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Can't get the kick outs away, can't get at there's. Pace up the middle killing us

In response nameless, the first ball in was spot on against a much smaller marker and should have been a goal, they immediately put their centre forward back in front of him and we persisted with the bombs with no return. A better ball in led to catch and the lay off for the goal. We struggled in the second half for long periods and ended up sending in awful ball, rob kearney wouldn't have caught them. I don't know if the game plan is to tell him not to leave the edge of the square but there was little movement for a different ball. A re-think in extra time saw dan bought to midfield for the throw in and he ended the half with a lovely finish for the goal again after a better ball in. There sweeper went out as they were chasing the game and in the second period he made hay with two points.

He is a massive weapon to have at this age group. The right ball in and it's a score but the forwards have to pushing up for the breaks or lay offs. The scores gave the crowd a great lift. Problems are sending in bombs and expecting a return plus a lack of movement which at times cuts off space for the other two. A flick down or a flick on wasn't really tried which would have been easier at times. It was noticeable that Tyrell is excellent at this on kick outs and wouldn't be a bad option if needed.

What a crazy game, didn't really start well but the two lads in the middle got us a foothold. They played a possession game of sorts and we couldn't lay a Hand on them. Backs were way off and had no intensity, fouling seemed to be the only option for some. Both half lines were at sea. Then big dan caught a ball and laid it off for a goal. We missed a second goal that hit both posts but honestly it should have been squared across, a theme for the night. There small midfielder then took over, he kicked three and was very good and they finished far better. We appeared very flat. This continued into the second half and they went four up and we looked in bother. A few changes and a sense of urgency and we got back level. In the six minutes of injury time we had as many chances but a combination of poor shooting, decision making and selfishness led to the game drawing.

In extra time we were far better. The two midfielders lorded it and drove forward. A few of the forwards realized you can pass rather than shooting and we worked a goal. The first of a few decent balls into the big man and he exploited his height difference and finished well. We finished out the second period playing better and looking fitter and I think it's meath next Tuesday.

A tough night for the backs collectively, they all had there individual moments but we had awful problems with fouling and tracking runners. The speedy corner forward did a lot of damage but as both wing backs are inclined to bomb forward we are exposed on any turnovers. We didn't seem to have the personal to deal with him.The full back has great potential but it's a pity he can't be centre back as he looks like a good stopper. Saunders continues to be a massive loss. Both midfielders played very well and give this team every chance. They lorded the sky and are good pairing, Dunne drove forward very well and both gave great engines, but once they lapse the team struggled. I Not a great night for the half forwards, all replaced but Owens did well when introduced, if only he would keep it simpler. The full forward line scored 1-9 from play I think and when the right ball goes in they are lethal. I still think we would be better served with Owens or Whelan full forward. If your going to have dan in there, it's either the right ball in or he moves more and brings players into the game.

Good to win in Mullingar

We could have lost well or won well, it's that type of game

Draw at half time 1-6 to  0-9. Very sloppy and off the pace in defense. As always in Mullingar in a dog fight

Thurles Saturday 5pm, bring it on 

Revenge for the U21 Final defeat.

Did you have to bring that up? Still have nightmares about that one. We were so much the better team.and chucked it away.

Revenge for Sean Ban Breathnach?

never forgotten

Great second half especially when they held kildare to 1-3 and the penalty just at the end. Very open game with no sweepers and plenty of kick passing. Was behind the goals and it times in the first half it looked like we were playing off the cuff. Solid keeper in Byron, good strong full back and the two corner men were sharp. Would love Saunders and o Flynn in that half back line but alas not be be. Kildare centre forward was very good. Midfield did well, like most of the team tired a bit. Nice mix in the forwards, Coffey might not be the fastest but good brain, Doran not afraid to take shots and Dunne does a lot of running. Whelan was the Star man, bit disappointed with kinsella as he training with the seniors and big dan just couldn't get into the game. What is the draw??

Won 17 to 1-11

8-7 to kildare at half time, kildare more economical but we have managed to stay in it. Could go either way. We don't seem to have a whole lot of shape to our team or play but it's very open.

Massive game for this team

Well the trip back was made a lot shorter with that win. A few thoughts,Fabulous facilities up there and a cracking pitch. First half we were poor with the breeze and seemed to all over the place defensively. They had loads of ball and were pulling us from side to side and we were fouling a bit. We had problems in the centre with booth on a yellow card and piggott at sea. We also couldn't get a handle on Enda Lynn or their kick outs. The placement of Donie was a disaster with Mckaigue pinning him back into our half by driving forward. With Evan also misfiring we looked in a bit of bother but the last score before half time that made it 8-7 was vital and it came from a great run forward by Lillis. Murphy had been excellent as well living off scraps. It was noticeable that they had carried a lot of ball and appeared a bit leggy going off plus a few of their forwards were well strapped up.

Booth sacrificed at half time as he was in danger and piggot went back full. Sean Byrne went centre and made a big difference. We started driving at them and missed four goals, the first two in particular were sitters. The pictures for the second one are on the Facebook and I don't know how it was missed. We really pressed their kickout and had them in trouble. We still missed frees and the feeling that we were leaving this behind us started to creep in. But it was the upped work rate, dicey in particular and the pace that the bench injected that turned the screw. Marty made a massive difference running directly. Once we got the goal it was over and we finished out the game. Mention especially for mark barry who is a loss to the u-20's but displayed a massive football brain when he came on. I think the team finished- brody, attride, o Flynn, Dillon, Collins, Byrne, buggie, Lillis, jol, dicey, Boyle, Scully, Lowry, Murphy, Barry. I don't think I could have imagined that at the start of the year.

a few points for debate

1. once again we failed to get above 13 scores, a consistent problem probably not helped by the lack of mobility in midfield and support play from the half forward line. failure once again to score goals when the chances presented themselves.
2. not giving evan a bit longer, meath persisted with newman who was having a similar day. donie made a big difference but should have been in full forward especially near the end, pointless having him back in his own half at times and no one ahead of him to pass to.  it was really evan or paul Kingston to go as none of the half forward were going to taken off with the game plan we use. for me boyle should have went and given evan a bit longer. Also Quigley should have been on earlier as lillis was out on his feet.
3. lack of a link man in the half forward line. we packed it with three workers and some of the passing was shocking, that was when we even attempted to pass. We had oceans of ball but played it in front of meath which suited them. we seldom seemed to want to run at them or take them on or even stretch them. we are very conservative in our approach to games. Sullivan for them played very well in that role. scully in the second game was on a different level as a link man.
4. round pegs in square holes especially in the case of both corner backs. in a perfect world both would be attacking wing backs. while the options aren't great especially with the injury to Timmons and Begley both had a difficult day, Attride in particular made numerous mistakes which is unusual for him. I couldn't understand with meath operating a sweeper that we could have tried to protect him.
5. booth, o Flynn, jol and donie tried hard. murphy did well on limited ball but the goal miss was a game changer
6. Allowing Keoghan to get on so much ball, especially from the kickouts similarly not tracking menton. it wasn't if these things hadn't been sign posted in previous meath matches.

meath were just a bit slicker today at times, especially when getting scores. it was a real struggle for us, 11 scores is a dreadful return and I can't understand how people feel it was a good performance on that return. we have loads of honest effort but the quality is not improving.  they probably are not that much better than us both but when they got a chance at goals they exploited them, conceding three goals in a championship game is always a bad day for a defence . we play a very rigid type game which is not really effective when we have to chase a game, we don't appear to have a plan b. the qualifiers are going to be tough for us as there are no easy matches, hopefully we might get a home draw.

Can't get the stream working so listening on radio jerry. Great start

We will have to up our scoring rate, I don't think we have got over 13 points in any of the last games we have played there

That's a big loss if the Timmons injury is that bad. Newman is a key man for Meath and we will need someone playing in front of him and hopefully that's Begley. I still have my doubts about piggotts positioning at times in the centre but in fairness that was a very inexperienced back line that finished and it held firm. Meath seemed to have pressed Carlow high on the kick outs and I would expect the same with us as we struggled at times when Westmeath pressed. Brody wouldn't have the biggest boot to go over it so hopefully we can work them better.

As said above if we could get a few goals it would really rattle them. I would start the front three again as I felt sorry for Murphy with no ball coming in and James Dolan parked In front of him. It was probably tactical with the wind in mind but A lot of ball going in was poor and into the corners and with only half forwards and midfield sitting back often it was left to moments of brilliance to clip over scores. We badly miss a link man at centre forward and Benny Carroll probably would have done that role but we have to work with what we have. It will interesting to see what game plan we go with, a more cautious plan like last weekend or go after them like Offaly did.