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Westmeath Hurling thread

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Those points are purely aspirational, no substance or practical suggestions. More kids to take up hurling is like govt saying we need to build more houses. Paying lip service."
Encouraging kids to take up hurling is more than aspirational. I was standing on our National School pitch at 7.45 this morning in the rain as part of the Hurling 365 initiative down here. Along with 6 other parents. It's a small school with less than 90 pupils including Senior and Junior infants. The sessions we are holding are for everyone from 1st to 6th class. We alternate between football and hurling with 1 session a week before school on a Friday. But it's something. A little start. Some of these lads, girls and boys, are already members of our local club but some aren't. But this is the age you need to be putting the work in at. It just needs a few lads in each National School to get off their holes and do something.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11831 - 24/03/2023 09:50:35    2466137

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Replying To Viking66:  "Encouraging kids to take up hurling is more than aspirational. I was standing on our National School pitch at 7.45 this morning in the rain as part of the Hurling 365 initiative down here. Along with 6 other parents. It's a small school with less than 90 pupils including Senior and Junior infants. The sessions we are holding are for everyone from 1st to 6th class. We alternate between football and hurling with 1 session a week before school on a Friday. But it's something. A little start. Some of these lads, girls and boys, are already members of our local club but some aren't. But this is the age you need to be putting the work in at. It just needs a few lads in each National School to get off their holes and do something."
Fair play to you and the other parents who are out early encouraging this initiative, but can I ask what part of the county? It's easier to implement this in the hurling strongholds as the interest is already there, but as I've alluded to in a previous post even some of these traditional hurling areas are struggling to get numbers for whatever reasons. Its increasingly difficult to get the numbers required to make a difference in the majority of the county as the appetite simply isn't there it seems, there is a huge disparity between the number of participants playing hurling as opposed to football, soccer and even rugby in more recent times. The necessary people just aren't there to drive it on. So I would have to agree somewhat with the previous poster to say that it is quite aspirational to suggest that things are going to improve dramatically just by employing a few GDAs here and there. There are more and more amalgamations at hurling underage level in the last decade and it's probably just a matter of time for this to filter into adult ranks I'm afraid.

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 270 - 24/03/2023 15:50:04    2466310

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All this talk of increasing numbers in the south of the county and pumping money into town clubs, so do we just neglect the struggling clubs in the north of the county? There are 6 "northern" clubs in underage amalgamations, Pollard/Brownstown, LLG/Turin and Wood/Ringtown. Pollard & LLG are senior, Brownstown, Ringtown & The Wood are Intermediate (Senior B) and Turin are junior (Intermediate), all these clubs very close to each other. I hear that St.Vincents can't field at U-17 this year, the Ringtown lads are going to Clann na Gael but Wood lads have nowhere to go. There was never any money pumped into these clubs, if you want a GPO or GDA, whatever you call them, it will cost your club thousands. Westmeath GAA can't afford to pump money into clubs, but all the while Croke Park has profits of millions every year, nothing going into the real grassroots though.

stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 542 - 24/03/2023 21:28:48    2466366

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Replying To CleanShoulder:  "Fair play to you and the other parents who are out early encouraging this initiative, but can I ask what part of the county? It's easier to implement this in the hurling strongholds as the interest is already there, but as I've alluded to in a previous post even some of these traditional hurling areas are struggling to get numbers for whatever reasons. Its increasingly difficult to get the numbers required to make a difference in the majority of the county as the appetite simply isn't there it seems, there is a huge disparity between the number of participants playing hurling as opposed to football, soccer and even rugby in more recent times. The necessary people just aren't there to drive it on. So I would have to agree somewhat with the previous poster to say that it is quite aspirational to suggest that things are going to improve dramatically just by employing a few GDAs here and there. There are more and more amalgamations at hurling underage level in the last decade and it's probably just a matter of time for this to filter into adult ranks I'm afraid."
Im down in South Wexford in a rural area. Our club are currently Intermediate in both codes but would be seen as more of a football club, having won county Senior titles in football but none in hurling. We haven't been Senior in hurling since the 1950s, although we have had a couple of promotions to get to Intermediate over the last few years. We have been playing Senior in Football several times over the last 20 years.
You need to push funding for hurling GPOs at club level, get it pushed at Board level, and get them to get together with other counties and get it pushed at national level. Collectively if the counties that need it made enough noise, and were big enough pains in the ###, then you should get more funding. In the meantime try getting more sponsorship yourselves. As individuals and as a club.
At a county level yes rural clubs are struggling for numbers. That's happening all over the country. That's why you need to try to get more lads in the towns playing. It's the same down here.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11831 - 25/03/2023 07:18:55    2466374

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Replying To CleanShoulder:  "Fair play to you and the other parents who are out early encouraging this initiative, but can I ask what part of the county? It's easier to implement this in the hurling strongholds as the interest is already there, but as I've alluded to in a previous post even some of these traditional hurling areas are struggling to get numbers for whatever reasons. Its increasingly difficult to get the numbers required to make a difference in the majority of the county as the appetite simply isn't there it seems, there is a huge disparity between the number of participants playing hurling as opposed to football, soccer and even rugby in more recent times. The necessary people just aren't there to drive it on. So I would have to agree somewhat with the previous poster to say that it is quite aspirational to suggest that things are going to improve dramatically just by employing a few GDAs here and there. There are more and more amalgamations at hurling underage level in the last decade and it's probably just a matter of time for this to filter into adult ranks I'm afraid."
Im down in South Wexford in a rural area. Our club are currently Intermediate in both codes but would be seen as more of a football club, having won county Senior titles in football but none in hurling. We haven't been Senior in hurling since the 1950s, although we have had a couple of promotions to get to Intermediate over the last few years. We have been playing Senior Football several times over the last 20 years.
You need to push funding for hurling GPOs at club level, get it pushed at Board level, and get them to get together with other counties and get it pushed at national level. Collectively if the counties that need it made enough noise, and were big enough pains in the ###, then you should get more funding. In the meantime try getting more sponsorship yourselves. As individuals and as a club.
At a county level yes rural clubs are struggling for numbers. That's happening all over the country. We have underage amalgamations down here too.
That's why you need to try to get more lads in the towns playing. It's the same down here.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11831 - 25/03/2023 07:21:39    2466375

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Replying To stonemadbeany:  "All this talk of increasing numbers in the south of the county and pumping money into town clubs, so do we just neglect the struggling clubs in the north of the county? There are 6 "northern" clubs in underage amalgamations, Pollard/Brownstown, LLG/Turin and Wood/Ringtown. Pollard & LLG are senior, Brownstown, Ringtown & The Wood are Intermediate (Senior B) and Turin are junior (Intermediate), all these clubs very close to each other. I hear that St.Vincents can't field at U-17 this year, the Ringtown lads are going to Clann na Gael but Wood lads have nowhere to go. There was never any money pumped into these clubs, if you want a GPO or GDA, whatever you call them, it will cost your club thousands. Westmeath GAA can't afford to pump money into clubs, but all the while Croke Park has profits of millions every year, nothing going into the real grassroots though."
You mentioned the problem yourself. Those clubs are too close to each other. The Wood should actually have an advantage over some of them. They have a non hurling area on their doorstep which they are not getting the best out of ie Multy, Bun, Ballinalack, Rathowen. Fr Daltons seem to be able to attract players from half of south Westmeath so it seems it can be done.

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1016 - 25/03/2023 08:14:34    2466380

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4 hours out from the biggest game of the season thus far and no team announced yet, no respect for supporters

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 270 - 25/03/2023 09:47:36    2466387

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Replying To CleanShoulder:  "4 hours out from the biggest game of the season thus far and no team announced yet, no respect for supporters"
Very disappointing, should have been put up yesterday evening.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 781 - 25/03/2023 10:41:37    2466392

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Up by a point at half time thanks to goals from Joey Boyle and Niall O'Brien. We've been nowhere near our best, huge improvements needed in the second half.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 781 - 25/03/2023 14:46:01    2466479

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Serious scoring. Sounded like a decent game on the radio.

Passer_By (Carlow) - Posts: 509 - 25/03/2023 15:38:58    2466496

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Great hard fought win. Didn't see it after last week. That's the type of game we need it'd be great if league was restructured to a div 1 2 3 4 format and had us in div 2 with say Clare wex Waterford Antrim Dublin but don't think that's going to happen.

puglerdaly (Westmeath) - Posts: 125 - 25/03/2023 15:40:20    2466498

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Replying To puglerdaly:  "Great hard fought win. Didn't see it after last week. That's the type of game we need it'd be great if league was restructured to a div 1 2 3 4 format and had us in div 2 with say Clare wex Waterford Antrim Dublin but don't think that's going to happen."
That's what should happen though. Well done to your lads on a great win! Be a buzz in training getting ready for the championship now!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11831 - 25/03/2023 15:43:51    2466500

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Replying To puglerdaly:  "Great hard fought win. Didn't see it after last week. That's the type of game we need it'd be great if league was restructured to a div 1 2 3 4 format and had us in div 2 with say Clare wex Waterford Antrim Dublin but don't think that's going to happen."
Great win we dont have to worry about the league now for ten months.Lets get Mitchell,Boyle and Clarke back for the championship.Our backs and goalkeeper were magnificent.3-24 is a serious scoreline against Laois who we suffered against so often in the past.Westmeath hurling needed that win I dont recall us hurling in Division 1 two years in a row and that can only improve us.We need now to build a deeper panel.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 25/03/2023 15:47:41    2466506

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Great win considering the absentees we have.
Eoin Keyes is proving to be one of our best attackers, he made some impact off the bench. The Doyles and Niall O'Brien were also excellent.
Backs battled well also.
Well done to all involved, huge to preserve Division 1 status and hopefully hurling can continue to progress in Westmeath.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 781 - 25/03/2023 15:48:32    2466507

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Very significant win. Well done to all involved.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 542 - 25/03/2023 15:52:20    2466508

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Very happy to get the win today. Westmeath were very efficient in front of goal. Laois not so much and can feel they may have left that one behind them. Laois won most of the breaking ball around midfield and had the better first touch. They couldn't translate that onto the scoreboard.
The win does speak to the ability of Westmeath to pull a victory out of a tight battle.
The subs were excellent for Westmeath.

35OLT (USA) - Posts: 90 - 25/03/2023 16:04:31    2466514

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Replying To 35OLT:  "Very happy to get the win today. Westmeath were very efficient in front of goal. Laois not so much and can feel they may have left that one behind them. Laois won most of the breaking ball around midfield and had the better first touch. They couldn't translate that onto the scoreboard.
The win does speak to the ability of Westmeath to pull a victory out of a tight battle.
The subs were excellent for Westmeath."
Westmeath just had the better attack, Laois couldn't handle O'Brien, the Doyles, Joey Boyle and Keyes when he came in. 3-18 between them 5 forwards.
It would be great if we could get Niall Mitchell, Cormac Boyle, Eoin McCabe and Aonghus Clarke back for the Leinster championship.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 781 - 25/03/2023 16:54:38    2466523

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Replying To Dheen:  "Westmeath just had the better attack, Laois couldn't handle O'Brien, the Doyles, Joey Boyle and Keyes when he came in. 3-18 between them 5 forwards.
It would be great if we could get Niall Mitchell, Cormac Boyle, Eoin McCabe and Aonghus Clarke back for the Leinster championship."
Correct but the work rate is a worry.Glennon,Boyle and Keyes today did a lot of donkey work from 8 up.Our backs again only conceded one goal against a team with more possession they are a very good unit.Those four fit and ready to go would make a big difference for us. We will need it as all of the teams in this years Leinster championship were division 1 in 2023 and will be in 2024.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 25/03/2023 17:41:18    2466540

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great win guys to get a result and not playing that well. i think the team can play alot better than we seen today and hoping we will see it come championship. tbf to laois i thought of the better play they were on top slightly better with teamwork and passing so westmeath grounding out a win like this is mighty. Playing in the stronger side of the division even though the beatings did stand to the team in the end massively.
Derek mcnicolas still has a lot to offer, two class points when he came on.

preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 735 - 25/03/2023 21:46:40    2466586

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Replying To preddan:  "great win guys to get a result and not playing that well. i think the team can play alot better than we seen today and hoping we will see it come championship. tbf to laois i thought of the better play they were on top slightly better with teamwork and passing so westmeath grounding out a win like this is mighty. Playing in the stronger side of the division even though the beatings did stand to the team in the end massively.
Derek mcnicolas still has a lot to offer, two class points when he came on."
We didn't play that well really, particularly in the first half. We certainly can play far far better than that. Like I previously mentioned, our forwards were excellent and so efficient. Putting up 3-24 with a below par performance definitely bodes well. Laois threw everything at us and even when they drew level the lads didn't panic at all and went straight back down the pitch and stuck the ball in the net. Eoin Keyes is a talent, super off the bench. We all criticised Joe Fortune (including myself) for drafting McNicholas back in, we look a bit silly now. What a classy stickman, two wonderful points from range to seal the deal at the very end.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 781 - 26/03/2023 09:12:03    2466598

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