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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "Protect them from what? It's their choice to be dual players? We are a football county and should be giving preference to our club players who aren't dual players. If the hurlers want less games then restructure their championship. As per other posters many counties envy our setup. Very disheartening to see suggestions that they may reduce games, players give so much and are entitled to those 5 groups games; the county board are trying to sell the lack of jeopardy in games as the reason but it's absolutely to suit the hurlers. Clubs in Westmeath need to step up to the plate and say no; and not leave it to out of touch delegates who are county board yes men and would happily go against their own players to appease the men on the county executive."
A football county? Where did you pull that from?

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2224 - 25/06/2025 16:49:28    2621017

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In February at a county board meeting the fixtures secretary outlined his proposals for club championship action and he included the provision that championship would not start until after the Tailteann cup final as there seemed a reasonably good chance we'd be involved. Delegates unanimously backed his proposals as club managers and players wanted clarity so that they could plan hols etc. I know of lots of adult players currently away so that they're available for hurling on 19th July. For you to suggest bringing the championships forward 2-3 weeks at a week or two weeks notice shows complete disregard for club players

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2224 - 25/06/2025 17:09:58    2621031

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Replying To jobber:  "We have to protect the dual players The vast majority of players in Westmeath play both codes which gives the possibility of the likes of Luke Loughlin playing 8 hurling championship matches and the same in football 16 championship matches.The ones complaining here seem to have little concern for the best footballer in the county and one of the best hurlers and anyone else like him"
Protect Luke at all costs, he's an endangered species. Will the endangered species get the same protection on a weekend off at Hyrox? You'd be foolish or unrealistic to think he'd be getting a weekend off. He will be more than likely playing an in house training match. It's shocking to see someone being forced to play these sports against their will from the age of 5 or 6. I'd argue that we're not a dual county, we don't have dual clubs. We're not a Cork, Tipperary or Wexford where one club play both. The county is unique in the number of players playing football and hurling with different clubs. In Clare, they call them 'isolated' players. Football is by and large the dominant game, hurling is generally played in small pockets. A few here saying we have a large number of 'dual' players based on what? What percentage of players play both codes? The county board haven't two cents to rub together so I'd highly doubt they will reduce the amount of games when they're struggling to raise a few thousand for a €15m+ Centre of Excellence.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 160 - 25/06/2025 17:16:08    2621035

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We're not a dual county? On what basis can you justify such a statement? In my own hurling club across under 14s, 16s and minors, approx 80% of the players also play football. The football and hurling clubs may be separate clubs but that's not relevant. The Downs have loads of players who play with Clonkill and Turin. There are more football clubs than hurling, 31-16 is the ratio but to dismiss the hundreds of players who play hurling is out of touch.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2224 - 25/06/2025 18:38:48    2621063

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "Protect Luke at all costs, he's an endangered species. Will the endangered species get the same protection on a weekend off at Hyrox? You'd be foolish or unrealistic to think he'd be getting a weekend off. He will be more than likely playing an in house training match. It's shocking to see someone being forced to play these sports against their will from the age of 5 or 6. I'd argue that we're not a dual county, we don't have dual clubs. We're not a Cork, Tipperary or Wexford where one club play both. The county is unique in the number of players playing football and hurling with different clubs. In Clare, they call them 'isolated' players. Football is by and large the dominant game, hurling is generally played in small pockets. A few here saying we have a large number of 'dual' players based on what? What percentage of players play both codes? The county board haven't two cents to rub together so I'd highly doubt they will reduce the amount of games when they're struggling to raise a few thousand for a €15m+ Centre of Excellence."
Are you for real.Name me 1 hurling club that doesn't have footballers.How many football clubs don't have hurlers?
Delvin is a dual club as are Raharney-Killucan ,Castletown-Malachys,Brownstown-St Pauls in all but name.
Is all of Westmeath north of Mullingar a small pocket.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1735 - 25/06/2025 19:02:47    2621064

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "In February at a county board meeting the fixtures secretary outlined his proposals for club championship action and he included the provision that championship would not start until after the Tailteann cup final as there seemed a reasonably good chance we'd be involved. Delegates unanimously backed his proposals as club managers and players wanted clarity so that they could plan hols etc. I know of lots of adult players currently away so that they're available for hurling on 19th July. For you to suggest bringing the championships forward 2-3 weeks at a week or two weeks notice shows complete disregard for club players"
I'm not suggesting this years championship started 2 weeks in advance; I'm well aware of the master fixture list that was sent out, going forward is my suggestion that it's played a week or two earlier. Start a week earlier rather than culling a round of fixtures, I don't see why the likes of a Junior B championship couldn't be played from here on, most clubs have 5-6 weeks of no competitive games during this time and then it's squeezed in with an U20 and Adult championship all the one week. I think it's absolutely fair to say we are predominantly a football county based on playing numbers and number of clubs; full respect to any hurlers and dual players but I think sacrificing a round of football championship games to suit a limited number of dual players is not fair.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 91 - 25/06/2025 19:47:29    2621074

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