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Westmeath Hurling thread

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Down to the big 3 again in senior A, very disheartening for everyone else trying to close the gap, and the teams in Senior B looking in knowing whats ahead of them if they make the breakthrough. It seems that'll be the order for a good while yet.

Bigjoe1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 38 - 05/09/2022 10:08:07    2439711

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Anyone any reports on senior games, Castletown streets ahead of Castlepollard but In saying that pollard have shown great progress and hopefully they can build on it,
Reports on the ground clonkill had an easy enough win in Kinnegad,
Raharney as expected came out with a win against cullion but it was by no means a hammering so credit to cullion very hard and unfortunate to see them relegated after coming so close to beating the gaels and putting in some very respectable performances.

James73 (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 05/09/2022 10:54:07    2439723

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Apologies, yes of course it is Fr Daltons in the senior B not Southern Gaels.
Southern Gaels finished 5th in the intermediate with the second string of the 3 big clubs and Ringtown making the semi's.

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1130 - 05/09/2022 11:12:53    2439725

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the whole championship setup is favouring the big clubs with big numbers
no club is going to come through to challenge in the senior, as the big clubs are developing young players on their second/third teams, while the CB in previous years have failed to actually finish the competition for the second teams from smaller clubs.
what young player is going to bother staying playing when there is no guarantee the JBHC is going to be finished?
whereas the developing young lads in clonkill, raharney or castletown have two teams that they can play with

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 05/09/2022 14:52:02    2439758

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Clonkill were at full strength other than Luke Loughlin. They'd plenty to spare over the Gaels at the end and were in 2nd gear most of the time. A lot of young players on the Clonkill team, their average age has dropped a lot over the last 3 years.

midfield9 (Westmeath) - Posts: 102 - 05/09/2022 15:55:07    2439773

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Replying To valley84:  "the whole championship setup is favouring the big clubs with big numbers
no club is going to come through to challenge in the senior, as the big clubs are developing young players on their second/third teams, while the CB in previous years have failed to actually finish the competition for the second teams from smaller clubs.
what young player is going to bother staying playing when there is no guarantee the JBHC is going to be finished?
whereas the developing young lads in clonkill, raharney or castletown have two teams that they can play with"
Five clubs entered second teams in the intermediate championship.These five have done trojan work at underage level over a number of years if not decades.The other clubs need to improve their underage set ups.It has to be said that Oliver Plunkets especially but also Southern Gaels are doing just that in the big towns.Na Fianna(Lough Lene Gaels and Turin) and Clann Na Gael(Pollard and Brownstown) are threatening the big 3 dominance at all three grades this year. Saint Vincents (Wood and Ringtown) are also doing quiet well which leaves Delvin and Cullion which I dont know about. Maybe what we need is a junior championship a fourth tier like in football where Senior B and Intermediate clubs only need only name 12 players.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 05/09/2022 19:41:52    2439793

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Replying To midfield9:  "Clonkill were at full strength other than Luke Loughlin. They'd plenty to spare over the Gaels at the end and were in 2nd gear most of the time. A lot of young players on the Clonkill team, their average age has dropped a lot over the last 3 years."
I heard Brendan murtagh made the return back after only playing 1 intermediate game and only returning to training no more than a month ago ?

Westmeath213 (Westmeath) - Posts: 332 - 05/09/2022 20:17:52    2439797

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Replying To midfield9:  "Clonkill were at full strength other than Luke Loughlin. They'd plenty to spare over the Gaels at the end and were in 2nd gear most of the time. A lot of young players on the Clonkill team, their average age has dropped a lot over the last 3 years."
I hear brendan murtagh was brought on yesterday for clonkil against the gaels

Hurlingmad12 (Westmeath) - Posts: 26 - 05/09/2022 20:34:41    2439802

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Replying To Westmeath213:  "I heard Brendan murtagh made the return back after only playing 1 intermediate game and only returning to training no more than a month ago ?"
Bejaysus. He's a horse of a man. I suppose. Brendan must be very close to 40 now I would think. He committed much of his life to the game and the structure of training and matches is difficult to forego.

35OLT (USA) - Posts: 90 - 06/09/2022 10:55:06    2439832

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I see Conor Lynch came on for plunketts at the weekend. Is he going to be an option for joe fortune going forward next year along with Noel conaty and Conor bracken?

Westmeathk (Westmeath) - Posts: 13 - 06/09/2022 14:39:33    2439848

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Would think it's unlikely, on a serious note the lack of options keeper wise for Westmeath has been highlighted throughout this year's championship, two of the better keepers Andrew Mitchell and Martin Egan are well in to the veteran status, there's no young keeper standing out who could make inter county standard, Jack Gillen and Jamie Mulkerrins have the necessary attributes with good coaching but neither plays the position at club level.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1489 - 06/09/2022 17:20:00    2439858

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In fairness to Plunketts they can count themselves unlucky not to be in the shake up for Senior B. They lost their first 4 games by a total of I'd say 8/9 points so the wood result is not a total surprise. I'd expect them to reverse the result v brigids in relegation playoff. Delvin missing a few but were very poor v daltons and we all know what happened them last year after a months wait to play a final. Any word on young McCormack who was stretchered off early v Castletown ?

puglerdaly (Westmeath) - Posts: 125 - 06/09/2022 20:28:15    2439882

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Replying To 35OLT:  "Bejaysus. He's a horse of a man. I suppose. Brendan must be very close to 40 now I would think. He committed much of his life to the game and the structure of training and matches is difficult to forego."
He has been playing football all year with The Downs Junior teams.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 386 - 07/09/2022 09:37:13    2439899

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Brendan has been been training and playing football with The Downs second team. Still in great shape so will definitely be a help to Clonkill - what a sub to be able to bring in.
Thought Conor Lynch had to retire owing to injury ? He's a coach with Plunketts but I'm h
guessing it was a roll of the dice in the closing stages to move Bracken into the forwards. In fairness the switch won the game with Bracken scoring a cracking point.

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1130 - 07/09/2022 11:06:37    2439908

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Castletown looked good on Sunday, maybe they are hitting form at the right time and have a full panel to pick from now too.
The 15 pt win over Pollard didn't flatter them.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 784 - 07/09/2022 13:59:07    2439930

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Would think it's unlikely, on a serious note the lack of options keeper wise for Westmeath has been highlighted throughout this year's championship, two of the better keepers Andrew Mitchell and Martin Egan are well in to the veteran status, there's no young keeper standing out who could make inter county standard, Jack Gillen and Jamie Mulkerrins have the necessary attributes with good coaching but neither plays the position at club level."
Alot of top intercounty keepers play outfield for their clubs lad.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11863 - 08/09/2022 07:08:45    2439983

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Congratulations to Killian Doyle, the first Westmeath hurler to be nominated for an all star since David Kilcoyne.
Great achievement for a hugely talented hurler.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 784 - 08/09/2022 08:19:20    2439987

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Congrats to Killian Doyle on his All Star nomination, fitting recognition for a superb hurler

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1489 - 08/09/2022 10:14:32    2440002

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Ringtown two weeks in a row with a walkover against Cullion and then in a playoff against Castletown both given a walkover a the morning of the game. The competition doesn't seem to be very well looked after?

Gaawestmeath (Westmeath) - Posts: 74 - 10/09/2022 19:16:55    2440263

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Rules need to be changed in advance of competitions next year with one walkover meaning elimination from competition and a significant fine of say €2,000 that would focus club minds. Castletown, Cullion more than once, Garrycastle, Athlone, Shandonagh amongst those who've decided not to field at various stages, in some cases or indeed all, it was a case of deciding not to field rather than being unable to.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1489 - 11/09/2022 21:05:22    2440358

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