Meath vs. Tyrone

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

It's long past time that we really showed Meath how much we appreciate their kicking, especially that of the winning of All-Irelands into us, and next weekend presents a glorious* (* copyright M Carney) opportunity for us to discharge that debt, and what a debt we owe.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Fancy Meath to make it three in a row against Tyrone.Was there in 2007 when Geraghty beat Tyrone on his own despite being 65 years of age.

Hasn't been a great weekend for Armagh men and football Tony, your counsel might be as well being kept! 

[Jinxy]

It's long past time that we really showed Meath how much we appreciate their kicking, especially that of the winning of All-Irelands into us, and next weekend presents a glorious* (* copyright M Carney) opportunity for us to discharge that debt, and what a debt we owe.

Very much so.
This game could be venomous.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

 

Great thread buckos............hilarious stuff

[Jinxy]

#2 I think gay sex started there.

No, we invented manliness which is a completely different thing altogether.
Although it does occasionally involve late night wrestling in the nip.

[ONeill]

Is it wrong to suggest Meath are almost evil?

[From the Bunker]

Is it wrong to suggest Meath are almost evil?

How do you mean almost? 

[LeoMc]

Guys what is Mickeys game plan lately. Tyrone just seem to carry the ball into the tackle and try and work it from there

Tyrone just aren't as good as they used to be. Require two forwards. Ronan O neill should be one of them anyway. Mc Curry looks a lovely player just a bit green still though.

In transition. May struggle against Meath. But I fancy them to win narrowly. But need a good draw after that.

McCurry too green but Ronan O'Neill isn't?

[Hardy]

Is it wrong to suggest Meath are almost evil?

You ain't seen nothin' yet.

[ONeill]

No, we won't let it go.

From before the 2007 defeat.

How Meath taught Tyrone the hard way to win Sam

MARTIN BREHENY – 02 AUGUST 2007

IT'S the itch that has to be scratched and the stone that must be removed from the shoe.

Tyrone insist that Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Meath is just another big game but, in truth, it holds a much deeper significance in the psyche of a county that has, over the past five years, beaten such major Championship forces as Kerry, Dublin, Galway and Armagh.

That quartet has, between them, won eight All-Ireland titles in the past 12 years with Tyrone taking two others.

That leaves the remaining two, with Meath the one county that Tyrone badly wants to feel the force of their Red Hand in Croke Park.

It all goes back to 1996, a year in which Tyrone arrived in the All-Ireland semi-final as hot favourites to beat Meath.

However, it turned into a disastrous day for the Ulster champions who not only lost by nine points but who left with a feeling that they had been mugged into submission.

Sulphur

A touch melodramatic perhaps but the smell of sulphur took hours to lift after the game. On the following day, the airwaves crackled as reaction to what had been a rather fiery encounter engaged the sporting nation.

"We will have to be much more mean-spirited when we play in Croke Park again," remarked Tyrone joint-manager Eugene McKenna in a reference to what he clearly deemed to have been an over-physical approach by Meath.

Later on 'Liveline', Colm O'Rourke and Tyrone corner-forward Ciarán McBride debated the previous day's events from different sides of a divide that drew enraged comments from Tyrone supporters ("Meath are deranged bully boys") and gentle jibes from Meath ("take your beating and stop moaning").

Tyrone's anger arose from, among other things, the circumstances in which Brian Dooher sustained a head injury.

Tyrone alleged that Martin O'Connell stood on him while Meath insisted it was an accident.

O'Connell also protested his innocence, stating that while it might have looked bad on TV, he had always kept his eye on the ball as he chased after it.

His excellent record as a sportsman helped his defence but Tyrone remained furious. They also claimed that McBride had been 'done'. Most of all, they insisted that Peter Canavan, as ever a key man in the Tyrone attack, was taken out in a late tackle just 10 minutes into the game at a time when his side were two points clear and motoring nicely.

It was certainly a borderline challenge, the legality of which was debated for ages. Canavan got his shot away while being tackled by Mark O'Reilly but was met by a thundering shoulder from John McDermott.

Powered

Canavan, who was off balance when he took the hit, injured his ankle and while he stayed on, he made little contribution from there on as Meath powered from strength to strength to win by 2-15 to 0-12, with Graham Geraghty scoring 1-4.

Canavan wasn't fit to play again until 1997. Two weeks before Christmas 1996, I interviewed Canavan and in the course of his recollections of the semi-final, he made a number of points which, as the years passed, suggested that the clash with Meath was a turning point in Tyrone's understanding of what it took to win an All-Ireland title.

"Meath won the All-Ireland, we lost the semi-final - that's what the year shows. We were too disciplined against Meath. If we had to do it again with the same referee (Michael Curley), we definitely wouldn't be as disciplined," recalled Canavan.

"What we didn't expect was that there would be a different interpretation of the rules than there was in Ulster. I got sent off for two harmless fouls against Derry and I doubt very much if either of them would have earned a booking against Meath."

Tyrone slipped down the pecking order in Ulster after that and it was seven years before they won their first All-Ireland title but there are many who believe that the lessons learned against Meath in 1996 led to a re-alignment of the county's philosophy for when they next had title contenders.

Certainly, nobody would ever suggest that Tyrone come up short in the physical stakes these days, while Meath have always retained their hard edge so it remains to be seen what will happen when two powerful planets collide on Saturday. Tyrone go into the game as hot favourites and with far more experience at this level but will still be deeply aware of the Royal tradition, especially once it heads for Croke Park in August.

Manager Colm Coyle was at right half-back in the 1996 semi-final while Darren Fay and Geraghty are Meath survivors on the playing side.

While both are carrying injuries, Dooher and Ger Cavlan are still aboard for Tyrone, but of even more significance is the symbolism that game created.

It underlined Meath's capacity to impose themselves physically on a game while still playing superb football, a formula that has been very much at the heart of Tyrone under Mickey Harte. What happened 11 years ago won't decide the outcome of Saturday's game but there's no question that both sets of supporters still have clear memories of the 1996 semi-final.

Problem

For Meath, it was one of those special days they thrived in during their glory days, while for Tyrone, it was a valuable lesson en route to getting the county geared to eventually joining the elite.

They have been there for four years now and would dearly love to mark the fifth with a victory which would leave them with one less problem to deal with in Championship 2007, but also scratch one of the last remaining itches that has been driving them mad.


Monster attacks

[Jinxy]

Canavan wasn't fit to play again until 1997. Two weeks before Christmas 1996, I interviewed Canavan and in the course of his recollections of the semi-final, he made a number of points which, as the years passed, suggested that the clash with Meath was a turning point in Tyrone's understanding of what it took to win an All-Ireland title.

"Meath won the All-Ireland, we lost the semi-final - that's what the year shows. We were too disciplined against Meath. If we had to do it again with the same referee (Michael Curley), we definitely wouldn't be as disciplined," recalled Canavan.

"What we didn't expect was that there would be a different interpretation of the rules than there was in Ulster. I got sent off for two harmless fouls against Derry and I doubt very much if either of them would have earned a booking against Meath."

Yeah, that approach worked wonders for Mayo in the final. 

[muppet]

Canavan wasn't fit to play again until 1997. Two weeks before Christmas 1996, I interviewed Canavan and in the course of his recollections of the semi-final, he made a number of points which, as the years passed, suggested that the clash with Meath was a turning point in Tyrone's understanding of what it took to win an All-Ireland title.

"Meath won the All-Ireland, we lost the semi-final - that's what the year shows. We were too disciplined against Meath. If we had to do it again with the same referee (Michael Curley), we definitely wouldn't be as disciplined," recalled Canavan.

"What we didn't expect was that there would be a different interpretation of the rules than there was in Ulster. I got sent off for two harmless fouls against Derry and I doubt very much if either of them would have earned a booking against Meath."

Yeah, that approach worked wonders for Mayo in the final. 

Leave us out of it.


Now please continue.............

[Jinxy]

We'll get to your lot in due course.

[Nally Stand]

Fancy Meath to make it three in a row against Tyrone.Was there in 2007 when Geraghty beat Tyrone on his own despite being 65 years of age.

2007? That was the year Armagh were beaten in Round one of the Ulster Championship, then beaten in round one of the qualifiers? Fair enough that you were at Tyrone Vs Meath then, I suppose you had to find a match somewhere to pass the long summer.

[Jinxy]

Need to sit amongst the royal brethren for this one.
Don't want to get a belt of a handbag.