Meath vs Limerick

[Jinxy]

I dunno. As I said before though, I'd love to know what they did in training for the last 2 weeks because Stephen Bray looked like he was about to fall asleep on TV the other night. There has to be some reason why there was so little energy and intensity in them. It's quite sad really, when you've actually got good players to see it come to this. Maybe we need more North Meath lads on the team! On a positive note, our minors won Leinster today. Where there's life there's hope......

[orangeman]

It's a huge fall from grace and the older lads will have a long hard think about it, especially as a new manager might want new blood !

[Jinxy]

Well I'd say Fayser is gone for definite. Dunno about Graham. I'd be very sorry to see Moyles retire at this stage. An outstanding footballer and natural leader who has been blighted with injury the last few seasons. I can guarantee you one thing, he wouldn't have stood idly by last night when all around him were waving the white flag.

[orangeman]

Well I'd say Fayser is gone for definite. Dunno about Graham. I'd be very sorry to see Moyles retire at this stage. An outstanding footballer and natural leader who has been blighted with injury the last few seasons. I can guarantee you one thing, he wouldn't have stood idly by last night when all around him were waving the white flag.

[/b]


It's a long time since a Meath team raised the white flag - they're renowned for their grit and determination  - I can't say what happened but the melee against Dublin seemed to really knock them for 6 !

[Jinxy]

Still no excuse. We had the game won against Wexford even with the suspensions and threw it away in the last few minutes. We had the suspended players back for the Limerick game and got hockeyed. Perhaps it'll all come out over the next few days. Fair play to Colm though for taking the decision so quickly to step aside even though he may not have had a choice anyway. Over the last few years I have gotten used to not knowing which Meath team will show up on any given day, however as Johnny Giles says, your basic starting point should be work rate and honesty of effort. 15 battlers with limited footballing ability would be better than what we are putting out on the field now. There's a lot of soul searching to be done.

[orangeman]

It's a real shame as Coyler was a real true blue Meath man and epitomised all that good in Meath football !

[Mike Sheehy]

true blue Meath

ohhh, thats a low blow.

[orangeman]

true blue Meath

ohhh, thats a low blow.

I thought about that after I wrote it but thought noone would take offence as none was intended ! 

[agorm]

I also heard that they were doing a lot of physical training / running in recent weeks. There are also rumours about various squabbles in the squad in recent weeks, Coyle and Dudley not pulling together, Senchalstown players not played due to playing for the club etc. You get these things when such a result happens but the collapse was such that it would not be at all a surprise if there were mental issues there - all reports indicated that they did not function as a team.

Regarding who could take over, it is difficult to identify anyone in paricular at the moment. Colm O' Rourke will be mentioned though he may not want it. Tony Kearney, the Wolfe Tones manager has achieved a huge amount in a short space of time and may be a good option. There could be a management team from some of the late eighties players like Bernard Flynn, McEntee, Lyons etc.
I dont think Dudley should get it - too much involved in the current debacle and all talk of Sean Boylan coming back should be snuffed out in my opinion. He was an amazing manager for us - the best ever - but his failure to leave at an opportune time has in some way contributed to the inconsistencies of this decade.

On a positive note, the minors ground out a win against a good Offaly side that can count themselves unlucky not to at least draw todays game. They were leading by about 2 or 3 points early in the second half when they missed an open goal and that turned out to be a turning point. Meath fashioned out a 5 point l;ead only for Offaly to claw back and level it. At the death,Mark Battersby held his cool to slot over the winner into the Hill end. Great gutsy performance. From a seniors point of view it will be a few years before any of those players come through.

They have a pretty good chance of going all the way but would need to improve defensively on today's performance. Now where have we heard that before?

[INDIANA]

cracker of a minor game today, worth the price of the ticket alone.

[Jinxy]

I honestly think we need someone to come in from outside the county. No club ties, no politics and tactically savvy enough to succeed in the modern game. I already said someone like Joe Kernan would be ideal. I don't think we should go down the past player route to be honest. The game has moved on from the 80's. Kernan would command instant respect and I think the raw material is there for him to work with.

[redhandluke]

Have to feel sorry for Meath and their supporters last night.

They def took the foot of the peddle against Wexford and the perception was that the ref gave Wex an easy ride in the second half.  Very hard to come back after a defeat like that - although after what the Dubs done to Wexford today probably a good job they did not meet in the Leinster final.  After that performance definitely something simmering underneath the surface in Meath  - don't know if anybody has any info?

Hard to comprehend after their AISF appearance last season.

[Jinxy]

Have to feel sorry for Meath and their supporters last night.

They def took the foot of the peddle against Wexford and the perception was that the ref gave Wex an easy ride in the second half.  Very hard to come back after a defeat like that - although after what the Dubs done to Wexford today probably a good job they did not meet in the Leinster final.  After that performance definitely something simmering underneath the surface in Meath  - don't know if anybody has any info?

Hard to comprehend after their AISF appearance last season.

The funny thing is, I still think Meath would have given Dublin their toughest game in the province. The players would have no problem getting fired up to play the Dubs in Croker. It's the likes of Wexford in Dr Cullen Park and Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds we have problems with. 
I know that seems like a ridiculous thing to say but I honestly believe it. Football ability isn't the problem with this Meath team. Attitude and application are. If we had scraped through the Wexford game I believe we would have continued to improve. Then again we're into Aunties having balls territory here.....
It's all Wexfords fault. They ruined the Leinster championship for everyone! 

[Declan]

Couldn't believe it when I heard this result. Would have been some craic at home last night

[thejuice]

Fay and Geraghty have gone as well,  sad way to end glorious careers. I think they deserve a thread of their own