Roscommon v Meath (10/03/13, 2:30 PM, Hyde Park) - Playin' the Royal Blues

Syferus · March 05, 2013, 09:36:07 PM

Is this going to be a relegation play-off, lads?

theticklemister · March 05, 2013, 09:39:17 PM

Massive Sinkhole here.

Rossfan · March 06, 2013, 10:41:24 AM

All depends on the results of remaining games in this tightest of all Divisions.
However it's unlikely to be a promotion play off anyway.

seafoid · March 06, 2013, 06:33:49 PM

Once upon a time Ros had more all irelands than meath.

Syferus · March 07, 2013, 09:45:19 PM

Donie Shine and Cregger have been training fully this week and are likely to start, if the boss-man is to be believed. Huge boost to the team and with Donie Smith and David O'Gara in good form we should be able to cause Meath some problems beyond finding our little county.

The training pitch is not a staging post for your station wagons, by the way.

Ard-Rí · March 07, 2013, 10:33:05 PM

Well, as I see it we need to win this one. So we need a strong team out ... except we don't really have a "strong" team as such. There have been so many anonymous performances so far to date, we could drop 12/15 from the last day if we had the panel to do so. As it is, we need massive improvement from Harrington, Gillespie, G Reilly and Keoghan. Those players have shown their quality before, they need to do so again very soon. Gillespie especially really needs to step up to the plate. In my opinion, we also need K Reilly in the team as well as Queeney, Sheridan and Ward. Those older lads may strengthen the team if they have their heads in the right place. You simply couldn't pick the same half back line again either, so I'd move Lenihan and Dalton out simply because there are alternatives in Rowe and Young. Not that we've seen too much of either of them. Harrington would stay on my team because there is no real alternative unless you're prepared to move Menton out of full-back. If Mick O'Dowd is unwilling to risk K Reilly pre-championship then we have a serious issue. We would be forced to play one of Meade, G Reilly, P Byrne and J Sheridan in that midfield role ... and it's not completely suited to any of them.

Regarding the Championship, and the real football as it were, we are facing into a calamity. There is only so long you can carry on with the "only the league" mantra, especially when your top players are missing a chance to sharpen and improve. Yes, we have a lot of injuries. No, that does not guarantee us a run at Leinster. Seamus Kenny may never get back to inter-county standard. There have always been questions on the case of Mickey Burke in the Meath team. Is he better than the likes of Rowe and Young. He is tougher I suppose, we lack that at the minute. Forde is headless and won't play with Meath again unless he can improve his use of the ball. Shane O'Rourke is gone for good as far as I can ascertain. Carroll has great potential but he has little experience in Championship and could easily have an off day. Stephen Bray is needed, but hasn't played his best game for a long while. Collins, Tobin, Mc Namara, Gilsenan, Lenihan ... really couldn't say that I'd have full confidence in any of them for Championship performance. Though you could say that for an awful lot more.

I won't make any predictions until I see what team is named.

My XV
P O' Rourke
D Keoghan B Menton S Curran
C Young E Harrington C Rowe

C Gillespie K Reilly

J Queeney P Byrne G Reilly
M Newman J Sheridan C Ward

Ard-Rí · March 08, 2013, 01:22:04 PM

Team named today:

P O' Rourke
D Keoghan B Menton S Curran
C Lenihan E Harrington D Dalton

C Gillespie K Reilly

D Larkin G Reilly P Byrne
C Ward J Sheridan M Newman

Obviously Queeney slept with someone he shouldn't have, no other rational explanation for why he can't make this team. As for leaving the half-back line in tact, I can only hope Mick O'Dowd knows what he's doing. I'll still wait a bit before making any predictions.

highorlow · March 08, 2013, 02:02:37 PM

Quotethe training pitch is not a staging post for your station wagons, by the way.

Throw down a bit of sheepwire fencing lads rather than complaining. It's not as if yer short of any.

Rudi · March 08, 2013, 02:51:55 PM

Is the fullback Menton, auld lad a Rossie? Pretty sure he played with the Biddies back in the day.

Syferus · March 08, 2013, 03:01:37 PM

His father was. Bryan Menton is only 21.

Hardy · March 08, 2013, 03:23:15 PM

I've a feeling we'll be fleeced in Roscommon. Lambs to the slaughter. It's gonna be baaaad. What do ewes think.

OK. Carry on.

spuds · March 08, 2013, 03:23:34 PM

D. Dalton son of the Kildare Davy ?

Rudi · March 08, 2013, 03:37:18 PM

Quote from: Hardy on March 08, 2013, 03:23:15 PM
I've a feeling we'll be fleeced in Roscommon. Lambs to the slaughter. It's gonna be baaaad. What do ewes think.

OK. Carry on.

Ewe's are goin to beat the mutton out of us. I hope ewe's don't ram the gates like ewes's did in kiltoom back in the early nineties.

Donnellys Hollow · March 08, 2013, 05:01:56 PM

Quote from: spuds on March 08, 2013, 03:23:34 PM
D. Dalton son of the Kildare Davy ?

He is

ross4life · March 08, 2013, 05:37:27 PM

The inclusion of Ward,Sheridan,Reilly should bring a massive improvement. Menton held Michael Murphy scoreless from play for DIT whichever Shine is on him will be feeding off scraps. If Meath have weakness in the half back line i can't see our half forward line (poor so far) exploiting it. Cavan,Monaghan beat Meath well because they defend in numbers and attack at speed we do the opposite.

13 to 15pts will be enough for Meath to win this game looking at their line up they are more than capable. If we lose this game we will be relegated & TBH if we can't beat Wicklow,Meath at home we deserve to be playing div 4 football next year.