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Westmeath Football thread

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Development squads are doing twice weekly sessions from October to April, that's 14s, 15s and 16s, it stops due to the clubs training and matches. I agree with the comments re physicality, minor footballers certainly seemed physically slighter than Meath yesterday, Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1970 - 14/04/2024 11:34:49 2537736 Link
Just read this piece about Con Con O'Callaghan "Con comes into Dublin's 2024 Leinster football championship opener on Sunday playing closer to goal and off the back of his most prolific league campaign yet. The Cuala forward scored 3-34 in total over the league, top scoring for Dublin and setting a new personal league record too. He scored 2-18 from play or marks, with 2-12 or 75% of that being converted from within the opposition 21-metre line." A lot to be said for trusting the forwards and getting quick ball in rather than compressing the play with the lateral ball retention football all our Westmeath teams seem to have been coached on in recent times. In saying that, converting those chances when they do come in has also been a problem. Headtheball1 (Louth) - Posts: 71 - 14/04/2024 15:42:36 2537755 Link
Replying To Headtheball1: "Just read this piece about Con Con O'Callaghan "Con comes into Dublin's 2024 Leinster football championship opener on Sunday playing closer to goal and off the back of his most prolific league campaign yet. The Cuala forward scored 3-34 in total over the league, top scoring for Dublin and setting a new personal league record too. He scored 2-18 from play or marks, with 2-12 or 75% of that being converted from within the opposition 21-metre line." A lot to be said for trusting the forwards and getting quick ball in rather than compressing the play with the lateral ball retention football all our Westmeath teams seem to have been coached on in recent times. In saying that, converting those chances when they do come in has also been a problem." We should get him to declare for Westmeath as his father hurled for us and his grandfather was chairman of the county board. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1618 - 14/04/2024 16:15:02 2537761 Link
Replying To Headtheball1: "Just read this piece about Con Con O'Callaghan "Con comes into Dublin's 2024 Leinster football championship opener on Sunday playing closer to goal and off the back of his most prolific league campaign yet. The Cuala forward scored 3-34 in total over the league, top scoring for Dublin and setting a new personal league record too. He scored 2-18 from play or marks, with 2-12 or 75% of that being converted from within the opposition 21-metre line." A lot to be said for trusting the forwards and getting quick ball in rather than compressing the play with the lateral ball retention football all our Westmeath teams seem to have been coached on in recent times. In saying that, converting those chances when they do come in has also been a problem." The question was posed about how we improve our football teams record after a poor four week spell where our three teams lost six championship matches in succession. No idea what relevance the scoring record of one of the country's finest forwards playing on the greatest team ever has?? Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1970 - 14/04/2024 17:19:57 2537764 Link
I think its time to unite the 2 Meath's for GAA purposes, East and WestMeath together would have a decent outfit. maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1218 - 14/04/2024 17:47:29 2537772 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "The question was posed about how we improve our football teams record after a poor four week spell where our three teams lost six championship matches in succession. No idea what relevance the scoring record of one of the country's finest forwards playing on the greatest team ever has??" Not so much about the player but more about the area of the field he's been scoring from. Inside the 21. Our lack of go forward attacking play and simply playing back and forth across the middle third of the field which has reflected in below average scoring in most of our games at all levels this season Headtheball1 (Louth) - Posts: 71 - 14/04/2024 18:27:46 2537789 Link
Team i would like to see and play more attacking, most forwards nowadays do there fair share of defending so we dont need defenders playing 10 and 12. 1.Daly 2.Smith 3.Maguire if fit Drumm also do fine here 4.Gonoud 5.Dolan 6. Wallace 7. Dillon 8 .Connellan 9. Lynam 10.Mccartan 11.O'Toole 12. C.Mccormack/Whittaker 13.Loughlin 14. Heslin 15. Forde For me Andy mccormack, Lynch all too conservative dont look to kick the ball inside and with Heslin, Loughlin and Forde in there they need good quality ball as does every forward, Give license to Dolan and Dillon to Bomb forward. Kieran Martin then for impact and still some decent cover off the bench. Need a bit of freshness. PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 15/04/2024 10:31:25 2537941 Link
Replying To PowellJohn3: "Team i would like to see and play more attacking, most forwards nowadays do there fair share of defending so we dont need defenders playing 10 and 12. 1.Daly 2.Smith 3.Maguire if fit Drumm also do fine here 4.Gonoud 5.Dolan 6. Wallace 7. Dillon 8 .Connellan 9. Lynam 10.Mccartan 11.O'Toole 12. C.Mccormack/Whittaker 13.Loughlin 14. Heslin 15. Forde For me Andy mccormack, Lynch all too conservative dont look to kick the ball inside and with Heslin, Loughlin and Forde in there they need good quality ball as does every forward, Give license to Dolan and Dillon to Bomb forward. Kieran Martin then for impact and still some decent cover off the bench. Need a bit of freshness." Great way of playing if we enter the TC but if we play this way in the All Ireland Series games will be over by half time. There's a reason Lynch, Andy McC, C Dillon, J Lynam are in the starting team and that's because they have jobs to do. Lynch is great man to man marker in the half back line and I don't see him being removed from the team. I'd love to see us play more attacking football but we just don't we have the players to compete at the top if we play that way. We need to build on the way we played against Armagh, Galway and Tyrone last summer. We played some great counter attacking football in them games and that's the way we should set up if we enter the All Ireland Series. Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 522 - 15/04/2024 11:18:41 2537959 Link
Replying To PowellJohn3: "Team i would like to see and play more attacking, most forwards nowadays do there fair share of defending so we dont need defenders playing 10 and 12. 1.Daly 2.Smith 3.Maguire if fit Drumm also do fine here 4.Gonoud 5.Dolan 6. Wallace 7. Dillon 8 .Connellan 9. Lynam 10.Mccartan 11.O'Toole 12. C.Mccormack/Whittaker 13.Loughlin 14. Heslin 15. Forde For me Andy mccormack, Lynch all too conservative dont look to kick the ball inside and with Heslin, Loughlin and Forde in there they need good quality ball as does every forward, Give license to Dolan and Dillon to Bomb forward. Kieran Martin then for impact and still some decent cover off the bench. Need a bit of freshness." A strange team considering you say you want to see attacking football. David lynch is absolutely pivotal to westmeath at the minute, when Wallace (espically), mcCartan and other defenders drive forward at pace who is covering, who is our go to person to man mark, Lynch rarely if ever gives the ball away. Every manager he has played under starts him and in the absence of maguire it was lynch who stepped up to lead the team. Maybe the last few managers were wrong and the experts here are right. Upforthegame23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 119 - 15/04/2024 12:31:09 2538002 Link
Replying To Upforthegame23: "A strange team considering you say you want to see attacking football. David lynch is absolutely pivotal to westmeath at the minute, when Wallace (espically), mcCartan and other defenders drive forward at pace who is covering, who is our go to person to man mark, Lynch rarely if ever gives the ball away. Every manager he has played under starts him and in the absence of maguire it was lynch who stepped up to lead the team. Maybe the last few managers were wrong and the experts here are right." I am no expert but i feel this is a team has a more attacking direct nature to it, Never gives the ball away is sometimes a sign of never trying things or being going very sideways, Dont remember him kicking it more than 20 metres, Westmeath have too many sideways safe players, The way we play theres very little man marking as its basketball style you have it then we have. Mccartan at 10 or at 5 again is irrelevant because he can adapt and is good enough. Dillon driving from deep would create a lot of overlaps for the likes of a mccartan or Whittaker in the wide channels. Dont get me wrong Lynch has been a fine player for us and suits the style there playing but if we want to actually outscore teams and go more direct i think him and andy mccormack lose out, 15 mins to go these lads are perfect to see out the game as they dont " Give away the ball" maybe start if playing against a gale. With the 5th best scoring in div 3 is what really worries me averaging 13 points in Div 3 we should really be higher, Defensive side one of things we were the best but it needs to work both ways and to win leinster championship games which we have seen we need a lot more scores and scorers. PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 15/04/2024 14:19:51 2538082 Link
Although I hate commenting on amateur players that sacrifice so much I will in this instance. Have to agree Lynch far to lateral/safe with ball this year and sits behind the play to much. For such a powerful looking man you'd love for him to show more aggression. To say he's pivotal at intercounty football is a bit of a stretch? He is your standard modern manufactured player.I would consider O'Toole and Connellan pivotal and possibly maguire our best man marker. With that said i still think he should start in the middle sector. I never really understand the arguments with players starting its nearly the lads that finish you want to be talking about. ear2ground (Westmeath) - Posts: 117 - 15/04/2024 19:04:11 2538174 Link
Replying To ear2ground: "Although I hate commenting on amateur players that sacrifice so much I will in this instance. Have to agree Lynch far to lateral/safe with ball this year and sits behind the play to much. For such a powerful looking man you'd love for him to show more aggression. To say he's pivotal at intercounty football is a bit of a stretch? He is your standard modern manufactured player.I would consider O'Toole and Connellan pivotal and possibly maguire our best man marker. With that said i still think he should start in the middle sector. I never really understand the arguments with players starting its nearly the lads that finish you want to be talking about." Dont like commenting either but i feel O Toole is not strong enough for centre half forward. Maybe wing or corner might suit. gerry1414 (Dublin) - Posts: 53 - 15/04/2024 23:12:45 2538211 Link
County players playing ACL for clubs this weekend is bonus for the clubs and gives county players some time to refresh the minds. Div 1 - Kinnegad flying so far. 4 wins from 4 games and only conceding 30 points. Moate and Shamrocks moving well. They play each other Saturday winner has a real chance to get to league final. The Downs and Lomans also moving well and will surely get wins over Athlone and Tang this weekend. Relegation will be really interesting Shandonagh VS Miltownpass the big one this weekend. Losing will probably go down with Athlone, Tang and Tyrrellspass also under threat of the drop. Div 2 - Caulry, Garrycastle, Miltown and Rosemount challenging for promotion. Big weekend as Caulry play Rosemont and Garrycastle play Miltown. Tubberclair struggling so far which is a surprise. Shamrocks 2nd team holding their own in div 2 which shows the depth they are creating with all the underage success. Castledaly falling apart. Div 3 - Maryland doing really well. Killucan to finally get promoted. St Joseph's also unbeaten which shows they will be big contenders for Junior championship this year. Like Castledaly in div 2 Ballynacargy look to be falling apart. Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 522 - 19/04/2024 17:49:27 2539101 Link
St Joseph's hammered Ballynacargy last night. Bal have taken a number of heavy defeats in the league this year. Now I know Bal are more of a championship team but the signs aren't good. Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1031 - 21/04/2024 12:19:07 2539505 Link
Best of luck to the u20s tomorrow night against Carlow.Whats the story with the 2 big clubs from Athlone-Garrycastle and Athlone no players on 24 man squad and very few on minor squad as well.Short on numbers or short on quality?? Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 218 - 22/04/2024 21:53:57 2539990 Link
Replying To Bruno@1: "Best of luck to the u20s tomorrow night against Carlow.Whats the story with the 2 big clubs from Athlone-Garrycastle and Athlone no players on 24 man squad and very few on minor squad as well.Short on numbers or short on quality??" Short on both GCCABU (Westmeath) - Posts: 20 - 23/04/2024 15:52:21 2540199 Link
Good luck to the u20's tonight . This game might give a better representation of where we are at as you'd imagine they will be more competitive. . Carlow had a good win over Offaly in this competition already. Lakecounty94 (Westmeath) - Posts: 69 - 23/04/2024 19:18:12 2540241 Link
Replying To Lakecounty94: "Good luck to the u20's tonight . This game might give a better representation of where we are at as you'd imagine they will be more competitive. . Carlow had a good win over Offaly in this competition already." Wouldn't take anything from this, Mickey Mouse competition. Can't see any players from this age group making the step up to senior any time soon Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 522 - 24/04/2024 08:54:09 2540334 Link
Replying To Temple56: "Wouldn't take anything from this, Mickey Mouse competition. Can't see any players from this age group making the step up to senior any time soon" Not sure the family of the late Andrew Cordon would share your sentiments. Yes it's a secondary competition but at least it's 2 more competitive games for this set of players and management. I'd expect the likes of Keane, Lowry, Baker, Cooney and Hanley to progress into the senior squad although some might be still U20. Best of luck v Longford in the final. BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1176 - 24/04/2024 13:48:43 2540414 Link
Replying To BigSur: "Not sure the family of the late Andrew Cordon would share your sentiments. Yes it's a secondary competition but at least it's 2 more competitive games for this set of players and management. I'd expect the likes of Keane, Lowry, Baker, Cooney and Hanley to progress into the senior squad although some might be still U20. Best of luck v Longford in the final." they will surely have a big parade if they win this yoke mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1880 - 24/04/2024 14:36:09 2540424 Link