Meath
Sport:Hurling
Irish:An Mhí
Nickname(s):The Royals
The Plains men
The Boys in Green
County board:Meath GAA
Home venue(s):Páirc Tailteann, Navan
Recent competitive record
Last championship title:2023
First colours
Second colours

The Meath county hurling team represents Meath in hurling and is governed by Meath GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the Christy Ring Cup and the National Hurling League.

Meath's main ground is Páirc Tailteann, Navan, with St. Loman's Park, Trim known as the home of Meath Hurling. The current team manager is Seoirse Bulfin.

The team has never won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, Joe McDonagh Cup, or the National League.

History

Meath has twice held half-time leads over traditional hurling counties in the quarter-final of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship (SHC): over Dublin by a scoreline of 2–2 to 1–1 in 1936 and Kilkenny by a scoreline of 2–6 to 1–6 in 1949.

In 1951, the county held Wexford to a draw in the quarter-final but lost the replay; Wexford went on to win the Leinster SHC and join the elite.

Having beaten Offaly to qualify for their ninth and last Leinster SHC semi-final in 1954, Meath regressed until it won the 1985 Kehoe Cup and the 1993 Senior B title.

After the county re-entered the senior championship in 1994, its exploits included victories over Offaly (All-Ireland SHC champions at the time) by a scoreline of 1–12 to 1–11 in a February 1995 National Hurling League match in Athboy, and Wexford by a scoreline of 1–16 to 0–16 a fortnight later in Enniscorthy.

On 11 July 2009, Meath won the final of the Nicky Rackard Cup at Croke Park, beating London by a scoreline of 2–18 to 1–15, thus promoting the county back to the 2010 Christy Ring Cup.

On 4 June 2016, Meath won the final of the Christy Ring Cup at Croke Park against Antrim by a scoreline of 2–18 to 1–20, despite trailing the Ulster squad by as much as six points at times. However, the score actually finished 2–17 to 1-20, a draw. Despite Meath being presented with the Christy Ring Cup, a replay was ordered.[1][2][3] The replay took place at Croke Park on 25 June 2016. After normal time, the result was 3–15 to 4–12, another draw. Meath eventually prevailed after extra-time by a scoreline of 4–21 to 5–17, a Stephen Clynch free with the last puck of the game sealing Meath's first ever Christy Ring Cup and a place in the 2017 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, the county's first appearance in the championship since a double-scores defeat to Laois in mid-May 2004. The county secured a surprise victory against Kerry in its opening Leinster SHC match.[4] This remains the county's most recent appearance in the competition.

Meath then won the Division 2B title, defeating Wicklow and earning promotion to Division 2A for 2018.[5]

On 22 June 2019, Meath won the final of the Christy Ring Cup against Down at Croke Park by scoreline of 4–19 to 2–15.[6] This was Meath's second Christy Ring Cup in three years. The win meant Meath would play in the 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup.

A dismal 2022 campaign would see Meath relegated from both Division 2A and the Joe McDonagh Cup. The latter in particular saw Meath finish with five heavy defeats, conceding 197 points with a -101 point-differential. Nick Weir would step down from his role as team manager in July. Seoirse Bulfin would be promoted as his replacement the following month.[7]

Current management team

Managerial history

Seán Boylan ?[8]

John Davis ?–1996[9]

Tom Ryan 1996–1997

Séamus Carney 1997–1999

Noel Keating 1999**

John Davis (2) 1999–2001

Michael Duignan Offaly 2001–2003[10][11]

John Hunt Clare 2003–2005[12][13][9]

Johnny Murray 2005–2006[14]

John Andrews Trim 2006–2008[15]

T. J. Reilly 2008–2010

Cillian Farrell Offaly 2010–2014[16][17][18]

Martin Ennis Clann na nGael 2014–2017[19][20][21][22]

Nick Fitzgerald Waterford 2017–2019[23][24][25][26]

Nick Weir Westmeath 2019–2022[27]

Weir's coaching staff included David Reilly and (appointed ahead of the 2021 season) Steven Clynch, Johnny Enright and Timmy Hammerslewy[28]

Seoirse Bulfin Limerick 2022–

**=In a caretaker role

Honours

National

Provincial

References

  1. ↑ "'We are firmly against playing a replay to a game we have already won' — Meath boss Martin Ennis slams GAA". Irish Independent. 7 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "Antrim lose Christy Ring Cup final against Meath after claims of scoreline blunder". BBC. 5 June 2016.
  3. ↑ Mooney, Francis (5 June 2016). "Scoreline controversy overshadows Royal win". Sunday Independent.
  4. ↑ "Meath mark return to Leinster championship with a win". RTÉ. 23 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "Hurling League promotion and relegation round-up". RTÉ. 1 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "Meath storm past Down to win Christy Ring Cup". Irish Examiner. 22 June 2019.
  7. ↑ "Davy Fitzgerald's former right-hand man Seoirse Bulfin to take over as Meath hurling manager". Irish Independent. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  8. ↑ "Boylan nominated for hurling position: Not for the first time, Sean Boylan has been nominated for the position of Meath senior hurling manager". Irish Examiner. 30 August 2006.
  9. 1 2 "Davis tipped to make Meath return". Hogan Stand. 3 March 2005. The Meath hurling board have made moves to replace manager John Hunt, who resigned last week by approaching former coach John Davis to take over the reins for a third time... Davis has had two successful spells with the Royal County and oversaw their Leinster championship clash with Offaly in 1996 that saw the Faithful scrap through to the semi-final by six-points. If the Westmeath native does decide to return... Meath face Wicklow in Arklow at the weekend and hurling board chairman TJ Reilly and secretary Enda Smith are expected to be in charge of the side. Other names mentioned for the manager's job are former county hurlers John Gorry and John Andrews, both of whom have adapted to managerial roles with considerable success.
  10. ↑ Fennelly, Amanda (4 December 2001). "Duignan to manage Meath hurlers". RTÉ. The former All-Star will take over his new position from John Davis and will have as his back-room team former Leinster players Pat Potterton and Paddy Kelly, while Johnny Murray will come on board as trainer.
  11. ↑ O'Sullivan, Jim; Murphy, John (18 April 2003). "Duignan and his selectors quit Meath hurling jobs: A conflict over club and county interests has forced Meath hurling manager Michael Duignan and his selectors to quit only days before their vital Allianz NHL game against Antrim". Irish Examiner.
  12. ↑ Keys, Colm (31 October 2003). "GAELIC GAMES: Hunt on trail of top coach". Irish Independent. Hunt, ratified as Michael Duignan's successor on Tuesday night, is confident that he will shortly secure a 'big name' to lend his experience and take weekend coaching sessions.
  13. ↑ "Meath hurling management steps down". RTÉ. 24 February 2005.
  14. ↑ Keys, Colm (11 March 2005). "Murray takes charge of crisis-hit Meath hurlers". Irish Independent. Murray takes over from John Hunt who quit with his management team two weeks ago after a bitterly disappointing home league defeat to London... The current Hurling Board chairman TJ Reilly, who was in charge of the team for the league match against Wicklow last weekend, will continue as a selector while Martin Curran, a driving force behind some successful Kilmessan teams in the local championship, has been added to the ticket.
  15. ↑ "Andrews is the man". Hogan Stand. 30 November 2006. Andrews' appointment to take over the position from Johnny Murray was ratified at a County Committee meeting in early November and after that it was the job of the former talented player to set about putting the structures in place that will, hopefully, see the Royal County enjoy a badly needed change of fortune.
  16. ↑ "Farrell is new Meath hurling boss". Hogan Stand. 5 October 2010.
  17. ↑ Fennessy, Paul (2 June 2013). "Cillian Farrell resigns as Meath hurling manager". The42.ie.
  18. ↑ Collier, Conall (23 November 2013). "Cillian Farrell back as Meath hurling manager". Meath Chronicle.
  19. ↑ "Ennis gets Meath hurling job". Hogan Stand. 7 October 2014.
  20. ↑ Cahill, Jackie (14 July 2017). "Ennis steps down after three seasons with Meath hurlers". Hogan Stand.
  21. ↑ "'Martin raised the profile of Meath hurling to a whole new level'". Hogan Stand. 14 July 2017.
  22. ↑ "Statement from Martin Ennis". Hogan Stand. 17 July 2017.
  23. ↑ "Nick Fitzgerald leaves Meath hurling job over 'additional time pressures'". Beat 102 103. 20 August 2019.
  24. ↑ "Fitzgerald steps down as Meath hurling manager". RTÉ. 20 August 2019.
  25. ↑ Hannon, Shane (20 August 2019). "Meath hurling manager Nick Fitzgerald steps down". Off the Ball.
  26. ↑ Browne, PJ (20 August 2019). "Meath Hurling Manager Steps Down With Classy Statement". Balls.ie.
  27. ↑ "Weir leaves Meath role". Hogan Stand. 15 July 2022.
  28. ↑ "Clynch, Enright and Hammersley added to Meath backroom team". Hogan Stand. 25 January 2021.
  29. ↑ "All-Ireland U21 HC B final: Classy Royals deliver title". Hogan Stand. 10 September 2016.
  30. ↑ Report
  31. ↑ "Kehoe Cup final: Royals rule over Wicklow". Hogan Stand. 8 February 2015.
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