An Mhí v Muineacháin

[Maguire01]

Happy to get a point at at the end of all that. Monaghan had a terrible game with a number of Meath attacks coming straight from stupid mistakes. We were also cleaned out at midfield - about 80% of kickouts were either won cleanly by Meath, or they won a free. For Monaghan, Finlay probably the pick of the bunch. Dessie Mone did ok at times as well and McBennett did what he had to. Clerkin's first half point was also very tidy. But otherwise it was pretty poor - a number of the regulars were way off the pace.

Meath should have won tonight, but have only themselves to blame. The number of wides they hit was unbelievable - i know Monaghan hit some too (and some of them were probably closer to the corner flag!), but half way through the second half and Meath should have been out of sight.

[donelli]

Just in the door now,,,, should watchin dunne all the way... but had to say monaghan got off ok...played poorly but a point i might not be enough for promotion.... next weeks fixture is huge if div 1 if wanted....
great time in ryans before the game,(tommy bowe=monaghan man does the job.,legend..pity our other tommy didnt reach his heights tonihgt...biut he will this summer !!!),, hope dunne finishes off a nice day for us irish...

[Schkite]

Happy to get a point at at the end of all that. Monaghan had a terrible game with a number of Meath attacks coming straight from stupid mistakes. We were also cleaned out at midfield - about 80% of kickouts were either won cleanly by Meath, or they won a free. For Monaghan, Finlay probably the pick of the bunch. Dessie Mone did ok at times as well and McBennett did what he had to. Clerkin's first half point was also very tidy. But otherwise it was pretty poor - a number of the regulars were way off the pace.

Meath should have won tonight, but have only themselves to blame. The number of wides they hit was unbelievable - i know Monaghan hit some too (and some of them were probably closer to the corner flag!), but half way through the second half and Meath should have been out of sight.

It was Duffy in goals, had a good game too.

[Hardy]

I don't know how we can expect a different result when we play only two recognized forwards in the team. Not surprisingly, those two accounted for nearly all the scores. Everything else looks right. The defence is excellent. The midfield is great (Crawford seems to have got an injection of enthusiasm and energy and if he continues in this vein could have his best year ever). But we persist with playing backs and mid fielders in the forwards and when we make substitutions, we substitute  forwards with backs. It seems eccentric, to say the least. What's going on? I can understand selecting a midfielder as No. 12 to be a third midfielder and even two backs as nominal wing forwards to be mobile defenders, but only two forwards? I'm lost, I'm afraid.

[Maguire01]

Happy to get a point at at the end of all that. Monaghan had a terrible game with a number of Meath attacks coming straight from stupid mistakes. We were also cleaned out at midfield - about 80% of kickouts were either won cleanly by Meath, or they won a free. For Monaghan, Finlay probably the pick of the bunch. Dessie Mone did ok at times as well and McBennett did what he had to. Clerkin's first half point was also very tidy. But otherwise it was pretty poor - a number of the regulars were way off the pace.

Meath should have won tonight, but have only themselves to blame. The number of wides they hit was unbelievable - i know Monaghan hit some too (and some of them were probably closer to the corner flag!), but half way through the second half and Meath should have been out of sight.

It was Duffy in goals, had a good game too.

Ah right - arrived in after they'd read out the teams / announced changes. Yeah, he did well. Is McBennett injured or Banty just mixing it up a bit?

[Jinxy]

Spot on Hardy. If we can get our actual forwards i.e. Nestor, Farrell, O'Rourke etc. fit and on the field I think we'll be in good shape for the Dublin game. I like Meade at wing forward but despite King being out in front and showing well for the ball at FF, he's not a natural forward. There was a situation last night where somebody cut in from the stand side along the endline and there was an acre of space in front of goal. King, instead of heading straight for the square to take the ball off Flood (I think) stood there looking at him. Big Joe for all his faults would have been in there instinctively. He also would probably have slotted the goal chance King had in the 2nd half too. I think we need Moyles at centre back AND full back. Reillys distribution is more miss than hit. McGuinness did well at CHB in the last game so hopefully he can get over his injury and be back for the next game. With every game we play, I feel from 1-12 we are taking shape but at the moment we lack the cutting edge we need in the FF line.

[cavan4ever]

Happy to get a point at at the end of all that. Monaghan had a terrible game with a number of Meath attacks coming straight from stupid mistakes. We were also cleaned out at midfield - about 80% of kickouts were either won cleanly by Meath, or they won a free. For Monaghan, Finlay probably the pick of the bunch. Dessie Mone did ok at times as well and McBennett did what he had to. Clerkin's first half point was also very tidy. But otherwise it was pretty poor - a number of the regulars were way off the pace.

Meath should have won tonight, but have only themselves to blame. The number of wides they hit was unbelievable - i know Monaghan hit some too (and some of them were probably closer to the corner flag!), but half way through the second half and Meath should have been out of sight.

It was Duffy in goals, had a good game too.

Ah right - arrived in after they'd read out the teams / announced changes. Yeah, he did well. Is McBennett injured or Banty just mixing it up a bit?

you dont know your own players.. How is Tommy Freeman playing this year anyway?

[Jinxy]

Harrington did a good job on Freeman last night.

[Hardy]

Harrington's yellow card was a turning point in the game I thought. It highlighted the problem with the new rules when referees have no real feeling for the game or understanding of the physical element. That was the classic fair clash for possession - both players arriving on the full at the point of contact. The essence of the game and that ref chooses to see it as a foul and send a lad off. If lads can't go full-blooded for the ball, I'm no longer interested in this game.

[Main Street]

Meath should have won tonight, but have only themselves to blame. The number of wides they hit was unbelievable - i know Monaghan hit some too (and some of them were probably closer to the corner flag!), but half way through the second half and Meath should have been out of sight.

From the radio commentary (a flattering description of NS) it sounded like the teams were just about level on the number of wides hit.
Monaghan hitting the first 12 wides, Meath catching up and levelling that score in the second half.

[Jinxy]

Monaghans wides were mostly from positions where the player had no right to shoot in the first place particularly in the 2nd half.
Meaths wides were from very scoreable positions.

[Maguire01]

Happy to get a point at at the end of all that. Monaghan had a terrible game with a number of Meath attacks coming straight from stupid mistakes. We were also cleaned out at midfield - about 80% of kickouts were either won cleanly by Meath, or they won a free. For Monaghan, Finlay probably the pick of the bunch. Dessie Mone did ok at times as well and McBennett did what he had to. Clerkin's first half point was also very tidy. But otherwise it was pretty poor - a number of the regulars were way off the pace.

Meath should have won tonight, but have only themselves to blame. The number of wides they hit was unbelievable - i know Monaghan hit some too (and some of them were probably closer to the corner flag!), but half way through the second half and Meath should have been out of sight.

It was Duffy in goals, had a good game too.

Ah right - arrived in after they'd read out the teams / announced changes. Yeah, he did well. Is McBennett injured or Banty just mixing it up a bit?

you dont know your own players.. How is Tommy Freeman playing this year anyway?

I do indeed, but was well back up on the terrace, nowhere near the goals, and had just assumed it was McBennett. Hardly a crime.

[thejuice]

Well I'd have to along with what was said, Meath are alright till you get to the forwards. We are still awaiting Shane O'Rourke, Brian Farrell, Alan Nestor, Brian Sheridan and David Bray to get back to full health but why Joe wasn't put in at FF is a strange one. fair play to Caomhin King he's a great lad for winning ball but he's not a natural forward and his shooting isn't up to it though I think he did end up with 2 points. But a natural forward might have added at least agoal and 2 points to that tally.

Ward and and Crawford looked strong especially in the 2nd half, Ward was guilty of getting caught in possesion in the 1st but improved in the 2nd. Crawford made a poor atempt at shooting as well. Happy with the backs I thought O'Reilly was decent enough and they held out well enough though Rory Woods could have had a goal and whoever fisted the rebound, how he missed, I dont know.

McGuire at 15 Meath didnt do enough for me to suggest he might keep his place when the injured lads return. Anyway Im happy with the performance and think we should be good enough standing by the time we meet the Dubs.

By the looks of things we still need 1 more win to feel safe from the drop. Think we should mange that.

[Schkite]

Not sure whether McBennett is injured or what the story is. Maybe he got a late injury seeing as he had been named and Duffy was wearing no. 16, but that could have nothing to do with it. Nevertheless, good to have competition all over the pitch even in goals, and Duffy is obviously working hard to try and get the jersey back as I thought he was solid last night. Will be interesting to see if he stays in for Cork, it'd be harsh to drop him(you could say the same about Butsy though).

Meath's wides probably seemed worse as they had a good few when they were a few points up, and a few very scorable chances taken then would have put the game beyond us. But we did miss some very scorable ones too, you could say that some wides from the likes of Woods were from wide angles, but the same player would usually knock them chances over with little bother. And Hanratty missed an open goal when he punched the ball over the bar. Both teams had goal chances though and that aspect was even enough. Again, happy to get out of there with a draw considering we played pretty poor for the most part. Next week against Cork will be interesting. We have to go all out to win if we've any chance of promotion, and time to start thinking about the team for the Derry game, only a couple more games to try players out.

[agorm]

I too went just for the second half. in my opinion allowing the game to clash with the rugby was pure lunacy and completely sums up the imbeciles we have at the top at county board level.

I have to agree with much of what has been written. O' Brien is persisting too much with the experiment of King at FF. More natural forwards needed to be playing and damn fast otherwise no system will hae been developed in time for the championship. kevin Reilly, what can one say. Some good interceptions only to be completely spoiled by brainless distribution. I would go for Reilly at Full and Moyles at CHB if Moyles was mobile enough. Kenny is the only natural back I would allow in the forwards. Crawford doing well though he should be banned from shooting at goal.

Did anyone else feel a sort of a surreal atmosphere there last night? I just dont think the players were as up for it as they would have been a few years ago. I didnt think they defended the lead as if they really wanted the win. I have a feeling that they are quite satisfied to stay in the division and are not pitching themselves for promotion. Our management should have given them an absolute roasting for giving away that lead and for missing the chances they did but someho I dont think Eamonn would have done that. I have a feeling that he is not pushing the standards and expectation high enough. lets hope I am wrong.