El Ancient East Classico Kildare v Meath

[Dinny Breen]

Live on TV this weekend so probably deserves it's own thread so everyone can tell us how shit Leinster football is.

Neil Flynn is reported as a possibility for the weekend, can't see him starting but with him and Paddy Brophy in the wings Kildare will have even more impact off the bench.

The Meath HS forum are being very cocky but then Meath always expect to beat Kildare but the ability to ignore the hammering in the League and our underage dominance over them is remarkable some would say even arrogant. So we know Meath don't fear Kildare.

Meath have issues with their full back line, whether it's personnel or system they gave up an awful lot of goal chances against Louth and Paddy O'Rourke would not inspire me. Both teams are quite pacey so should cancel each other out but I think Kildare are more powerful around the middle 8, Byrne, Conway Cribben*2 Doyle and Moolick provide physicality and Kelly and Feely are more style. Kildare are susceptible to being ran at so if we can tighten those channels with maybe Moolick dropping back in addition to Conway's and P Cribben's workrate I give us a very good chance at limiting goal opportunities. Lyons is expected to pick up probably the form forward in the country Graham Reilly so with Lyins good going forward it might be a case of trying to get Reilly out of position to nullify his influence.

Kildare to win it's really about nullifying O'Sullivan and Reilly while limiting goal chances, I think Kildare have a much better range of scorers so if it goes to a shootout Kildare have artillery on the bench Brophy, Flynn, Dowling and Healy all capable of scoring 2 or 3 points from play.

Going to call it early before anxiety takes over. Kildare by 3.

[Dinny Breen]

Right ignore the above Joe McQuillan is the referee. A lottery it is..

[Donnellys Hollow]

Right ignore the above Joe McQuillan is the referee. A lottery it is..

[Donnellys Hollow]

Five wins apiece and two draws in the last twenty years:

1997 LSFC Semi-Final: DRAW
1997 LSFC Semi-Final Replay: DRAW (AET)
1997 LSFC Semi-Final 2nd Replay: MEATH
1998 LSFC Final: KILDARE
2001 LSFC Semi-Final: MEATH
2003 LSFC Semi-Final: KILDARE
2007 LSFC Round 1: MEATH
2010 AISFC Quarter-Final: KILDARE
2011 LSFC Quarter-Final: KILDARE
2011 AISFCQ Round 3: KILDARE
2012 LSFC Semi-Final: MEATH
2014 LSFC Semi-Final: MEATH

[thejuice]

The above assessment is probably fair. Given the goal chances ye had in the league and then the last day against Louth, our biggest concern is our corner backs and some of the half back line. Other threats besides Reilly have emerged so hopefully we don't have too much riding on him producing the bulk of our scores.

In fairness to Paddy O'Rourke he is a good shot stopper and the type of mistakes he made the last day probably won't happen again for at least another few games hopefully. I expect a tight game and really could go either way.

By the way if we lose you'd probably see the sages on hoganstand going back to doom and gloom mode. 

[Captain Scarlet]

I can't see either team going too negative, purely for the fact that neither team have rock solid defences. That is wishful thinking but I am hoping for a slightly old-fashioned game.
Meath have serious pace so Kildare need to have some men sitting a bit deeper and the wing forwards will sit inside a bit. The worry in Kildare is that Meath will run down our middle and that we don't like it when forwards run at us, but no team in the country likes a team running at them with pace.
On the other hand Kildare have enough to expose the Meath backline and with D Flynn at full forward bursting out he is a serious focal point. Paddy Brophy is back from OZ, Neil Flynn coming back earlier than hoped plus Chris Healy and Fionn Dowling are on the bench. That gives a lot of varied options up front.
I think Kildare by three if we can't get goals in. If we do it could be a lot more. To be honest I wouldn't say no to Brophy coming in at some stage with D Flynn and bombing a few in around the square. That all being said, surely Meath will look to stop the green flags on Sunday above all else...
This may pain me to say but I do like what McEntee has done with the team overall and for Leinster to have two teams at the business end of Division 2 this year is a good thing. the Dubs will take either team but I don't see it being a massacre unlike other years.

[Jinxy]

The above assessment is probably fair. Given the goal chances ye had in the league and then the last day against Louth, our biggest concern is our corner backs and some of the half back line. Other threats besides Reilly have emerged so hopefully we don't have too much riding on him producing the bulk of our scores.

In fairness to Paddy O'Rourke he is a good shot stopper and the type of mistakes he made the last day probably won't happen again for at least another few games hopefully. I expect a tight game and really could go either way.

By the way if we lose you'd probably see the sages on hoganstand going back to doom and gloom mode.

I'd like to believe that...

[Jinxy]

Anyway, this is Kildare's game to lose.
We're a team in transition... still.

[seafoid]

Anyway, this is Kildare's game to lose.
We're a team in transition... still.

Have you had surgery yet?

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

McQuillan refereeing makes Meath favourites, unless of course it was only McGeeney he had it in for all these years. The only championship wins Kildare have had with him refereeing were against Clare and Antrim to the best of my recollection. The losses were numerous however and he needed a Garda escort out of Newbridge for the last one against Tyrone in 2013.

[Jinxy]

If there are any more attempts to influence/intimidate Joe McQuillan before Saturday I will have no choice but to report each and every Kildare poster to the mods.

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

If there are any more attempts to influence/intimidate Joe McQuillan before Saturday I will have no choice but to report each and every Kildare poster to the mods.

I'm only joking, Joe McQuillan is an excellent referee, probably the best in the country at the moment.

[Dinny Breen]

Just a few lads trying to get a selfie, we love Joe, great referee.

[DJGaliv]

Live on TV this weekend so probably deserves it's own thread so everyone can tell us how shit Leinster football is.

Neil Flynn is reported as a possibility for the weekend, can't see him starting but with him and Paddy Brophy in the wings Kildare will have even more impact off the bench.

The Meath HS forum are being very cocky but then Meath always expect to beat Kildare but the ability to ignore the hammering in the League and our underage dominance over them is remarkable some would say even arrogant. So we know Meath don't fear Kildare.

Meath have issues with their full back line, whether it's personnel or system they gave up an awful lot of goal chances against Louth and Paddy O'Rourke would not inspire me. Both teams are quite pacey so should cancel each other out but I think Kildare are more powerful around the middle 8, Byrne, Conway Cribben*2 Doyle and Moolick provide physicality and Kelly and Feely are more style. Kildare are susceptible to being ran at so if we can tighten those channels with maybe Moolick dropping back in addition to Conway's and P Cribben's workrate I give us a very good chance at limiting goal opportunities. Lyons is expected to pick up probably the form forward in the country Graham Reilly so with Lyins good going forward it might be a case of trying to get Reilly out of position to nullify his influence.

Kildare to win it's really about nullifying O'Sullivan and Reilly while limiting goal chances, I think Kildare have a much better range of scorers so if it goes to a shootout Kildare have artillery on the bench Brophy, Flynn, Dowling and Healy all capable of scoring 2 or 3 points from play.

Going to call it early before anxiety takes over. Kildare by 3.

Really looking forward to this game. Both teams were the most impressive I saw Galway come up against in div 2.
Is it on rte or sky do you know?

[Dinny Breen]

Live on TV this weekend so probably deserves it's own thread so everyone can tell us how shit Leinster football is.

Neil Flynn is reported as a possibility for the weekend, can't see him starting but with him and Paddy Brophy in the wings Kildare will have even more impact off the bench.

The Meath HS forum are being very cocky but then Meath always expect to beat Kildare but the ability to ignore the hammering in the League and our underage dominance over them is remarkable some would say even arrogant. So we know Meath don't fear Kildare.

Meath have issues with their full back line, whether it's personnel or system they gave up an awful lot of goal chances against Louth and Paddy O'Rourke would not inspire me. Both teams are quite pacey so should cancel each other out but I think Kildare are more powerful around the middle 8, Byrne, Conway Cribben*2 Doyle and Moolick provide physicality and Kelly and Feely are more style. Kildare are susceptible to being ran at so if we can tighten those channels with maybe Moolick dropping back in addition to Conway's and P Cribben's workrate I give us a very good chance at limiting goal opportunities. Lyons is expected to pick up probably the form forward in the country Graham Reilly so with Lyins good going forward it might be a case of trying to get Reilly out of position to nullify his influence.

Kildare to win it's really about nullifying O'Sullivan and Reilly while limiting goal chances, I think Kildare have a much better range of scorers so if it goes to a shootout Kildare have artillery on the bench Brophy, Flynn, Dowling and Healy all capable of scoring 2 or 3 points from play.

Going to call it early before anxiety takes over. Kildare by 3.

Really looking forward to this game. Both teams were the most impressive I saw Galway come up against in div 2.
Is it on rte or sky do you know?

Sky thank God, decent analysis.