Club vs County

The second round of the Dublin Senior Football Championship won't be played until the last weekend in August.

But Meath are pressing ahead with another round of games this weekend. Is this really necessary? Four certain first team starters missed the game against Offaly due to injuries, three of those picked up their injuries playing in the last round of games.

I am fully sure Eammon O'Brien will have fresh injury worries for the Laois game after this weekend. What happens in other counties?

Anyway, looking forward to another round of games, double header in Navan on Sunday. What will Paddy Smyth and co. do to Donaghmore/Ashbourne? Wolfe Tones and Skyrne tomorrow tonight too. Couple of mouth-watering fixtures to look forward to, sure what else would you expect as the race to Keegan gets going.

I know Derry have played the first round of their Championship and the draws are ready for the second round and first qualifying round but as yet no dates have been set. They might get another round out of the way due to the wait for the 1st round of the All Ireland Qualifiers but should Derry progress then i'm certain their won't be a championship match until they are out. Won't be a long wait then so!!

I'm not complaining Loyal, I'd rather it this way. It's been farcical the last few years Meath have had a run in the championship, no games for ages and then running off 4 or 5 rounds in September/October. Hopefully we can put the Pats away and kick start the season, a lot of good young players coming through. Don't think O'Mahony's will have it all their own way, D/A are a decent side. Hard to call the Tones-Skryne match, Tones have looked a shadow of their former selves amidst all sorts of rumouors of dressing room discontent, and what sort of mind-set will the Skryne players have after last weekends tragedy? I fancy Seneschalstown, Blackhall, Dunshaughlin, Tones, Dunboyne, Simonstown, Oldcastle and O'Mahony's, how about yourself Loyal?

I'd say O'Mahonys will kick D/A around Pairc Tailteann. Only Sheridanstown can stop O'Mahonys this year and even they haven't been all that convincing in the opening two rounds. Although, thats a familiar story with them, the knockout stages is when Sheridanstown kick into gear. Anyway, O'Mahonys will probably have McGuinness and Reilly back and in young Shane Gillespie, they have a handy replacement for the absent David Bray. Plus I have to say I was very impressed with Plastic the corner back the last day. I wasn't, however, impressed with Donaghmore/Ashbourne against Duleek/Bellowstown, David Morgan is the main man for them up front and they're very dependant on him playing well. The rest are living a bit on reputation. Oldcastle have a lot of injuries and could be missing as many five first team players, themselves and Duleek/Bellowstown will be a good match though, possible future star for Meath in Mark Collins too. You're right about the Tones, how the might have fallen. I'd fancy Skyrne were it not for the tragedy of last weekend. I don't know that much about the players of St. Patricks or Simonstown but the Stamullen men are always a tricky encounter for any team in the senior championship. I'll go for Sheridanstown, Walterstown, Dunshaughlin, Wolfe Tones, Dunboyne, Simonstown, Draw, O'Mahonys.

Yeah Plastic is a quality player, as is Stevie O'Toole the other corner back. They really have a savage team, it would be a mystery if they don't win another 3 or 4 county titles at least, conveyor belt of talent and a lot of the guys still only mid 20's.

Do the likes of Damien Moran, Lee Russell and Thomas Loughran still tog out for them BB? Plus what happened to Keating off the Meath minors of 2006?

There's a number of people from more rural areas of Meath who think the county squad is far too populated with O'Mahonys men. But I'd have no hesitation about calling up the likes of Plastic, McGabhann or Finnegan and giving them a run out.

How they haven't won more county titles is hard to understand, possible testament to the efforts of Damian Sheridan and his team in '07 and '09.

Yeah he's done a stellar job with them, some quality footballers. They always seem to come good in the knock-out phases, to think they scraped through the group last year ahead of Simonstown on scoring difference and went on to win it.

Moran and Russell do as far as I'm aware, Moran was always a solid player, nothing spectacular or fancy but very dependable. He marked me a few times underage and you'd get nothing easy off him. Russell was probably one of the fittest players, he put everything in but his discipline was always an issue. Possibly unlucky not to get a good shot with Meath about 5 years ago.

I'd definitely agree that those 3 would not be out of place with the Meath team, I cannot understand the absolute contempt that most people in the county have for O'Mahony's and the players in the county set up. There is one or two I probably wouldn't have there but there's quite a few others that could be, especially Henno, he's a savage footballer if he can stay injury free, he and the Bear were unreal when they won in '08.

Paddy Smyth is class BB. In my mind, he is the best footballer in the county. Heno is a class act too.

Seneschalstown are your typical club team in a rural area. Five Sheridans form the backbone and the team is picked around them. Plus they have good players in Davy Lyons, Andy Collins, Mark Carey, Stephen Finnegan and Shane Clarke amongst others. But Bunjee in corner forward is a joy to watch, people talk about Wardy for Meath last week but Bunjee can strike a ball too! The '45 to knock Summerhill out last year will live long in my memory!