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Westmeath Hurling thread

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Great level of knowledge on the Wexford schools."
My eldest son is 1st year at Counsel, and most of his friends from our club are at Peters!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18508 - 09/01/2026 10:01:43    2650356

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Is Dillon Burke injured?

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1092 - 09/01/2026 10:42:46    2650360

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Replying To Fighting-Cocks69:  "any starting team? cheers"
1. Cathal Óg Fagan (Lough Lene Gaels)
2. Sean Byrne (St. Oliver Plunketts)
3. Mikey Weir (St. Oliver Plunketts)
4. Aaron Flanagan (Raharney)
5. Niall Brady (Clonkill)
6. Will Scahill (St. Oliver Plunketts)
7. Darragh Kenny (Clonkill)
8. Sean Hayes (St. Oliver Plunketts)
9. Conor Cleary (Clonkill)
10. Criostoir Ormsby (St. Oliver Plunketts)
11. Kian Loughlin (Clonkill)
12. Finn Higgins (Brownstown)
13. Padraig Monaghan (Clonkill)
14. Conor Williams (Lough Lene Gaels)
15. Eoin Meehan (St. Oliver Plunketts)

Serious achievement to beat all of the schools in Offaly combined and a massive semi-final to look forward to now. Exciting times ahead.

Maroooned (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 09/01/2026 11:07:31    2650365

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Replying To Gaawestmeath:  "Great win yesterday , showed some great hurling in the first half. The second half was a more defensive display and they dug it out. As another poster said there missing some key players too, Dillon Burke also missing who would be a strong player. This probably shows they were right going into A."
No doubt they were right. Westmeath must always strive to be better and learn how to compete. Minor fans would not want to get too excited as only a few of these lads underage.But there are excellent players elsewhere.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1889 - 09/01/2026 11:40:20    2650372

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Replying To Maroooned:  "1. Cathal Óg Fagan (Lough Lene Gaels)
2. Sean Byrne (St. Oliver Plunketts)
3. Mikey Weir (St. Oliver Plunketts)
4. Aaron Flanagan (Raharney)
5. Niall Brady (Clonkill)
6. Will Scahill (St. Oliver Plunketts)
7. Darragh Kenny (Clonkill)
8. Sean Hayes (St. Oliver Plunketts)
9. Conor Cleary (Clonkill)
10. Criostoir Ormsby (St. Oliver Plunketts)
11. Kian Loughlin (Clonkill)
12. Finn Higgins (Brownstown)
13. Padraig Monaghan (Clonkill)
14. Conor Williams (Lough Lene Gaels)
15. Eoin Meehan (St. Oliver Plunketts)

Serious achievement to beat all of the schools in Offaly combined and a massive semi-final to look forward to now. Exciting times ahead."
Team dominated by Plunketts and Clonkill beating Offaly combined schools is a promising sign for those two clubs as well.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1092 - 09/01/2026 12:01:19    2650375

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Replying To Maroooned:  "1. Cathal Óg Fagan (Lough Lene Gaels)
2. Sean Byrne (St. Oliver Plunketts)
3. Mikey Weir (St. Oliver Plunketts)
4. Aaron Flanagan (Raharney)
5. Niall Brady (Clonkill)
6. Will Scahill (St. Oliver Plunketts)
7. Darragh Kenny (Clonkill)
8. Sean Hayes (St. Oliver Plunketts)
9. Conor Cleary (Clonkill)
10. Criostoir Ormsby (St. Oliver Plunketts)
11. Kian Loughlin (Clonkill)
12. Finn Higgins (Brownstown)
13. Padraig Monaghan (Clonkill)
14. Conor Williams (Lough Lene Gaels)
15. Eoin Meehan (St. Oliver Plunketts)

Serious achievement to beat all of the schools in Offaly combined and a massive semi-final to look forward to now. Exciting times ahead."
Did they line out this way? I just couldn't imagine Schahill at centre back and a few others in positions they don't play with club or county. I could be wrong, but whatever they're doing is obviously working.

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 143 - 09/01/2026 13:21:29    2650388

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Replying To Dheen:  "Team dominated by Plunketts and Clonkill beating Offaly combined schools is a promising sign for those two clubs as well."
I could be wrong but I think 7 or 8 of that 15 are also on the school football team.

Left Full (Westmeath) - Posts: 277 - 09/01/2026 13:33:50    2650395

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who awaits in the semi now? must be the furthest a westmeath school has ever got at thuis level?

preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 823 - 09/01/2026 15:29:59    2650418

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Replying To preddan:  "who awaits in the semi now? must be the furthest a westmeath school has ever got at thuis level?"
Schools from Westmeath have won Brother Boscos, but have never been to a Corn ui Dhuill final.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18508 - 09/01/2026 16:06:30    2650422

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Replying To Left Full:  "I could be wrong but I think 7 or 8 of that 15 are also on the school football team."
Byrne, Weir, Scahill, Cleary, Ormsby, Meehan, all starters, not sure about Hayes, didn't start in the 1/4

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 143 - 09/01/2026 17:23:50    2650431

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Those six lads starters plus Kian Loughlin and Hayes, Monaghan and Finn Higgins regular subs introduced. Eight of the starting 15 in LC so that's a good bunch remaining for next year with Aherne, Long, Hugo Corroon, Aaron Connaire, Eoghan Goldrick, Eoghan Daly and Cathal Flanagan all available next year. Important to be at that standard for 2-3 years in a row. It's a pity likes of Conor Raleigh and Jamie McGuinness are not in CM.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2583 - 09/01/2026 17:52:25    2650439

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Replying To Dheen:  "Is Dillon Burke injured?"
Yeah done his knee a while back couldn't play his club championship knockouts either

Westmeath4sam27 (Westmeath) - Posts: 5 - 09/01/2026 18:26:13    2650448

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Replying To preddan:  "who awaits in the semi now? must be the furthest a westmeath school has ever got at thuis level?"
St Kieran's College
Kilkenny CBS
Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar
Coláiste Mhuire Johnstown vs Good Counsel College New Ross yet to play 1/4 not sure whqat wya the draw works

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 143 - 09/01/2026 18:46:42    2650452

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Kilkenny CBS I think are their opponents, prob neutral venue, Kilkenny and Kieran's tend to be the stand out teams every year so extremely tough game as you'd expect at that level

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2583 - 09/01/2026 20:56:57    2650470

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What did ye make of the Dublin game? I only seen the first half. Looked bad at the start but they came back into it. They looked open in defence but tried hard and got some nice scores.

Gaawestmeath (Westmeath) - Posts: 128 - 12/01/2026 07:34:25    2650735

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Based on reports and team list we were ok. Dublin had very few regulars starting but our opposition this year won't be Dublin's quality. Average age of team that started was very young, it's going to be difficult at times over the next 3-4 years but it's the right approach.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2583 - 12/01/2026 09:39:20    2650747

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Very young side and we know we are in transition. There is enough there to win the league and to maintain Joe Mcdonagh status, then build on it again next year.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1092 - 12/01/2026 09:53:02    2650751

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Winning the league would mean finishing ahead of Laois, that would be monumental achievement with a new team.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2583 - 12/01/2026 11:34:14    2650766

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Winning the league would mean finishing ahead of Laois, that would be monumental achievement with a new team."
I meant to say promoted. Winning it ahead of Laois with a new team would be a great achievement your right. I just hope Kevin O'Brien is given at least 3 years, there's a lot of quality young players in the panel and even more to come from minor and u20, he should be given the opportunity to build with the aim of maybe winning the Joe Mcdonagh in year 3/4.
Majority of yesterday's team were under 25.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1092 - 12/01/2026 11:47:04    2650769

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Replying To Dheen:  "I meant to say promoted. Winning it ahead of Laois with a new team would be a great achievement your right. I just hope Kevin O'Brien is given at least 3 years, there's a lot of quality young players in the panel and even more to come from minor and u20, he should be given the opportunity to build with the aim of maybe winning the Joe Mcdonagh in year 3/4.
Majority of yesterday's team were under 25."
I think the major target in 2025 is to maintain Joe Mcdonagh status. We saw yesterday the threat Kerry will be in Tralee against a Tipperary team that used I think nine of their All Ireland winners. If we don't match the intensity Kerry bring to games we will be going home with 0 points. I know it was our first match but yesterday's performance won't do in Tralee.This league will be a major challenge for this young team. There will be ups and downs and Kerry and London away will be huge tests.We will need to have 5 points in the bag before we play Laois on March 1 if we are to be realistic promotion candidates. I'd be expecting Shane Williams,Kevin Regan and Peter Murphy to be in serious contention for places by then. The sooner we get Dara Egerton and David O Reilly back at full tilt the better.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1889 - 12/01/2026 12:42:36    2650785

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