HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

National Forum

Westmeath Football thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post

You need to Login to Post

Interesting team named to play longford, didn't know so many were in training with the county. A good opportunity to represent your county and make a statement. With sigerson also on this week, fringe players are getting plenty of opportunities to showcase talents. Offaly in three weeks is a huge game. I heard gerry Buckley saying only shane dempsey has stepped away this year, (sam duncan also) so hopefully a good start in the league, get a few players from today and then onwards and upwards. Best of luck to all involved Upforthegame23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 118 - 06/01/2024 10:07:39 2518583 Link
Replying To PowellJohn3: " Replying To JoxerDaly: "Westmeath GAA Players playing in Siggerson Cup: Kieran Colclough (Athlone - TUS Midlands) Michael Byrne (Athlone - ATU Galway) Luke Seery (Ballinagore - TUS Midlands) Senan Baker (Caulry - DCU) Brian Cooney (Coralstown-Kinnegad - TUS Midlands) Jack Torpey (Coralstown-Kinnegad - TUS Midlands) Shane Fleming (Coralstown-Kinnegad - TUS Midlands) Seán Martin (Coralstown-Kinnegad - Maynooth) Seán Leech (Killucan - Maynooth) Brandon Kelly (Milltownpass - TUS Midlands) Brendan Killian (Shandonagh - TUS Midlands) Daniel Scahill (Shandonagh - Maynooth) Mikey Lynam (St Joseph's - SETU Carlow) Andrew Daly (St Lomans - TUD) Danny McCartan (St Lomans - TUD) Fionn O'Hara (St Lomans - Queens) David Corrigan (St Mary's Rochfortbridge - TUS Midlands) Charlie Drumm (The Downs - UCD) Jonathan Lynam (The Downs - UCD) Kevin O'Sullivan (The Downs - Maynooth) Liam Faulkner (The Downs - ATU Sligo) Eoghan McCabe (Tubberclair - NUI Galway) Matthew Whittaker (Tubberclair - TUS Midlands) Any players missing from this list?" Would Westmeath be better off having the likes of Brandon Kelly, Fleming, Ciaran Daly, and other borderline county players/very good club players rather than having U-19s and U20s in the squad or is it best to get them into the set up straight away? Does the current situation not lessen the playing pool rather than grow it and if an u20 is flying it then there brought up? It doesn't sit well with me having a 23/24 yr old who may of had a great club championship to not get picked and an U-19 player gets into the squad off the back of nothing. I thought that development squad/Maroons was set up for that reason." I think youve hit the nail on the head. The 2021 U20 batch I thought at the time was our best in years but I dont think any of that team progessed to play senior on a regular basis. One or two may have got a run like Kelly and Seery. Those lads would be hitting their prime now . Kildare have an u23 Development Squad overlooked by Brian Flanagan. A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 259 - 06/01/2024 10:49:05 2518588 Link
We're playing our under 20s side so it's not an indication of numbers training with seniors. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1968 - 06/01/2024 10:55:08 2518589 Link
Charlie Drumm only lad good enough to play league football that played today. Very good performance by a young team baring in mind Longford had 7/8 players that will play league football. 30 players training in Caurly today while O Byrne Cup game was on Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 521 - 06/01/2024 16:16:30 2518648 Link
Replying To Temple56: "Charlie Drumm only lad good enough to play league football that played today. Very good performance by a young team baring in mind Longford had 7/8 players that will play league football. 30 players training in Caurly today while O Byrne Cup game was on" Agree Drumm stood out alright but I thought the other Downs lads in Nolan and OSullivan did well along with Allen of Athlone at centre back.. No coincidence they were the oldest Westmeath lads on show against a more experienced opposition. Nobody played too bad and I think all the subs were U20's. Interesting to see what team Dessie puts out in Shield game next Sat v losers of Meath Louth (home game for us) BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1176 - 06/01/2024 17:13:21 2518662 Link
Surely this is unacceptable to enter a team in a competition and then send out an underage team while the actual team trains. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1968 - 06/01/2024 17:23:44 2518664 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Surely this is unacceptable to enter a team in a competition and then send out an underage team while the actual team trains." Except u20 isn't underage and they are all eligible to play senior football. No different than Dublin fielding a team of unfamiliar players today. Where was the Dublin first team today? Anyway a 2 point defeat was a decent showing. Nothing to get too excited about either way. Someone might make the league panel because of it. Even if we won the OByrne Cup it means nothing. Look at Longford last year. Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1031 - 06/01/2024 19:22:13 2518686 Link
The Dublin first team are possibly entitled to a break seeing as they're All Ireland champions and they played their adult second team Offaly. Why not play our second string today? Could players like Martin, Lynam, McCormack, Harte, not have benefitted in some way? The few Westmeath supporters in attendance are entitled to feel short changed. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1968 - 06/01/2024 20:29:02 2518699 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Surely this is unacceptable to enter a team in a competition and then send out an underage team while the actual team trains." It's great to see potential players getting game time for the county team very positive approach by management. Its all about building on what we have already and finding players that are able to step up to the level calling it unacceptable is a silly remark . Undertheroad (Westmeath) - Posts: 65 - 06/01/2024 20:44:29 2518704 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "The Dublin first team are possibly entitled to a break seeing as they're All Ireland champions and they played their adult second team Offaly. Why not play our second string today? Could players like Martin, Lynam, McCormack, Harte, not have benefitted in some way? The few Westmeath supporters in attendance are entitled to feel short changed." Didn't know there were different rules for Dublin. In my opinion it was a good idea to try a few lads. Dessie Dolan already knows about the lads you mentioned. Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1031 - 06/01/2024 20:53:32 2518708 Link
I was in Longford for the game and didn't feel short changed as I knew the team in advance. It's about unearthing 1 or 2 lads plus helping the 20's progress. Some of the U20 selectors were on the line too so at least there's some joined up thinking. BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1176 - 07/01/2024 01:20:56 2518740 Link
I thought today and this competition was an ideal chance to play Leech, Whittaker, Scahill, Stephen Smyth, Forde and a few others in that bracket that we haven't seen too much off at this level and then have some of the lads who started today come off the bench. It's great for the U20s but at the end of the day some of them aren't even guaranteed starters at U20 level and they were getting pretty important game time over the lads who were taken off early. But I actually think the starting 15 was a breath of fresh air rather than seeing all the household names who are established. I thought Ciaran Nolan, Chrlie Drumm, Shane Allen and Eoghan McCabe all looked pretty comfortable at the level yesterday. Longford certainly were closer to their strongest XV than we were. TigerWoods90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 155 - 07/01/2024 09:21:55 2518755 Link
Replying To TigerWoods90: "I thought today and this competition was an ideal chance to play Leech, Whittaker, Scahill, Stephen Smyth, Forde and a few others in that bracket that we haven't seen too much off at this level and then have some of the lads who started today come off the bench. It's great for the U20s but at the end of the day some of them aren't even guaranteed starters at U20 level and they were getting pretty important game time over the lads who were taken off early. But I actually think the starting 15 was a breath of fresh air rather than seeing all the household names who are established. I thought Ciaran Nolan, Chrlie Drumm, Shane Allen and Eoghan McCabe all looked pretty comfortable at the level yesterday. Longford certainly were closer to their strongest XV than we were." The Westmeath 20's from last year or the previous year would have beaten Westmeath or Longford on Sat but for some reason most of them now forgotten or deemed not good enough in comparison to 19 year olds .All for developing but we seem to have dropped a whole age group out of the system. For example Shane Fleming and others not even called for trials. Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 250 - 08/01/2024 08:36:47 2518940 Link
Replying To Thechick: "The Westmeath 20's from last year or the previous year would have beaten Westmeath or Longford on Sat but for some reason most of them now forgotten or deemed not good enough in comparison to 19 year olds .All for developing but we seem to have dropped a whole age group out of the system. For example Shane Fleming and others not even called for trials." Yeah I guess a development squad is hard to maintain as lads are probably more inclined to stay with their clubs rather than train with a reserve panel consistently but maybe that's where we are falling behind others; lads in their mid 20s seem to find it difficult to break in due to the lack of S&C from 18-25 that they would receive by being on the panel. There are some excellent club footballers in Westmeath that don't seem to transfer to county level and at club level are probably better than some of the lads on the current panel but that's just the nature of it and always has been over the years. TigerWoods90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 155 - 08/01/2024 09:33:03 2518954 Link
Replying To Thechick: "The Westmeath 20's from last year or the previous year would have beaten Westmeath or Longford on Sat but for some reason most of them now forgotten or deemed not good enough in comparison to 19 year olds .All for developing but we seem to have dropped a whole age group out of the system. For example Shane Fleming and others not even called for trials." The fall of from age 20 to 23 at county level is big, but it is in all counties. Sigerson should fill that gap and players will be recognised playing at a higher standard. Some players might just be happy to play club level as the sacrifice for county teams now is huge, it's 24/7. It will be interesting to see how athlone get on in sigerson this year, plenty of westmeath lads involved. Upforthegame23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 118 - 08/01/2024 10:37:45 2518969 Link
Lomans - Paddy Dowdall Kinnegad - Pascal Kelleghan / Jack Cooney Caulry - Pat Flanagan The Downs - John Murray Tyrrellspass - Eddie Kinsella Moate - Liam McNeill Athlone - Eoin Jordan Shandonagh - Tommy Carr St Malachys - Tommy Browne Mullingar Shamrocks - Enda Monaghan Killucan - ? Tang - Seamus Quinn Garrycastle - Gary Dolan Milltownpass - David Martin Milltown - Peter Ballesty / Sean Loughlin Ballymore - Mick Tumelty / James Galvin Rosemount - Karl Dermody Multy - Rigney/Corcoran Maryland - Dean Bracken Kilbeggan - Niall O Brien Ballynacargy - Anthony Maher Tubberclaire - Daniel Sammon / Gary Connaughton St Mary's - Eddie Bouabbse Castledaly - ? Are Killucan and Castledaly the only ones left to pull the trigger ? the21yardline (Westmeath) - Posts: 182 - 08/01/2024 16:34:19 2519079 Link
Replying To the21yardline: "Lomans - Paddy Dowdall Kinnegad - Pascal Kelleghan / Jack Cooney Caulry - Pat Flanagan The Downs - John Murray Tyrrellspass - Eddie Kinsella Moate - Liam McNeill Athlone - Eoin Jordan Shandonagh - Tommy Carr St Malachys - Tommy Browne Mullingar Shamrocks - Enda Monaghan Killucan - ? Tang - Seamus Quinn Garrycastle - Gary Dolan Milltownpass - David Martin Milltown - Peter Ballesty / Sean Loughlin Ballymore - Mick Tumelty / James Galvin Rosemount - Karl Dermody Multy - Rigney/Corcoran Maryland - Dean Bracken Kilbeggan - Niall O Brien Ballynacargy - Anthony Maher Tubberclaire - Daniel Sammon / Gary Connaughton St Mary's - Eddie Bouabbse Castledaly - ? Are Killucan and Castledaly the only ones left to pull the trigger ?" I assume they have at this stage with pre season but I haven't heard anything DanGer966 (Westmeath) - Posts: 29 - 09/01/2024 08:35:10 2519165 Link
Replying To the21yardline: "Lomans - Paddy Dowdall Kinnegad - Pascal Kelleghan / Jack Cooney Caulry - Pat Flanagan The Downs - John Murray Tyrrellspass - Eddie Kinsella Moate - Liam McNeill Athlone - Eoin Jordan Shandonagh - Tommy Carr St Malachys - Tommy Browne Mullingar Shamrocks - Enda Monaghan Killucan - ? Tang - Seamus Quinn Garrycastle - Gary Dolan Milltownpass - David Martin Milltown - Peter Ballesty / Sean Loughlin Ballymore - Mick Tumelty / James Galvin Rosemount - Karl Dermody Multy - Rigney/Corcoran Maryland - Dean Bracken Kilbeggan - Niall O Brien Ballynacargy - Anthony Maher Tubberclaire - Daniel Sammon / Gary Connaughton St Mary's - Eddie Bouabbse Castledaly - ? Are Killucan and Castledaly the only ones left to pull the trigger ?" I assume they have at this stage with pre season but I haven't heard anything DanGer966 (Westmeath) - Posts: 29 - 09/01/2024 08:53:38 2519170 Link
Will Dessie stick with the young side this week or bring back some of the heavier hitters, any news on Maguire, Lynch and Smith, talks they are not returning to the panel? i didnt get to last weeks game but reports on it said it was awful to watch and scoring only 7 points says enough. Any News on U18s decision to be able to play senior yet or when does that decision happen? i know my club have 2 or maybe 3 at that age now that need to play Junior football and the club needs them and another year at minor wouldnt develop them especially if trying to break into a college team, adult team or U20s team. Tadhg Baker, Corcoran and Adam keane were all U-18 last year and now playing senior football for westmeath if they didnt play club championship last year they wouldnt be in Westmeath setup at all this year. PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 10/01/2024 16:42:23 2519448 Link
Replying To PowellJohn3: "Will Dessie stick with the young side this week or bring back some of the heavier hitters, any news on Maguire, Lynch and Smith, talks they are not returning to the panel? i didnt get to last weeks game but reports on it said it was awful to watch and scoring only 7 points says enough. Any News on U18s decision to be able to play senior yet or when does that decision happen? i know my club have 2 or maybe 3 at that age now that need to play Junior football and the club needs them and another year at minor wouldnt develop them especially if trying to break into a college team, adult team or U20s team. Tadhg Baker, Corcoran and Adam keane were all U-18 last year and now playing senior football for westmeath if they didnt play club championship last year they wouldnt be in Westmeath setup at all this year." The clubs are voting on it next Wednesday night. The county board appear to be pushing to keep it as is and not allow any minor play adult football or hurling. A lot of smaller clubs will be massively affected by this though and I would imagine a lot of them will vote for minors in their second year of minor can play adult. mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 251 - 10/01/2024 18:42:39 2519467 Link