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Westmeath Hurling thread

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It is ludicrous to be playing a summer sport at the the of year pitches are either like swamps or rocks

alalalalalum (USA) - Posts: 212 - 06/01/2026 08:49:36    2649997

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A brief clarification may have been necessary but I'd fully agree that the long-winded pretentious nature of the statement was unnecessary.

If the Leinster GAA post was accurate in stating that the pitch at Lomans was 'deemed' unplayable following a pitch inspection then it could only have been deemed so by the referee.

It would be very interesting to know the status of the pitch on the Register of Synthetic Turf Fields compiled by the GAA, which would have been useful information in our clarification statement, as it would seem to be a 3G pitch in name only.

Regardless, being an approved/ 'authorised venue' or not, it was still subject to a pitch inspection. According to Leinster GAA it failed the inspection. We should have accepted it and moved on.

Maroooned (Westmeath) - Posts: 2 - 06/01/2026 11:41:21    2650018

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Replying To Maroooned:  "A brief clarification may have been necessary but I'd fully agree that the long-winded pretentious nature of the statement was unnecessary.

If the Leinster GAA post was accurate in stating that the pitch at Lomans was 'deemed' unplayable following a pitch inspection then it could only have been deemed so by the referee.

It would be very interesting to know the status of the pitch on the Register of Synthetic Turf Fields compiled by the GAA, which would have been useful information in our clarification statement, as it would seem to be a 3G pitch in name only.

Regardless, being an approved/ 'authorised venue' or not, it was still subject to a pitch inspection. According to Leinster GAA it failed the inspection. We should have accepted it and moved on."
Where do you get your info from? There was a match played on the pitch at 11.30. There was no frost on the Astro after that. Referee did not call off game or deem it unplayable. Kilkenny refused to play on the Astro, that's it.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2521 - 06/01/2026 12:37:10    2650031

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Where do you get your info from? There was a match played on the pitch at 11.30. There was no frost on the Astro after that. Referee did not call off game or deem it unplayable. Kilkenny refused to play on the Astro, that's it."
Get over it lads Kilkenny put player safety first and rightly so in my opinion thats what the medical staff are for.

Tiger1 (Wexford) - Posts: 427 - 06/01/2026 13:13:06    2650035

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Where do you get your info from? There was a match played on the pitch at 11.30. There was no frost on the Astro after that. Referee did not call off game or deem it unplayable. Kilkenny refused to play on the Astro, that's it."
But that is not it according to the Leinster GAA post on X, that also stated -

'Further details re-outcome of the fixture will follow later.'

According to the Rules if Kilkenny refused to play then there would be an immediate forfeiture (with penalties), and not the widely reported coin toss that took place, with them going unsanctioned into the shield.

So the most trustworthy source I have at the minute is the info from Leinster GAA.

Maroooned (Westmeath) - Posts: 2 - 06/01/2026 13:46:40    2650042

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Replying To coffey:  "That 3g pitch is not fit for purpose"
Interesting, and I don't think that's true at all. There are hundreds of games there every year including school and college games with very few negative reports or if there are issues I've never heard anything serious. Let's be fair Kilkenny put zero value on the game and couldn't care less if it went ahead.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 201 - 07/01/2026 08:14:47    2650122

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "Interesting, and I don't think that's true at all. There are hundreds of games there every year including school and college games with very few negative reports or if there are issues I've never heard anything serious. Let's be fair Kilkenny put zero value on the game and couldn't care less if it went ahead."
The 3G pitch in Loman's is completely unfit for a senior inter-county game where the intensity would be at the highest level. The pitch was installed almost 20 years ago and has never been refurbished or re-done. It is used mainly for school and college matches ONLY. Loman's senior team doesn't even train on it as players refuse to play on the surface.

From Kilkenny's point of view they likely didn't place much importance on the game, which explains the decision. It made more sense not to play it than to risk a serious injury to one of their players, such as an ACL or Achilles tear.

In my opinion Kilkenny come out of this looking good. It shows they care about player welfare.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 600 - 07/01/2026 10:07:38    2650135

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Best of luck to St Mary's tomorrow vs Offaly schools. The game is fixed for 1pm in Castlepollard.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1076 - 07/01/2026 11:03:56    2650144

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Replying To jobber:  "Totally agree it will be very difficult against a combined team but they can do it.
It's a pity the PRO of the school is more interested in promoting some rugby match than a major hurling match."
The Mary's team might play better as a team than a combined schools team. Counts for a lot.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17931 - 07/01/2026 13:47:59    2650165

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Fantastic display by Colaiste Mhuire in Pollard. Lead by six at half time and that could easily have been 10-11, Offaly schools came back strong in last quarter with a goal and narrowed gap to 4 but CM deservedly won, 1-16 to 1-12, some achievement to reach Leinster A semi final in both codes, very rare to do that, at least 5-6 players starting on both teams. Good Counsel might have in the past, three wins in this championship. They're also missing some key players through injury.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2521 - 08/01/2026 14:22:03    2650268

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Super win, an array of talent on that panel. I can see why they opted to enter the competition by themselves as opposed to joining Westmeath schools. Promising for our county minors and u20s for the year ahead.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1076 - 08/01/2026 14:46:10    2650274

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Fantastic display by Colaiste Mhuire in Pollard. Lead by six at half time and that could easily have been 10-11, Offaly schools came back strong in last quarter with a goal and narrowed gap to 4 but CM deservedly won, 1-16 to 1-12, some achievement to reach Leinster A semi final in both codes, very rare to do that, at least 5-6 players starting on both teams. Good Counsel might have in the past, three wins in this championship. They're also missing some key players through injury."
any starting team? cheers

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 112 - 08/01/2026 15:13:03    2650283

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Fantastic display by Colaiste Mhuire in Pollard. Lead by six at half time and that could easily have been 10-11, Offaly schools came back strong in last quarter with a goal and narrowed gap to 4 but CM deservedly won, 1-16 to 1-12, some achievement to reach Leinster A semi final in both codes, very rare to do that, at least 5-6 players starting on both teams. Good Counsel might have in the past, three wins in this championship. They're also missing some key players through injury."
Great result, and performance. Well done to your lads!
Good Counsel won the Brother Bosco in 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2015.
They won the Corn ui Dhuill in 1995, 1997, 2009 and 2022. So they did the double in 95.
St Peters won the Brother Bosco in 1992 and 2017, but they havent won the Corn ui Dhuill since the 1980s, though they did reach the final in 1993, 2003, 2004, and 2015.
St Mary's Enniscorthy have reached the final of the Corn ui Dhuill too, but not lately.
Are St Finians Mullingar still in existence?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17931 - 08/01/2026 15:32:17    2650285

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Replying To Viking66:  "Great result, and performance. Well done to your lads!
Good Counsel won the Brother Bosco in 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2015.
They won the Corn ui Dhuill in 1995, 1997, 2009 and 2022. So they did the double in 95.
St Peters won the Brother Bosco in 1992 and 2017, but they havent won the Corn ui Dhuill since the 1980s, though they did reach the final in 1993, 2003, 2004, and 2015.
St Mary's Enniscorthy have reached the final of the Corn ui Dhuill too, but not lately.
Are St Finians Mullingar still in existence?"
Yeah the school is building a huge extension as well. There's no real football or hurling passion there at all anymore - they're usually competing in the C and D divisions most years. CBS has been so successful mainly because a lot of the teachers have moved in from other counties and are putting serious work in. Along witha few teachers from Westmeath too, but majority are not from the area or county

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 112 - 08/01/2026 16:21:51    2650294

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