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If you are a player and you run out onto any pitch thinking we aren't going to win, you aren't going to play as hard, no matter how much you try to, or think that you are going to. In the last 2 championships you drew and won against us. In the same 2 years in championship, even though we didn't go particularly well, our record against the top 2 teams in Leinster, Kilkenny and Galway, was played 4, won 2, drawn 1, and lost 1, with a points difference in the 4 games of exactly 0. Pretty even stuff. Your lads played 4 against Galway and Kilkenny, lost 4, with a points difference of minus 98. Yes -98. If belief wasn't part of the problem how do you explain why a team you didn't lose to in the championship in 2 games in the last 2 years was 98 points better against 2 other teams over 4 championship games in the same 2 years? I wouldn't say Galway and Kilkenny tried any harder against you than they did against us. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 22/02/2024 12:24:38 2527532 Link 0 |
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Wexford Park last year was an anomaly, anyone who was there knows that, Wexford led by 13-14 points at one stage, they decided to start second half by going for goals, it was a one off result more to do with Wexford complacency. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1496 - 22/02/2024 13:00:53 2527543 Link 0 |
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It wasn't a one off. You got a draw in Cusack Park the year before.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 22/02/2024 13:26:33 2527553 Link 1 |
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I'm not telling you your business as a Westmeath man, supporter, and likely involved with grassroots hurling up there also. But a large part of the next step has to be belief. From lads at u6 upwards. Hopefully your schools team gets a good result in their upcoming game.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 22/02/2024 13:28:26 2527555 Link 0 |
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As you can see Viking66, positivity isn't flowing in the water much up this way!
Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 792 - 22/02/2024 15:00:49 2527577 Link 0 |
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Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1496 - 22/02/2024 16:16:50 2527589 Link 0 |
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There are a lot of people who believe in The future of Hurling in Westmeath otherwise we would not have improved so much.This is continuing but it's a slow process.We must have strong clubs in our two big towns which is not the reality.There are signs of change at underage which is part of the process.I believe a performance for 75 minutes on Sunday and a win against either Antrim or Dublin sets us up nicely for Mcdonagh where the pressure will be on the overwhelming favorites Offaly!
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1457 - 22/02/2024 17:31:31 2527602 Link 0 |
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Is that not insulting to the efforts of Plunketts and Cullion to a lesser extent with both clubs providing hurling for the youngsters of Mullingar? Clonkill also have some players from the town playing with them so surely Mullingar as a town is supplying a good number of hurlers. What more can Plunketts do? A small number of people are flying the flag in Athlone, likes of Vera Corcoran, Kevin Jordan and Enda Dowd have done trojan work but Athlone as a Gaa town faces strong competition from soccer and rugby. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1496 - 22/02/2024 18:38:51 2527606 Link 0 |
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It has to start somewhere and positivity costs nothing. And is....er......positive. players will be encouraged to stay playing if the feeling around the place is positive, kids will be encouraged to take it up and stay at it. Lads will be encouraged to take up coaching and move up through the Award 1s and 2s. Realism/negativity will discourage all of the above. And will be a self fulfilling prophecy.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 22/02/2024 22:20:47 2527627 Link 0 |
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Hopefully the Southern Gaels will continue to grow too.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 22/02/2024 22:22:03 2527628 Link 0 |
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Its insulting nobody.Facts are a Mullingar team hasn't won a SH Championship in over 60 years.The number of Mullingar and Athlone players on county senior panels over half a century has been pathetic. This situation at underage level is today is much Improved so hats off to all of the people involved in Southern Gaels,Oliver Plunketts and Cullion for their hard work. This IS the key along with a resurrection of Brigid's to Westmeath reaching the level Viking describes not just an ocasional win over a Wexford but reaching their level where we believe we can beat at least occasionally the likes of KK. We can also learn from Mayo on how they doubled their number of Hurling clubs in a decade.We need Hurling clubs in Moate,Kinnegad and Kilbeggan. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1457 - 23/02/2024 08:19:05 2527644 Link 0 |
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That's the sad thing. At a brass tacks individual level there's no sport like hurling when you start to master the basics. The lift you get out of simple things like lifting the ball, striking it consistently, being then able to catch the ball with the hurl it's way ahead of any other sport for simply getting a buzz out of doing it by yourself in the back yard. The kids all preferred football at the very start as it was easier but now they all prefer hurling. They still play both at the club though like nearly all the lads at our club. The problem in alot of areas of the country is kids are getting zero exposure to it.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 23/02/2024 09:11:56 2527651 Link 0 |
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County board could look at creating a plan to increase hurling club numbers from 15 to 25 over a decade or two. Would take absolute trajan work to do it. 10 juvenile clubs across the county in areas like Athlone, Moate, Kilbeggan, Kinnegad and Mullingar. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 792 - 23/02/2024 10:07:29 2527664 Link 0 |
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Are your Board dominated by Football clubs and how anti hurling are the Football men up there?
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11877 - 23/02/2024 10:16:42 2527669 Link 0 |
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Pie in the sky stuff. Make practical suggestions as to how this could be done. Workable ones.
Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1496 - 23/02/2024 11:16:38 2527682 Link 0 |
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Please explain how? Who would do it?
Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1496 - 23/02/2024 11:18:05 2527683 Link 0 |
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Heading to thurles tomorrow to support the team, hopefully a good performance to build confidence especially the younger players and to gain a bit of team building for the antrim and Dublin games which weatmeath can get results. To win maybe tomorrow is a bit much the team performance and moral is more important down the road for the challenges that's coming. preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 737 - 23/02/2024 12:13:42 2527691 Link 0 |
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Well you'd need a serious task force to do it. You'd be probably need hurling men from Raharney, CTG, Clonkill, Lough Lene Gaels etc to go into these areas to assist with locals. I don't think the football people in Westmeath are anti hurling at all, and I think both work well alongside each other. We see it in our club championships, both have their own dedicated weeks and are respected.
Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 792 - 23/02/2024 14:00:29 2527720 Link 0 |
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Admirable thinking but Raharney couldn't fill the three key positions on their executive this year even after calling an EGM. Clubs struggling to get coaches, what are the chances of getting volunteer coaches into other areas?? We all know what would happen if a coach from a club you mentioned spotted a player with potential in Kinnegad or Kilbeggan!!!
Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1496 - 23/02/2024 15:15:30 2527734 Link 0 |
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Last sentence hit the nail on the head Clare. Those clubs won't cut the branch they're standing on !
jfd (Westmeath) - Posts: 240 - 23/02/2024 17:34:01 2527752 Link 0 |