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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: 2225 - 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: 2225 - 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: 2225 - 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: 1737 - 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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Replying To jobber:  "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."
When it comes to "north Westmeath" yes it is a small pocket when it comes to population.

In and around Athlone has more than half our population and about 95% of players aren't dual players.

From Athlone, Garrycastle, Castledaly, Tubberclair, Caurly and Moate I can only think of two players that start for these teams that play hurling. 2 out of 90 players.

You made a great point though I can't name one hurling club that doesn't have footballers but I can name many football clubs that don't have hurlers

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 558 - 25/06/2025 22:24:04    2621106

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "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."
Would you stop talking sense, do you not know that's frowned upon on this forum

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 352 - 25/06/2025 22:56:36    2621109

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "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."
A limited number of dual players!!
What planet are you on. Name me 1 hurling club who doesn't have footballers.Really today name me 2 football clubs out of 31 who don't have hurlers??
Either you are trolling or totally out of touch with Westmeath GAA

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1737 - 26/06/2025 00:13:16    2621116

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I don't think it matters when the championship starts , in the senior it's a two horse race with The Downs and St Lomans miles ahead of the rest and in the intermediate there's only 3 contenders with Tubberclair Shandonagh and Milltown Rathconrath, the junior will probably be the hardest to call with possibly a senior second string winning out .

coffey (Westmeath) - Posts: 22 - 26/06/2025 07:41:42    2621123

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Replying To coffey:  "I don't think it matters when the championship starts , in the senior it's a two horse race with The Downs and St Lomans miles ahead of the rest and in the intermediate there's only 3 contenders with Tubberclair Shandonagh and Milltown Rathconrath, the junior will probably be the hardest to call with possibly a senior second string winning out ."
Caulry, Kinnegad, rosemount and Milltownpass may take issue with this post!

Iakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 17 - 26/06/2025 12:02:12    2621180

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Replying To CleanShoulder:  "Would you stop talking sense, do you not know that's frowned upon on this forum"
You're the one who suggested bringing forward the championship by a few weeks at practically zero notice. Good suggestion alright.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2225 - 26/06/2025 12:17:38    2621190

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Replying To jobber:  "A limited number of dual players!!
What planet are you on. Name me 1 hurling club who doesn't have footballers.Really today name me 2 football clubs out of 31 who don't have hurlers??
Either you are trolling or totally out of touch with Westmeath GAA"
Castledaly, Moate, Tubberclair, Caulry all have no hurlers. Athlone and Garrycastle have maybe 2 or 3 that play hurling but football is their 1st choice. Tang and Maryland have 2 or 3. Miltownpass, Miltown, St Mary's, Tyrellspass maybe have 10 between them but hurling is their second choice. This only seems to be a problem up north of the county. Football championship brings in way more money than the hurling championship every year. Can't see county board changing championship. Clubs in the south will not be happy about it and should take a stand together but at the same time clubs in the south were not listen too when they said COE would not be suitable for Mullingar.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 558 - 26/06/2025 15:29:45    2621281

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Replying To jobber:  "A limited number of dual players!!
What planet are you on. Name me 1 hurling club who doesn't have footballers.Really today name me 2 football clubs out of 31 who don't have hurlers??
Either you are trolling or totally out of touch with Westmeath GAA"
Word on the street is that Lough Lene Gaels have nobody playing football this year, they're concentrating solely on hurling. Maybe someone from that end can confirm if that's fact or otherwise? That'd surely affect Fineas capability in intermediate and hit Ballycomoyle as well

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 352 - 26/06/2025 17:29:31    2621323

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Replying To Temple56:  "Castledaly, Moate, Tubberclair, Caulry all have no hurlers. Athlone and Garrycastle have maybe 2 or 3 that play hurling but football is their 1st choice. Tang and Maryland have 2 or 3. Miltownpass, Miltown, St Mary's, Tyrellspass maybe have 10 between them but hurling is their second choice. This only seems to be a problem up north of the county. Football championship brings in way more money than the hurling championship every year. Can't see county board changing championship. Clubs in the south will not be happy about it and should take a stand together but at the same time clubs in the south were not listen too when they said COE would not be suitable for Mullingar."
I can't argue about the 4 clubs you named but will watch out for it to check.I know CastleDaly have started juvenile hurling and Southern Gaels have bought a field in Caulry area and Tubberclair and Moate had hurlers with Fr Dalton's.Milltownpass,St Marys and Tyrellspass have 30 hurlers minimum as Brigid's are fielding 2 teams almost all of whom play football.
Its only a problem in the north of the county????
I'd say Southern Gaels,Father Dalton's,Bally more,Castle town Ballinagore and Malachys might disagree with that statement
I agree the football championship brings in more money but not on the 31-15 level the numbers of clubs would suggest
Your sense of geography needs serious improvement or do you want to cut off the north of the county.Get over it Mullingar is in the centre of the county while you are in the southern periphery as Castlepollard and Lough Lene Gaels is in the northern one.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1737 - 27/06/2025 00:11:54    2621396

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