For those new to the blog, or who haven’t been here for a while, please find a refresher on the definitions and how the numbers are compiled here
Overall
| Team | Possessions | Shots | Shot Rate | Scores | Success Rate | Weighting |
| Wicklow | 31 | 25 | 81% | 13 | 52% | +0.3692 |
| Meath | 33 | 29 | 88% | 17 | 59% | +2.2345 |
| 2012 avg | 35.28 | 27.02 | 76.6% | 13.96 | 51.67% |
Overall Wicklow did quite well, considering the conditions, however they were just out performed by a Meath team that had their shooting boots on. Possession numbers were lower than what we have seen in the Championship to date however this is attributable to the gameplans implemented due to the very strong wind. The total number of possessions in the first half was just 27 – Meath used the wind to hit in long balls that did not always favour the forward whilst Wicklow played a slow, deliberate, possession game that reduced the frequency with which they crossed the 45m.
The table below shows a straight comparison of how teams shot in the conditions. Both were quite similar with the wind however it was against the wind that Meath really prevailed. Joe Sheridan’s point from out on the right wing was a thing of beauty.
The most disappointing aspect for Wicklow will be that after the first three minutes with the wind, when they scored three points from three attacks, they then only had 9 shots from play with a conversion rate of 22%
| Team | Shots | Scores | Success Rate | Weighting | |
| With wind | Meath | 12 | 6 | 50% | +0.736 |
| Wicklow | 12 | 5 | 42% | +0.138 | |
| Against wind | Meath | 10 | 6 | 60% | +1.099 |
| Wicklow | 5 | 3 | 60% | +0.512 |
Please note that Kevin Reilly’s goal is not included in any of the numbers. It had a huge bearing on the game but was a complete fluke and as such doesn’t really fit with any of the definitions currently in use.
Shots from deadballs
| Player | Shots | Scores | Success Rate | Weighting |
| J McGrath (Wicklow) | 5 | 3 | 60% | -0.616 |
| S Furlong (Wicklow) | 3 | 2 | 67% | +1.835 |
| M Newman (Meath) | 7 | 5 | 71% | +0.399 |
| 2012 team avgs | 6.88 | 4.6 | 66.9% |
Newman had a very good day from deadballs capped by an excellent 45 against the wind. His day would have been stellar had he not missed an easy enough free, even given the conditions, from the 21m line.
The Wicklow numbers are affected by the particular type of deadball missed. McGrath is somewhat harshly judged as one of his misses was a sideline attempt. We don’t have enough sideline attempts charted so they are treated as frees – and thus probably overly penalized.
Having missed a penalty Stafford should probably not have as positive a return as he does but again we do not have enough data on penalties and thus he is treated as having missed a regulation free.
Shot Charts
We have already mentioned Newman’s 45 against the wind but Meath’s shooting, and shot selection, from long range was excellent. When they used the wind from out the field it proved very effective. A huge bomb from c50m from Brian Meade comes to mind.
The same cannot be said of Wicklow; they only scored once from outside c25m and there were too many shots taken from bad angles out wide.
Wicklow’s shooting
Meath’s shooting
x = missed, disc = score, yellow = deadball, white = play
Kickouts
It is a rare game where there is only one short kickout but that is what happened in Aughrim. Given the possession game Wicklow attempted in the first half I am surprised they didn’t throw a few in. They won
60% of their kickouts against the wind so may have felt they were justified kicking long however Meath got three shots from the six Wicklow kickouts that they won in the 1st half. Throwing a few short ones in may have reduced this.
Players with >= 2 shots from play
There were a number of fine performances with Graham Reilly’s returns being the pick. He ended up with 4 points from 6 shots however started on fire getting three from three in the first 15 minutes. Half way through the 2nd half he was four from four and on his way to one of the performances of the season.
For all the commentary about how fast Wallace is it was somewhat overlooked that there was an end product to go with the speed. Three points from four attempts is an excellent Championship debut.
| Shots | Scores | Success Rate | Weighting | |
| G Reilly (Meath) | 6 | 4 | 67% | +1.246 |
| A McLoughlin (Wicklow) | 5 | 3 | 60% | +0.714 |
| E Wallace (Meath) | 4 | 3 | 75% | +0.988 |
| R Finn (Wicklow) | 3 | 1 | 33% | -0.302 |
| D Hayden (Wicklow) | 3 | 1 | 33% | -0.383 |
| J McGrath (Wicklow) | 2 | 1 | 50% | +0.248 |
| B Meade (Meath) | 2 | 1 | 50% | +0.048 |
| S Bray (Meath) | 2 | 0 | 0% | -0.770 |
| P Byrne (Meath) | 2 | 0 | 0% | -0.873 |
dontfoul 