Kildare v Meath

I cant see us throwing in Luke Flynn at centre back out of the blue, JOC has been very consistent in his selections particularly at the back and has only made changes there when someone has got injured. Con Kavanagh has been very consistent at CB, and while I agree we havent looked altogether watertight, we have kept 7 clean sheets out of last 8 games. Donnellan has had to make saves in all or most games but he usually comes up with the saves, I think 1 to 9 will be the usual if OGrady and Doyle come in. The forward line is harder to predict with Conway a bit off form last week, but he has been one of our best players more often than not and I would hope for a big game from him on Sunday. Bearinthesquare you left Brophy out of your selection, I think you may have overlooked him, I would think he will definitely start as he has been excellent this year, The big question for me is do you start Dan Flynn and Neil Flynn, Personally I would love if we played Dan midfield along with Feely though I dont see that happening, If Neil has recovered from last weeks events and is in form it would be very hard not to start him, he has just so much quality, They are good options to have. We do need to bring a huge performance on Sunday to win because Meath are going to bring it, I think this one really is a case of who wants it more

seamymurphy wrote:

Draw 15/2. Kildare 11/8, Meath 8/11.. spread is 1 point.
Hard game to call.
Hopefully a decent Referee is appointed.

Always those odds.

e.s.b. wrote:

I cant see us throwing in Luke Flynn at centre back out of the blue, JOC has been very consistent in his selections particularly at the back and has only made changes there when someone has got injured. Con Kavanagh has been very consistent at CB, and while I agree we havent looked altogether watertight, we have kept 7 clean sheets out of last 8 games. Donnellan has had to make saves in all or most games but he usually comes up with the saves, I think 1 to 9 will be the usual if OGrady and Doyle come in. The forward line is harder to predict with Conway a bit off form last week, but he has been one of our best players more often than not and I would hope for a big game from him on Sunday. Bearinthesquare you left Brophy out of your selection, I think you may have overlooked him, I would think he will definitely start as he has been excellent this year, The big question for me is do you start Dan Flynn and Neil Flynn, Personally I would love if we played Dan midfield along with Feely though I dont see that happening, If Neil has recovered from last weeks events and is in form it would be very hard not to start him, he has just so much quality, They are good options to have. We do need to bring a huge performance on Sunday to win because Meath are going to bring it, I think this one really is a case of who wants it more

How did I forget Brophy. Dan in midfield instead of moolick and brophy in half forward line is probably a good shout. If Dan has the head screwed on that is.

Dan Flynn in midfield? Wooooow.... He doesn’t have the in game awareness to play there. He plays off instinct. A midfielder needs to be able to read a game.
There’s nothing wrong with a midfield of Feely, Masterson and Conway, Brophy and Paul Cribbin in the HF line. They should be well able to match Meath.
The FF line is a toss up between Kirwan, Hyland, Ben and Dan Flynn and Neil Flynn.
Kirwan is a cert as well either Hyland and Neil Flynn for frees. I’d go for Neil personally. He’s proven himself more on the senior stage and has big game mentality.
So that leaves Dan, Ben or Jimmy. Ben on form gets it for me. Jimmy and Dan off the bench. Not bad options to have.

My feeling is that Daniel Flynn is to much of an individual to ' build a team' around him, far too unpredictable.

seamymurphy wrote:

seamymurphy wrote:

Draw 15/2. Kildare 11/8, Meath 8/11.. spread is 1 point.
Hard game to call.
Hopefully a decent Referee is appointed.

Always those odds.

Not that it's any big deal Seamy, but it wasn't always those odds. PP's first show on the match was Meath 10/11...Kildare 11/10. Why would i lie over a bookie's odds !!!

Gaa1928 wrote:

My feeling is that Daniel Flynn is to much of an individual to ' build a team' around him, far too unpredictable.

Absolutely!! Too unreliable and unpredictable.... I'd love to see him develop his consistency and decision making, to mature mentally really. If he could manage that he could become a top player, he certainly has the talent and the physical prowess.

Something that has been passed over after the Offaly game that I think is important is that Shea Ryan and Con Kavanagh both played well. They have progressed steadily in the last month and given the positions they're in, its good news for us. Like Kirwan and Hyland and Brophy have had a lot of praise for their performances, and rightly so, but the lads at the back deserve a shout too.

Backs get a raw deal in this regard, for fuck sake

The more I think about Sunday I think Kildare will do well as someone said Meath have only won 1 game in over a year they did alright in division 1 without winning but so did Kildare when they were up there a couple of year ago. I think with the game being in Croke park it might suit Kildare better with the type of forwards we have hopefully it will be an exciting game and we can come out on top.

I honestly think if we could organize our defense a bit better and tackle a bit harder we could be a top 6 team. It's been our achilles heel for far to long.

murof wrote:

I honestly think if we could organize our defense a bit better and tackle a bit harder we could be a top 6 team. It's been our achilles heel for far to long.

Our problems run deeper than that, a lot deeper in fact. There is a mindset and culture problem at the heart of Kildare football and a well organised defense and better tackling won't fix it.

Under Geezer we probably tackled as well as any team and our defense was very good yet still we were only bordering on being a top 6 team. We won a solitary Div 2 title and never beat a top 8 team in a championship match. Every time the heat was turned up we melted... every single time. This group of players are no better than that group, they might be as good, potentially, but haven't shown it yet so to say we could be top 6 is an act of self indulgence.

We think we should be a top 8 team because we're head over heels in love with ourselves and its embarrassing. We in Kildare are known to be a soft touch with weak minds who can be bullied, not into submission, but into playing like headless chickens.

1) Dublin
2) Donegal
3) Kerry
4) Tyrone
5) Galway
6) Mayo

Who are we going to replace in that top 6? Think about the players these teams have and think about what these players have delivered for their county on the big stage. Then imagine you're from another county and think about Kildare players from that perspective...... you'll find that some of the names we're in love with here are barely known outside Kildare.

I said we "could" be a top 6 team not would be. We lose so many games because teams run through us so easily.
At the other end we create a huge amount of chances but continue to be undone by our defense.
Think you are looking at Geezer's time with rose tinted glasses. Apart from JD we had no top class forwards. Yes we had guys who would run all day but lacked real skill. Think we have some genuine forwards now but conceding big scores to Offaly and Cavan means we are going nowhere until we fix that.
Been watching Kildare since the 70's and certainly not delusional!

murof wrote:

I said we "could" be a top 6 team not would be. We lose so many games because teams run through us so easily.
At the other end we create a huge amount of chances but continue to be undone by our defense.
Think you are looking at Geezer's time with rose tinted glasses. Apart from JD we had no top class forwards. Yes we had guys who would run all day but lacked real skill. Think we have some genuine forwards now but conceding big scores to Offaly and Cavan means we are going nowhere until we fix that.
Been watching Kildare since the 70's and certainly not delusional!

Oflatherty was top notch in his day.

Debatable, found out badly against Down but in fairness he was very young. JD was our one class forward consistently. Wish we had him in 98!

murof wrote:

I said we "could" be a top 6 team  not would be. We lose so many games because teams run through us so easily.
At the other end we create a huge amount of chances but continue to be undone by our defense.
Think you are looking at Geezer's time with rose tinted glasses. Apart from JD we had no top class forwards. Yes we had guys who would run all day but lacked real skill.  Think we have some genuine forwards now but conceding big scores to Offaly and Cavan means we are going nowhere until we fix that.
Been watching Kildare since the 70's and certainly  not delusional!

I wasn't overly complimentary about Geezers time either!! Although we were definitely top 8 then and were able to garner the respect of the top teams.

Genuine forwards now??? Name them and what they have achieved outside of gaining lofty status on the playing fields of Kildare?

Team for Sunday

Donnellan

Dempsey
Ryan
Malone

D Hyland
Kavanagh
K Flynn

Masterson
Feely

Byrne
McCormack
Brophy

D Flynn
Kirwan
J Hyland

Don't see that team starting myself tbh

Meath certainly won't fear us as we should not fear them. However I do feel they are a little ahead of us at the moment.

Botch wrote:

Meath certainly won't fear us as we should not fear them. However I do feel they are a little ahead of us at the moment.

Reckon we'd win the penalty shoot out.

Ha. I really do think it's tight but how people can put kildare ahead of meath at the moment is mad. Like it or not meath have been better than us in the last 2 years

I know lots of fingers being pointed at the defence but there was a lot of ball not sticking up front at time that last day too and our forwards don't tackle.

Like the goalie sauntered out a few times and not a glove laid on him. That is hardly going to help the lads at the back. We seemed to drop deep but still managed to leave gaps.
I thought Con and Shay both did well. Luke Flynn seems to be an option more in the middle and he is not Dan fast, but he is sooo quick for a big man and as was said he really enjoys the war.

I would have no issue with Dan Flynn at 11 but as a runner. He must have been told to go out because there was around six occasions when he was on the 45 looking to pass balls in. No point having him out there if he is not driving at the opposition with runs, but in fairness he has had a vert stop start season and Croker has lots of space to stretch his legs.

Kirwan has really stepped up in fairness and Brophy is really become a leader. He is hungry for work but would prefer him staying a bit further up.

Right now you would say Meath are better than us, but I still think we can win, but the problem is we can play like a Top 6 team one minute and then look like Div 3 the next.

I've a good feeling...

Donegal are a well oiled machine Folks.. looking at that Today.
Well capable of causing an upset v d dubs.. TF.

Colm O'Rourke writes today "As long as I can remember, Meath always figured that they could beat Kildare and most of the time it worked out like that. This attitude may not have been based on any logic but that sort of confidence can breed a self-fulfilling prophecy. I am hopeful it will happen again and Meath will meet the Dubs in the Leinster final. And if it then worked out to be a bloody Sunday — on a Saturday — for Dublin then all the better"
I think Kildare have one more championship victory over meath, Lets hope its two more later.

Despite Meath having a good midfield partnership I wont be surprised if they try and break the ball from our kickouts and go short on their own. Winning dirry ball and a good bench might determine the winner today.

I think we might surprise people today. I think we could actually be comfortable winners in the end . We wiĺl win by 5 or 6 .

Am I a pessimist by nature? I am. But, that aside, I have an awful feeling that today could bring a double-digit defeat for Kildare. We played a poor Offaly team and scraped through. This is not a poor Meath team.
Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be eating my hat!
Up Kildare!