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u19 championship was quite low in quality I reckon. Although hard to know really as many of the latter games were played in poor conditions. U20 team next year likely to be much weaker than this year's team. Only something like 8 or 9 from 2023 extended panel of about 35 are still underage. u17s in 2021 and 2022 did not fare well. There are a handful of very promising players though ; Cooney, Corcoran, Daly, Ormsby, Lowry, for example. I presume O'Reilly will go with the hurlers again. Hard to use u16 competitions as a guide for u17. Bigger counties put more than one team into the various competitions , so their overall quality is diluted. jamsie (Westmeath) - Posts: 451 - 07/11/2023 11:32:54 2511887 Link 0 |
I see Spinx is spreading the same joy in this forum that he does in ours. Don't believe a word of it. Nobody in Killoe had any notions of getting to any Leinster Final. Spinx has a long running bitterness in his head about the Killoe club. God help him. Best of luck to Lomans, should push on to the final now.
LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 533 - 07/11/2023 18:30:09 2511996 Link 1 |
Hard to know if they are much weaker, they mightnt have a senan baker in there ranks but they could be as good, u-20 and minor can be very strange at times who does well and sometimes a team of so called stars faltter to deceieve, Heslins teams never did well and look how good he was and a lot of them are senior footballers now. U20s and minors need to produce a couple of half decent goalkeepers, not to many coming true. Minors very disappointing last year, games they could have won. Seems to be age groups we have been very unsuccessful for the last 10 years or more. Dont know anything on last years manager but surprised after losing all the games they were put back into the hot seat. They need to give dual players the best chance to play both codes without being over worked too many good players not playing either hurling or football at minor and 20s. PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 45 - 08/11/2023 11:49:00 2512060 Link 0 |
It's not feasible to be a dual player at county under 20 level, Sean Leech couldn't do it this year, obviously not feasible at senior level these past 6-7 years either, there are 9-10 dual players on minor panels this year apparently so hard to argue on that point. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1789 - 08/11/2023 14:07:35 2512101 Link 0 |
Heslin was on a team who lost an u21 final in 2010. I'm sure 15 of the 18 who played that day played senior. Maybe more. Not sure on ian Coffey and Ronan Doyle. Hasn't been as strong an underage football team since then. The team who reached the Leinster minor final in 2013/14? Would touch them. Agree there should have been a change of manager at u20 level this year, even after beating Kildare in the opening game last year. the21yardline (Westmeath) - Posts: 180 - 08/11/2023 14:12:18 2512103 Link 0 |
Lomans had the game put to bed after 15 minutes, best performance from the Westmeath champions in a long time. Ronan O Toole coming into form now, exceptionally talented player. Naas will be another step up, going from what I heard they had a very flattering win over Summerhill and the game was a lot closer than the final score would suggest.
A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 217 - 08/11/2023 14:21:13 2512108 Link 0 |
It won't be a surprise if Naas stop K C in their tracks, I think along with a few more will contest the Leinster final.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2976 - 10/11/2023 08:49:46 2512313 Link 0 |
Sorry but that post of mine is a bit premature, so it's anyone's game A cairde.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2976 - 11/11/2023 18:09:22 2512447 Link 0 |
St Lomans V Naas this weekend should be a great game, both teams play very similar, attacking at pace and also defend at numbers. westmeath99 (Westmeath) - Posts: 19 - 15/11/2023 12:32:15 2513152 Link 0 |
O Toole is finding his form and Lomans coming off the back of their best performance of the season but Killoe surprisingly for a Luke Dempsey team looked tactically inept. Lomans ran through them for fun. Naas will be looking at the county final and how Kinnegad set up, St Lomans struggle with organised defending but theyre good at getting numbers back too. Lots of county aces on both teams. A place in the Leinster final for the winners. But I wouldnt be expecting a great game unless there is an early goal or red card, I think it will be 0-10 to 0-9 either way. As I said a Leinster final at stake, it will probably be another onr of those game where teams hold onto the ball for five minutes as theyre too afraid to lose. Hope Lomans do it and Kilbeggan beat Milltown in Rochfortbridge on Saturday.
A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 217 - 15/11/2023 14:31:38 2513179 Link 0 |
Kilbeggan's season of success came to an unsurprising end today, Milltown from Kildare were clearly the superior team, looked like a side that would compete easily in Section B of Westmeath senior championship, a physically big side, lots of pace, scoring forwards, Kilbeggan battled well but needed to be ahead at half time with the breeze, early second half goal for Milltown killed the game. Great year overall for Kilbeggan, attention will turn to maintaining intermediate status next year, likes of Maryland and Ballynacargy will be their key matches, Multy prob a shade above those sides. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1789 - 18/11/2023 21:27:29 2513674 Link 0 |
The best of luck to StLomans today the remaining flag bearer from the lake county in the provincial championships , commiserations to kilbeggan yesterday on what has been a great year for them TheGaaMan77 (Westmeath) - Posts: 29 - 19/11/2023 10:44:08 2513707 Link 0 |
Disappointing display by Loman's in 2nd half and in extra time in the Park, don't think they scored from play after half time which is surprising with their forwards, three pointed frees by John Heslin in over 55 minutes after half time costly Naas had an outstanding forward wearing 20, easily scored 1-5 from play, Loman's management made some puzzling switches, two of their point scorers, Kevin Regan and Peter Foy were taken off despite being two of their better players, Foy was brought back on. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1789 - 19/11/2023 17:34:05 2513746 Link 0 |
Leinster Club SFC Fixture Final: Kilmacud Crokes v Naas, 2 or 9-Dec, 2.15pm, Croke Park Note: If Naas qualify for the AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Final on 25-Nov - the AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Final - Kilmacud Crokes (DB) v Naas (KE) will be re-scheduled from the 2nd December to the 9th December 2023 - Venue & Time to be Confirmed. Should be a cracking final. The game v St Lomans today will stand to Naas, level at full time, closed it out in extra time. Verdict on Westmeath Senior Football Championship 2023: St Lomans won a poor championship compared to the 2022 championship. Kinnegad won the league final v St Lomans, but couldn't get over the line versus St Lomans in the SFC Final. Caulry flattered to deceive, probably reached their ceiling. Tyrrellspass lost yet another semifinal or final. The 2 clubs with the most dual players - Killucan (Raharney) and The Downs (Clonkill) are relegated from Section A to B for 2024. Killucan have some good young players and a potential county player in Sam Smyth. The Downs were missing 7 players from the team that played the Leinster Club final in 2022, due to immigration and injury. I expect The Downs to be back to challenge next year, with St Lomans still the team to beat. Comparison between 2022 and 2023: In 2022, The Downs won the League and Championship without losing a game, and lost the Leinster Club Final to the eventual All-Ireland Club Winners, playing twice in Croke Park. in 2023, St Lomans won the championship, lost the league final, lost the Leinster club semifinal, and didn't get to play in Croke Park at all. As I have said previously, St Lomans are the big fish in the small pond, dominating Westmeath Senior football over the last 10 years, however failing to deliver on the big occasions in the Leinster club championship. They need to deliver in Leinster to be considered a great team. No comparison between The Downs in 2022 and St Lomans in 2023. St Lomans never got to the heights that The Downs go to in 2022 or that they themselves got to in 2017, although losing the Leinster Club final. Neither have matched Garrycastle's achievements in Leinster club and All-Ireland club series. Looking forward to the senior club championships in 2024! JoxerDaly (Westmeath) - Posts: 22 - 19/11/2023 18:53:51 2513753 Link 0 |
Number 20 from naas is Darragh Kirwan Kildare senior footballer and sigerson cup player with maynooth a class act and a joy to watch ! Dempsey very prominent in opening exchanges but died out of the game significantly. Lomans set up right from the get go with 15 men behind the ball most of the time which was very puzzling to see especially in the first half with a Gael behind them and the halftime margin proved not enough for them. Heslin out of sorts today and I think Eoin Doyle was super on otoole for the main majority of the game. Lomans tried playing keep ball with 15 minutes to go instead of continuing to play the game they had played up to then. Naas showed there true quality for me when they were 4 down and never panicked. Naas will give kc a good run for it but the expanses of Croker park will prove costly to them and kc to win Leinster again. Westmeath213 (Westmeath) - Posts: 334 - 19/11/2023 19:57:43 2513761 Link 0 |
Naas scored 0-7 against the wind in the 1st half, Lomans just kicked 2 in the second. Lomans led 1-9 to 0-8 on 39 mins but failed to score again in normal time. I gave Lomans every chance going into this once the weather was reasonable and they wouldn't play too defensive. I know conditions were tough for both teams but Lomans opting to play against the wind in the first half of extra time was significant and in hindsight perhaps the wrong call. BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1148 - 19/11/2023 20:51:09 2513773 Link 0 |
Yes, very strange, taking Foy off and bringing him back on. Surely they was other options on the beach. The big Naas forward was some handful, took his goal well.
Bigjoe1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 49 - 19/11/2023 21:36:57 2513781 Link 0 |
I think this Lomans side is past its best. The lack of progress in Leinster has stunted their growth and they will not win a Leinster now. They probably know this and that's the reason they could not get it going today to beat an average Naas side. Unfortunately they don't have that killer instinct at this level that the great Garrycastle sides had. What next for them? Another WH title in 2024 but no Leinster title chance? Captainfantastic (Westmeath) - Posts: 48 - 19/11/2023 23:15:40 2513792 Link 0 |
Overall poor from St.Lomans-they really are a class outfit but today majority of their "better" players just didnt perform exception being Ronan O'Toole who put in a huge shift.Fair play to Naas they deserved their win and were by far the better team all over the park.I agree with previous comment in I thought the Lomans changes didnt help matters but at this level and to get to a Leinster final and win it -you need your marque players to shine and unfortunately didnt happen today for Lomand and to go something like 35 mins without scoring -thst dosent win you semi finals but im sure Lomans will be back agsim next yeae to give it another go. Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 200 - 20/11/2023 09:25:49 2513815 Link 0 |
The Downs weren't unbeaten in last year's league, Kinnegad beat them in league, playing two matches in Croke Park hardly a major achievement, Leinster Council fixed matches for venues, Loman's have been standard bearers for 12 years, The Downs have won one championship in last 17 years.
Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1789 - 20/11/2023 11:15:01 2513839 Link 0 |