Meath vs Dublin

Well the two dominant sides in Leinster of recent vintage clash in a Leinster final for a second consecutive year.

Between them, both teams have shared out the last eight Leinster titles.

Not surprisingly, the aggregate score dating back 10 years is a draw.

Meath 7-70 (91)
Dublin 4-79 (91)

The sides met in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012.

I expect another close game with Meath shading it.

Can't see that myself. Meath will score more than the consensus expects but I still see Dublin winning handy.

Games between Meath and Dublin have traditionally been close, but that doesn't mean that this one will follow suit.  Hammerings do occasionally occur between typically well matched sides, as Galway found out in Salthill against Mayo.  

On form, Dublin are 20 points the better side.  I've seen Meath's opening 2 matches, and was far from impressed, and they will need a huge improvement on those showings to compete on Sunday.

Loyal's stats are obviously skewed by the 5-goal demolition job that Meath did on the Dubs in 2010, but this Meath side looks physically lighter and less likely to bulldoze their way in for goals.  For Meath to be in with any sort of a shout this weekend, they will need huge games from their physically big men, particularly both midfielders and Carroll at CHF.  If they can all get the upper hand, then perhaps they may be in with an outside chance.  However, if they can't exert real dominance in that middle diamond, Dublin will cut them to shreds.

If I was a Dublin supporter, I'd be worried. Lets not forget they'll be fielding an inexperienced side whereas Meath will be sending out seasoned stars.

Darren Daly, Johnny Cooper, Jack McCaffrey, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paul Mannion and Paddy Andrews are all new to this level. Who's to say they won't crash and burn in the cauldron that is Croke Park up against the mighty Royals?

As if that wasn't bad enough, Cian O'Sullivan is a midfield novice and the subs? Kevin O'Brien, Nicky Devereux, Cormac Costello and Dean Rock were all introduced against Westmeath and not ten minutes championship experience between them.

Bernard Brogan's starting jersey is hanging by it's threads. Substituted in the League final as well as the games against Westmeath and Kildare - you could visibly see him anxiously looking over to the fourth official every time the PA announced "Substitution on the Dublin team".

Meath on the other hand, well Kevin Reilly, Brian Meade, Peader Byrne, Stephen Bray and co. have seen it all. Many a newcomer has been destroyed at the hands of these Royal custodians. Most notably in the 2010 Leinster semi-final.

What people tend to ignore is that Dublin got all breaks in the Leinster final last year starting with a season ending injury to Paddy Gilsenan and Seamus Kenny before the game. Stephen Bray was limited to reduced game time and Kevin Reilly had to leave the fray after 25 minutes with a foot injury. Meath dominated the entire game bar two shock goals before half-time and a for a brief period after the break, Dublin enjoyed rare supremacy. Meath certainly finished the stronger and ultimately ran out of time.

A real clash of the titan

Something wasn't right about Dublin last year don't know if it was hangover or whatever but they were poor against Meath,Laois and then found themselves 10 points behind against Mayo before finding some form. Dublin are in top form at the moment having won the league and hammered Westmeath,Kildare. Would have to worry for Meath, their preparation for this game was div 3 football and beating Wicklow,Wexford div 3,4 sides.

Dublin should welcome a test before the last eight but i'm not sure can Meath deliver it.

Dublin by 8+, i'd be surprised if it was closer if i'm honest.

Hi guys,

Tactical preview of Dublin vs Meath now up here. Not to give too much away but I've money on Dublin at -8.
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Emmet

emmetryan wrote:Hi guys,

Tactical preview of Dublin vs Meath now up here. Not to give too much away but I've money on Dublin at -8.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Emmet

Great minds Emmet! Lets hope you have worked harder to impress Boxty with this preview!

Boxty loves me

emmetryan wrote:Boxty loves me

Too right Emmet, glad to see you posting. We'll have some contrarian days ahead no doubt.

While "exiles" decry agreement, it's hard to see beyond Dublin by 8/10.

I'll be in Wexford for the weekend, Jimmy's of Riverchapel (or adjacent), to savour the atmosphere as the
Yelloebellies attempt to progress in both codes...

Boxtyeater wrote:

emmetryan wrote:Boxty loves me

Too right Emmet, glad to see you posting. We'll have some contrarian days ahead no doubt.

While "exiles" decry agreement, it's hard to see beyond Dublin by 8/10.

I'll be in Wexford for the weekend, Jimmy's of Riverchapel (or adjacent), to savour the atmosphere as the
Yelloebellies attempt to progress in both codes...

I too will be in Wexford (town) for the weekend.  

Boxtyeater wrote:

emmetryan wrote:Boxty loves me

Too right Emmet, glad to see you posting. We'll have some contrarian days ahead no doubt..

A positive development indeed, Emmet - great to see a few posts that don't start with 'Hi Guys, I've prepared a...'  

A thick skin is needed around here - something not always associated with Metropolitans - and spoofing will be quickly and bluntly called out.  Still, my advice would be to jump in, take your licks, and see what you can learn from Ulster (inc. Leitrim but excl. Antrim) posters.

Thomas Clarke wrote:For Meath to be in with any sort of a shout this weekend, they will need huge games from their physically big men, particularly both midfielders and Carroll at CHF.  If they can all get the upper hand, then perhaps they may be in with an outside chance.

You heard it hear first!  Meath physically dominating the Dubs, getting stuck into them from before the throw in.  Midfielders and Carroll all well on top, and Reilly, Bray and the corner men giving the Dublin defence real problems.  

Dublin have committed a lot of fouls due to the pressure they are under - it's not so easy to play beautiful football on the back foot.

Rory O'Carroll was destroyed in the first quarter by Stephen Bray, and in the 2nd quarter by Michael Newman. Meath moving the ball very quickly, and isolating the Dublin backs.

Still all to play for, and the Dubs could certainly come roaring back with the breeze and stronger bench in the 2nd half, but it's been a great opening period for a very hungry Royal side.

Don't particularly want Dublin to appear in the qualifiers. If they lose they will be more determined to win Sam, would prefer they went into the last 8 with the mentality the fans have at the moment.

Good response by Dublin. Their younger players carried the fight, none more than Kilkenny or McCaffrey. Mannion and Cooper too had their moments. They had more in reserve than Meath, and more class throughout the team too.

Bernard Brogan's fitness and form continues to be a concern, and their midfield usually looks better with Denis Bastick in it. Rory O'Carroll, as many have suspected, will be troubled if left isolated. The Dubs will be very pleased with their win, but the managers of the other contenders have further reasons to believe that this year's AI will not necessarily be a blue cakewalk.

Meath couldn't sustain their big effort of the first half, and the full forward line were starved as the game wore on. It's shame that they didn't push Graham Reilly further up the field in the last 20 minutes, as he may have been able to do something on the counter attack.

Meath had obviously nothing to bring off the bench, although they should probably have left Joe Sheridan on it. It was a good battle from a young side, but they must now beware of the same flat performance in the qualifiers that Down experienced after putting so much into running Donegal close.

emmetryan wrote:
Mayo however are better served slaughtering a team of Roscommon’s level than being drawn into a close contest by an inferior opponent.

Emmet sorry for calling you out but i wonder what you make of Meath around the same level as Roscommon putting it up to Dublin today?

On today's evidence Dublin, for all the guff and spoofing, are vulnerable. Meath attacked them with vim and vigour and put them on the back foot from the gun. The early goal gave the Dubs a breather/platform/cushion, yet Meath lead at the break.
The Dublin middle third were out-fought at this stage, their vaunted forwards were mis-firing, but they had, what Meath hadn't, men to bring on....
They re-started brightly, Kilkenny whipping over a few and Meath basically foaled. Their bench wasn't up to the Dublin standard but, more implicitly, Graham Reilly had a nightmare. For a lad who's probably gotten them this far, he was shocking. Joe Sheridan's day is done and their shot selection was sub-standard.
In the case of the Damien Caroll wide - he had a runner inside but didn't look up....

The Dublin full-back line were there for the taking, what if they were faced today by the Kerry inside line...
Lights out. I haven't mentioned Donegal's front three....

All to play for yet...

Hi guys,

My tactical take on Dublin's win over Meath is now up
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Thanks,
Emmet

Where would you put the Dubs now Emmet in the pecking order of favourites....I'll go:

Kerry
Donegal
Tyrone
Dublin
Cork
Mayo....

He's off-line now. 

Donegal, Dublin, Mayo, the rest. Ine of those three lifts Sam.

And this is why I was/am offline [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The winner will come from the group of four Donegal,Dublin,Cork,Kerry. If Mayo manage to reach the final they will lose a 7th final in a row.

An admirable enough display by Meath. They lorded it in the last fifteen minutes of the first half and at half-time had the crowd thinking that something special was about to take place. Probably should have been further ahead.

Losing the second half 1-11 to 0-05 was hardly a reflection of the pattern of that part of the game. Meath had several goal chances. The Dublin goal came from Graham Reilly being shouldered out over the side line and the ball broke nicely to Mannion after a good save by Paddy O'Rourke.

It will be interesting to see if Meath will be able to repeat this performance against Tyrone or Kildare. We're probably the type of team who'd cause problems for the likes of Donegal or Kerry. Could be a few more days out in Croke Park yet for Meath supporters.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:An admirable enough display by Meath. They lorded it in the last fifteen minutes of the first half and at half-time had the crowd thinking that something special was about to take place. Probably should have been further ahead.

Losing the second half 1-11 to 0-05 was hardly a reflection of the pattern of that part of the game. Meath had several goal chances. The Dublin goal came from Graham Reilly being shouldered out over the side line and the ball broke nicely to Mannion after a good save by Paddy O'Rourke.

It will be interesting to see if Meath will be able to repeat this performance against Tyrone or Kildare. We're probably the type of team who'd cause problems for the likes of Donegal or Kerry. Could be a few more days out in Croke Park yet for Meath supporters.

I'd be interested in a Donegal v Meath clash. If we can garnish any trend from Donegal in 2012 in six out of seven games( final excepted) it was their ability to withstand the galant efforts of all comers for 30 minutes, conserve energy and/or replace the harder working half fowards ( ryan bradley) and grind them down from 30 to 60 minutes by which time a win was in the bag.

The Meath performance on Sunday was a perfect example of what Donegal countered at their best. Ie they threw caution to  the wind gave it their all and ran out of steam after 35 minutes.

In fact if Meath played like that versus Donegal I,d predict an outcome like the 2012 Ulster final.
Also in looking where Meath dominated against O Carroll, Cooper Brennan, Brogan, O Gara and midfield Donegal if fully fit have Lacey, McGee x2, Gallager, Murphy and McFadden.

Donegal may lose to an more open team that are as fit with a stonger bench whose forwards hit form (Dublin/Mayo) or a team that plays a similar game plan to Down 2013 but who have fowards to take all their scores (Tyrone or dare I say it a cuter Kerry)