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Westmeath v Laois Leinster final 1995. Three game epic

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Anyone remember these games in Tullamore, I was lucky enough to be living locally ... Packed house for all three games in which Westmeath just barely scraped over the line and went on to win the minor title that year. They are among the best games of football your likely to see. Both counties got a Leinster in 2003 and 2004 in senior but they really should have got more ...Especially Laois who reached 3 all irelands in a row in minor and won numerous leinster titles after that all in a short space of time! BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 17/10/2017 16:29:52 2055793 Link
Yeah they were epic. The first game was in Croke Park. I remember sitting beside Brian Mullins.The other two went to extra time I think ? Certainly the first replay. Luke Dempsey was a great underage manager for Westmeath. 1 Leinster minor , 1 All Ireland Minor, then 2 Leinster U21 and 1 All Ireland under 21 with mostly different players. He built the team that won the Leinster under the great late Paidi O'Se. Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1014 - 18/10/2017 08:30:00 2055922 Link
Westmeath were lucky to win. Laois were by far the better team. wd45 (Westmeath) - Posts: 211 - 18/10/2017 10:00:40 2055941 Link
From memory I don't think any of the that minor Westmeath team played in the senior team that went on to win 2003 Leinster Senior Final. One or two were on the bench that was about it. In just fact not many of that Westmeath minor team played in the team that won the All Ireland U21 in 1999. crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 24/10/2017 01:12:34 2057421 Link
Replying To crikey: "From memory I don't think any of the that minor Westmeath team played in the senior team that went on to win 2003 Leinster Senior Final. One or two were on the bench that was about it. In just fact not many of that Westmeath minor team played in the team that won the All Ireland U21 in 1999." i think 2 players played on both the u21 and minor All Ireland teams. The Westmeath team that did well in 2001 had a lot of the 21s. The team that won the Leinster in 2004 had about 5 or 6 but if you add in the players who won Leinster u21 in 2000 under Dempsey that number would be higher. Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1014 - 24/10/2017 10:27:32 2057455 Link
Anyone have the teams from this game or a programme from the leinster final between meath and dublin that would have the line up and subs? BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 24/10/2017 10:35:12 2057460 Link
Replying To BigJohn.6_8: "Anyone have the teams from this game or a programme from the leinster final between meath and dublin that would have the line up and subs?" Could give you the Westmeath team from the first game anyway. Remember Laois had a lad called Danny Doogue , a Ramsbottom fella ... Ian Fitzgerald...Conway ? Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1014 - 24/10/2017 13:19:20 2057523 Link
Laois must have been doing something right at that time. The All-Ireland minor finals with Tyrone in 1997 and 1998 were good matches with lots of future seniors in both teams. Tyrone certainly benefited with the 2003 panel packed with these minors. Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 24/10/2017 13:27:43 2057528 Link
Replying To Jack_Sparrow: "i think 2 players played on both the u21 and minor All Ireland teams. The Westmeath team that did well in 2001 had a lot of the 21s. The team that won the Leinster in 2004 had about 5 or 6 but if you add in the players who won Leinster u21 in 2000 under Dempsey that number would be higher." Fergal Murray and Shane Deering were the 2 Westmeath players that won Minor AI in 1995 and u21 AI in 1999 BartMcQueen (Cork) - Posts: 196 - 24/10/2017 15:10:57 2057560 Link
Laois were a major force back then and had a golden generation of players for about 7/8 years but they didn't make the most of it despite getting a Leinster final out of it and many Leinster and a few all ireland quarter final apperances.... They were close in 2006 mayo beat them after a replay and went on to beat Dublin in the semi ...Laois lost the 06 Leinster final to a controversol last minute mossy quinn 45 and were probably the better team in that game I thought anyway it was an epic final...they were involved in a thriller in 2003 in the quarter finals against armagh loosing to the all ireland champs by only 2 points! BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 24/10/2017 16:46:19 2057593 Link
Article on the 95 Westmeath team link Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12115 - 24/10/2017 17:24:05 2057610 Link
If you google "Westmeath Laois minor 1995", you get loads of articles on this topic Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12115 - 24/10/2017 17:29:21 2057611 Link
Replying To BigJohn.6_8: "Laois were a major force back then and had a golden generation of players for about 7/8 years but they didn't make the most of it despite getting a Leinster final out of it and many Leinster and a few all ireland quarter final apperances.... They were close in 2006 mayo beat them after a replay and went on to beat Dublin in the semi ...Laois lost the 06 Leinster final to a controversol last minute mossy quinn 45 and were probably the better team in that game I thought anyway it was an epic final...they were involved in a thriller in 2003 in the quarter finals against armagh loosing to the all ireland champs by only 2 points!" Think that final where an injury time/last min Mossy Quinn 45 won it was in 2005 John. Laois had come through Kildare in the semi to the tune of a 12 or 13 point win and played probably the best football I saw from them in that game. Remember straight from the throw in Clancy winning it and sprinting up the field before laying it off to Ross I think who hit the first point after around 10 seconds! In 2006 we came through the back door after Dublin gave us a bit of a hiding in the semis. Regrouped well in the qualifiers by beating Tyrone (then all ireland champs i think), Meath in Navan and Offaly before setting up the quarter final with Mayo. Ah memories!!! Andy (Laois) - Posts: 371 - 26/10/2017 13:40:40 2058166 Link
Replying To BartMcQueen: "Fergal Murray and Shane Deering were the 2 Westmeath players that won Minor AI in 1995 and u21 AI in 1999" Nice medals to have in the back pocket. crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 28/10/2017 10:59:27 2058760 Link