Meath -vs- Dublin - Leinster u21 Championship

Big game Wednesday night folks.

Reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin take on an unknown Meath side in Pairc Tailteann with a place in a Leinster Quarter-Final at stake.

How the Dubs see this one going?

**Meath have not won a game in the u21 Championship since 2007 (when names like Cian Ward, Kevin Reilly, David Bray were u21)**

Loyal I expect us to be very strong with about half a dozen players from last years All Ireland winning team. Side is captained by Darragh Nelson, who came on v Cork and will also feature Sean Murray and James McCarthy who played 70 minutes v Armagh and Cork. In addition Ciaran Dorney, Gary Sweeney and Dean Rock all started in last year's Final and Ciaran Reddin came on as a sub. There are a couple of last year's lads injured and 2/3 tied up with Kilmacud Crokes. All in all I think we will be stronger this year than last!

1 Ryan O’Flaherty (Na Fianna)
2 Kevin O’Brien (Nh Mearnóg)
3 Seán Murray (St Brigid’s)
4 Gavin McArdle (St Sylvester’s)
5 Darragh Nelson (Ballyboden St Enda’s) captain
6 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
7 Gerry Seaver (Ballyboughal)
8 Dáithí O Murchú (St Vincent’s)
9 Ciarán Reddin (Nh Maur)
10 Ciarán Dorney (St Vincent’s)
11 Gavin McIntyre (St Brigid’s)
12 Gary Sweeney (St Sylvester’s)
13 Darragh Stapleton (Lucan Sarsfields)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Philip Ryan (St Brigid’s)

Conor McHugh (Oldcastle)
Cian McPartland (Oldcastle)
Sean Curran (Donaghmore/Ashbourne)
Willie Ryan (Summerhill)
Donal Keoghan (Rathkenny)
Ciaran Lenehan (Skryne)
Mark O'Sullivan (Moynalvey)
Bryan Menton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne)
Jamie Owens (Nobber)
Paddy Gilsenan (Oldcastle, capt.)
Darragh Smith (Navan O'Mahony's)
David Larkin (Summerhill)
Mark Battersby (Skryne)
Niall Murphy (Dunshaughlin)
Michael Newman (Kilmainham)

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
Loyal I expect us to be very strong with about half a dozen players from last years All Ireland winning team. Side is captained by Darragh Nelson, who came on v Cork and will also feature Sean Murray and James McCarthy who played 70 minutes v Armagh and Cork. In addition Ciaran Dorney, Gary Sweeney and Dean Rock all started in last year's Final and Ciaran Reddin came on as a sub. There are a couple of last year's lads injured and 2/3 tied up with Kilmacud Crokes. All in all I think we will be stronger this year than last!

1 Ryan O’Flaherty (Na Fianna)
2 Kevin O’Brien (Nh Mearnóg)
3 Seán Murray (St Brigid’s)
4 Gavin McArdle (St Sylvester’s)
5 Darragh Nelson (Ballyboden St Enda’s) captain
6 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
7 Gerry Seaver (Ballyboughal)
8 Dáithí O Murchú (St Vincent’s)
9 Ciarán Reddin (Nh Maur)
10 Ciarán Dorney (St Vincent’s)
11 Gavin McIntyre (St Brigid’s)
12 Gary Sweeney (St Sylvester’s)
13 Darragh Stapleton (Lucan Sarsfields)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Philip Ryan (St Brigid’s)

Good to see a few Northsiders on that team-Mullins is a big loss in midfield might just have enough to win but it won't be easy in Navan..

Two months ago, I felt this was shaping up to be a decent Meath team. Liam Harnan had just been appointed manager and there were a good few of the u21s training with the seniors. Now I'm not as confident. A lot of players who would have been close to starting places are injured, others are out of form, and Mark Collins a key component of last year's squad chose not to train with this year's team. It's still a strong-ish Meath team but the draw wasn't kind pitting us against the reigning All-Ireland champions, still at least we're welcoming them to Navan and it's not in Parnell Park. All in all, I'd say Dublin will have too much.

COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN
COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN

Great result for Meath given the amount of last year's team that Dublin still had..

Big wins for Westmeath and Carlow too. The Dubs defeat throws Leinster wide open!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
Loyal I expect us to be very strong with about half a dozen players from last years All Ireland winning team. Side is captained by Darragh Nelson, who came on v Cork and will also feature Sean Murray and James McCarthy who played 70 minutes v Armagh and Cork. In addition Ciaran Dorney, Gary Sweeney and Dean Rock all started in last year's Final and Ciaran Reddin came on as a sub. There are a couple of last year's lads injured and 2/3 tied up with Kilmacud Crokes. All in all I think we will be stronger this year than last!

1 Ryan O’Flaherty (Na Fianna)
2 Kevin O’Brien (Nh Mearnóg)
3 Seán Murray (St Brigid’s)
4 Gavin McArdle (St Sylvester’s)
5 Darragh Nelson (Ballyboden St Enda’s) captain
6 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
7 Gerry Seaver (Ballyboughal)
8 Dáithí O Murchú (St Vincent’s)
9 Ciarán Reddin (Nh Maur)
10 Ciarán Dorney (St Vincent’s)
11 Gavin McIntyre (St Brigid’s)
12 Gary Sweeney (St Sylvester’s)
13 Darragh Stapleton (Lucan Sarsfields)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Philip Ryan (St Brigid’s)

anyone available to wipe the egg of Jayo's face

Great performance by Carlow tonight. Wicklow were fairly confident of a victory. Some excellent point scoring and played well even though we got a man sent off after 15 minutes. Ceatharlach Abú!!!

Nice choon....

Dublin's big names never performed, Nelson, McCarthy, Reddin, Sweeney, Stapleton were all very poor. Dean Rock was only O.K. I get the feeling they came down to Navan feeling as if this was a formality. Not so, and Meath having fallen at the first hurdle the last three years, were certainly due a win.

No doubt it's a strong Meath team though and I possibly under-estimated some of the lads starting. Harnan introduced a lot of lads who I thought might have started and they all showed up well too. Meath have to be favourites for Leinster now but it's always hard to tell at this grade.

bocerty wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
Loyal I expect us to be very strong with about half a dozen players from last years All Ireland winning team. Side is captained by Darragh Nelson, who came on v Cork and will also feature Sean Murray and James McCarthy who played 70 minutes v Armagh and Cork. In addition Ciaran Dorney, Gary Sweeney and Dean Rock all started in last year's Final and Ciaran Reddin came on as a sub. There are a couple of last year's lads injured and 2/3 tied up with Kilmacud Crokes. All in all I think we will be stronger this year than last!

1 Ryan O’Flaherty (Na Fianna)
2 Kevin O’Brien (Nh Mearnóg)
3 Seán Murray (St Brigid’s)
4 Gavin McArdle (St Sylvester’s)
5 Darragh Nelson (Ballyboden St Enda’s) captain
6 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
7 Gerry Seaver (Ballyboughal)
8 Dáithí O Murchú (St Vincent’s)
9 Ciarán Reddin (Nh Maur)
10 Ciarán Dorney (St Vincent’s)
11 Gavin McIntyre (St Brigid’s)
12 Gary Sweeney (St Sylvester’s)
13 Darragh Stapleton (Lucan Sarsfields)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Philip Ryan (St Brigid’s)

anyone available to wipe the egg of Jayo's face

A lot of Dublin people felt this was a stronger side, and maybe it is, but on the night, Dublin were a clear second best to a fired up Meath team.

Meath were very fast out of the blocks and Dublin were lucky to only go in at half-time five points down. Second half was a different story and Dublin almost robbed it, but it'd have been an injustice if they did. Draw was probably the fairest result at that stage of the game with both sides dominating a half apiece. However, there was one clear winner in extra-time and that was Meath.

No egg on face here - **** happens! Fair play to Meath - they were more up for it than us. Best of luck to them.

hurlingguru wrote:Great performance by Carlow tonight. Wicklow were fairly confident of a victory. Some excellent point scoring and played well even though we got a man sent off after 15 minutes. Ceatharlach Abú!!!

Carlow now play kilkenny for a place in the Leinster Semi Final the will be playing the winners of Kildare/Wexford.
Other semi should be Offaly v Meath.
Final Wexford V Meath

Offaly have to get past a trip to Westmeath first which won't be easy.. Big win for them last night and they still have Heslin to come back in at midfield.. It's hard to predict much at this level but given their good run last year and their few stand out players in Lynam and Heslin especially, I think they will do well.

Cannon fodder for Cavan in the AI Semi though.....

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

bocerty wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
Loyal I expect us to be very strong with about half a dozen players from last years All Ireland winning team. Side is captained by Darragh Nelson, who came on v Cork and will also feature Sean Murray and James McCarthy who played 70 minutes v Armagh and Cork. In addition Ciaran Dorney, Gary Sweeney and Dean Rock all started in last year's Final and Ciaran Reddin came on as a sub. There are a couple of last year's lads injured and 2/3 tied up with Kilmacud Crokes. All in all I think we will be stronger this year than last!

1 Ryan O’Flaherty (Na Fianna)
2 Kevin O’Brien (Nh Mearnóg)
3 Seán Murray (St Brigid’s)
4 Gavin McArdle (St Sylvester’s)
5 Darragh Nelson (Ballyboden St Enda’s) captain
6 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
7 Gerry Seaver (Ballyboughal)
8 Dáithí O Murchú (St Vincent’s)
9 Ciarán Reddin (Nh Maur)
10 Ciarán Dorney (St Vincent’s)
11 Gavin McIntyre (St Brigid’s)
12 Gary Sweeney (St Sylvester’s)
13 Darragh Stapleton (Lucan Sarsfields)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Philip Ryan (St Brigid’s)

anyone available to wipe the egg of Jayo's face

A lot of Dublin people felt this was a stronger side, and maybe it is, but on the night, Dublin were a clear second best to a fired up Meath team.

Meath were very fast out of the blocks and Dublin were lucky to only go in at half-time five points down. Second half was a different story and Dublin almost robbed it, but it'd have been an injustice if they did. Draw was probably the fairest result at that stage of the game with both sides dominating a half apiece. However, there was one clear winner in extra-time and that was Meath.

Loyal good post you summed it up well-i knew this was the bogey match these teams clashed at minor and the royals came out on top....Best of luck going forward no shame in losing to this Meath team-If Meath stay focused they will have a big say in the U21 championship..

Jonsmith wrote:Offaly have to get past a trip to Westmeath first which won't be easy.. Big win for them last night and they still have Heslin to come back in at midfield.. It's hard to predict much at this level but given their good run last year and their few stand out players in Lynam and Heslin especially, I think they will do well.

Cannon fodder for Cavan in the AI Semi though.....

It's a strong Westmeath side this year, at least on paper, possibly stronger than the one which lost a Leinster Final to Dublin last year. Lynam stands out of course but Ger Egan and Ian Coffey are probably starting candidates for the senior team and James Dolan is bred to be good. They'll be happy to let Meath headline the Leinster Championship after their big win over Dublin and let themselves take a more quietly quietly approach.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Offaly have to get past a trip to Westmeath first which won't be easy.. Big win for them last night and they still have Heslin to come back in at midfield.. It's hard to predict much at this level but given their good run last year and their few stand out players in Lynam and Heslin especially, I think they will do well.

Cannon fodder for Cavan in the AI Semi though.....

It's a strong Westmeath side this year, at least on paper, possibly stronger than the one which lost a Leinster Final to Dublin last year. Lynam stands out of course but Ger Egan and Ian Coffey are probably starting candidates for the senior team and James Dolan is bred to be good. They'll be happy to let Meath headline the Leinster Championship after their big win over Dublin and let themselves take a more quietly quietly approach.

Lynam's absence from the Senior's starting 15 seems strange.. Especially given the fact that Heslin is starting in his first year so he obviously has no qualms about starting U-21 players and Lynam is obviously not carrying an injury. I have my doubts over Flanagan. Glennon as captain doesn't sit well given his record, a C after a players name on the team sheet won't change that players attitude.

Meath lose to Longford by 2 points after extra time.. Westmeath easily beat Offaly and Carlow and Wexford go through.. Still fancy Westmeath for this.

Ceatharlach Abú!!!

Will say this is the best u21 wexford team for the last 10/15 years.
we should account for Carlow, this crowd have done so from U14 upwards but don't count the chicken comes into motion here.
I would seriously fancy us to win our first U21 crown this year (provincial) anything after that is a bonus.
We should of beaten Kildare by more than what we did, lights went out (as in floodlights),which hindered us more than Kildare as they got to regroup and get back in the game.
Carlow in Enniscorthy in two weeks time and I think we have Westmeath / Longford winners at home as well.