Kevin Reilly who plays with DCU and was on the international rules panel.
other senior pannelists are Cian Ward, Brian Meade and Cormac McGuinness. meath have a strong team but I hear that the Dubs have put in serious preparation for this game.

[tayto]

I'd fancy us to take it if we had a full team to pick from, Donnacha Reilly is a massive blow, although i think connolly is going to make it so hopefully we'll get through, could do with a good run at this level.

[Northside Dub]

Dublin senior Diarmuid Connolly has been passed fit to face Meath in Saturday's Leinster under-21 FC clash with Meath at Parnell Park (2.30).

The St Vincent's forward suffered a shoulder injury in Dublin's narrow NFL victory over Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds last weekend and had to be replaced before half-time.

However, the injury was not as serious as initially feared and he will take his place at left half-forward in a line that includes Paul Brogan, brother of Dublin seniors Alan and Bernard, and John O'Brien.

O'Brien was Dublin's top scorer in their last challenge match when he kicked seven points (including four frees) as the Dubs defeated Cork 0-15 to 1-8 two weeks ago in Parnell Park.

Team captain Donnacha Reilly, Colin Daly and Michael McAuley were not considered owing to injury.

Dublin's challenge game preparations also included successes against Kerry, Tyrone, Leinster club champions Moorefield and Ulster club champions Crossmaglen.

Last year Dublin also had an impressive lead into the Leinster championship but fell very flat against Kildare in the opening round as they were defeated 0-12 to 0-9 in Newbridge on an afternoon when Dublin amassed 12 wides and Tomas Brady was dismissed on two yellow cards.

Michael Savage, Willie Lowry, Tomas Brady and Blaine Kelly were in the starting 15 against the Lilywhites while John O'Brien was introduced as a sub,

Dublin last won the Leinster U21FC when they defeated Kildare in a replayed final in 2005. Savage, Lowry and O'Brien all played in that Leinster final.

DUBLIN (U21FC v Meath) - Michael Savage (St Vincent's) ; Kevin Nolan (Kilmacud Crokes), Willie Lowry (St Vincent's), Ian Kavanagh (Fingal Ravens); Darren Daly (Fingallians), Liam Fleming (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), Chris Guckian (St Jude's); Paul Flynn (Fingallians), Shane Ryan (Nh Mearnog); John O'Brien (Round Towers, Clondalkin), Paul Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent's); Blaine Kelly (St Mary's, Saggart), Tomas Brady (Na Fianna), Kevin McMenamin (St Jude's). Subs: Ciaran Bizelle (Whitehall Colmcille), Ross O'Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes), Alan Hubbard (Ballymun Kickhams), John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields), Eoin Moran (Round Towers, Clondalkin), Paddy Andrews (St Brigid's), Russell Cleere (St Sylvester's), Tiernan Diamond (St Vincent's), Cian O'Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes).

[tayto]

some slightly strange selections there, Brady at 14 and Paul Brogan in the half forwards, don't both play further back for their clubs? Decent looking team there, glad to see McCaffery is onthe bench with a mind to kilkenny the next day.

[Hound]

I'd say a lot of people are surprised that Portmarnock's Shaner is still U21   

[The Claw]

Report from Hoganstand:

Meath 2-9
Dublin 1-8

Meath captain Rory Maguire pointed on the throw in and on six minutes Queeney had bagged the first of his two goals.

Dublin hit back with a couple of points and took the lead when Blaine Kelly goaled six minutes before the break. However Meath responded positively with a Cian Ward point to level the tie and took a 2-5 to 1-5 advantage into the break when Queeney grabbed goal number two on the half time whistle.

The tempo of the game slowed in the second half but some fine points from Dunshaughlin's Cathal O'Dwyer ensured Meath stayed ahead at the end.

Meath - M Ahern; C O'Connor, R Hatton, S Sheppard; P Howard, C McGuinness, T Skelly; K O'Reilly, B Meade; A Nestor, P Smith, R Maguire 0-1; C O'Dwyer 0-3, J Queeney 2-1, C Ward 0-4. Subs - G Gallagher for Meade; C Kelly for Nestor; K Mulvaney for Maguire.

Dublin - M Savage; K Nolan, W Lowry, I Kavanagh; D Daly, L Fleming, C Guckian; P Flynn, S Ryan; J O'Brien 0-2, P Brogan, D Connolly 0-3; B Kelly 1-1, T Brady, K McMenamin 0-1. Subs - R Cleere for Ryan; D Reilly for McMenamin; P Andrews 0-1 for Brogan; A Hubbard for Lowry; E Moran for O'Brien.

Referee - E Craul (Wicklow).


I was at the game on saturday. I thought Dublin were poor, lacking a system up front and failing to take chances, especially goals. Meath were better but not much, having more killer instinct up front.

[tayto]

Agree, enjoyable enough first half but Dublin were shocking in the second. Seemed devoid of ideas up front, which might be explained by Brady at 14 and brgoan at 11 both being defenders for their clubs. That dosent excuse the inability to handpass the ball to one another which dublin had trouble with at times int he second half. Very disapointing display but well done to meath they took their scores well and yerman sweeney in the program [queeney? is it] looked a real handful. Dubs missed Reilly and Daly as predicted. Flynn did reasonibly well and at least looked like he was busting a gut. 

[Hardy]

Thanks lads. Doesn't sound like this was a performance to instil fear in the remaining contenders. Who do we meet next? I can't find a word about the U21 championship on the pitiful joke of a site that is gaa.ie.

[cill_dara]

You meet our good selves next round , I heard its in Newbridge too which is a surprise since we played you there last year also, But I don't know Just what I have heard.
But i definitely know its Kildare versus Meath next round.
Looking forward to it!

[The Claw]

Kildare have been the bane of Meath U21s in the last two years and have given us footballing lessons, any word on how the team is going this year?
Hardy, there are positives: a lot of the lads had the flu the last day with Rory Maguire dying but playing anyway, hence his substitution. David Bray and Ciaran Kelly (a real handful i'm told) were out and also Rory O Connor, again with flu.
The positives would be that Reilly was good in midfield, fielded some great ball but likes booting it long a bit too much. McGuinness was very good at centre back and Queeny (whom I thought lucky to be on the team) was in excellent form.
Kildare will be a different team, with serious pace and know-how up front which the Dubs lacked. Twill be interesting...