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Westmeath Football thread

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anybody at Minor game on Sat...Good win...Were Laois any good. believe they have one or two exceptional players.

Dessie15 (Westmeath) - Posts: 215 - 04/06/2024 13:20:24    2549400

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meridian i totally agree

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1880 - 04/06/2024 14:44:25    2549441

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Replying To Meridian:  "I think it is your good self that has the wrong idea on things here. We were never winning this game. Galway didn't even play well and won. The reality is that they rested players who were carrying knocks for this game and had the stakes been higher those players would have played. As another poster mentioned there could be as many as 7 players retiring after this season. So that's 7 replacements needed next year, a very tall order in one season (AND we are now in Div 2) and its likely that most of these will not have any championship experience. You don't think that it makes sense to prepare for that and give that experience to 2 or 3 players this year?"
Players have been getting experience ? Or who else do you want ? Scahill, whitaker, forde, drumm, Allen all have played championship football this year. Westmeath were in a position to win the game as much as galway were before the game defining moment occured? Who did they rest by the way ? Looked like a full strenght side to me. Is every championship game not high stakes at that level. Or would you argue differently. Again my eyes do decieve me at times so i could be wrong but could you go through your theory of how we were NEVER winning that game ? Id say a team down by 10 points half time possibly never winning no ? Again you sound like you know your football well so i look forward to seeing any future posts. I see Mick Cunningham made his annual trip into Cusack full of hope as ever Mick. Did you have your Galway Jersey on ? I saw you were looking forward to seeing a good Maroon and White team..

ear2ground (Westmeath) - Posts: 117 - 04/06/2024 15:32:07    2549452

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Tight margins at this level. We set up to nullify Galway and did a fairly good job of doing that, but on the other hand we had no forward shape whatsoever. Heslin, O'Toole completely nullified.
In fairness, on another day who knows what way it would have went if we hadn't given away that disastrous goal, the game was in the melting pot with 5 mins to go. I thought we should have had a penalty and black card for the foul on Wallace when through on goal in the first half (as per the new rule brought in this year?).

On the other hand, Galway were without their 2 best forwards in Comer and Finnerty, and a somewhat strange lineup with a lot of defenders and midfielders named in the forwards probably played into our hands also.

Last game against Derry in Newry, would like to see us give it a lash and play with a bit more purpose going forward. Probably as good a time as any to meet Derry, they are struggling at the moment seemingly.

iarmhi_an_mhaith (Westmeath) - Posts: 276 - 04/06/2024 15:34:50    2549455

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Replying To ear2ground:  "Players have been getting experience ? Or who else do you want ? Scahill, whitaker, forde, drumm, Allen all have played championship football this year. Westmeath were in a position to win the game as much as galway were before the game defining moment occured? Who did they rest by the way ? Looked like a full strenght side to me. Is every championship game not high stakes at that level. Or would you argue differently. Again my eyes do decieve me at times so i could be wrong but could you go through your theory of how we were NEVER winning that game ? Id say a team down by 10 points half time possibly never winning no ? Again you sound like you know your football well so i look forward to seeing any future posts. I see Mick Cunningham made his annual trip into Cusack full of hope as ever Mick. Did you have your Galway Jersey on ? I saw you were looking forward to seeing a good Maroon and White team.."
Exactly ear2ground, Whitaker & Scahill to name 2 of them. I don't see any different an outcome to the game with them 2 playing instead of Gonoud or O'Toole (given his current form). At least Senan Baker (who isn't firing either) is getting game time which will stand to him.

Both Comer and Finnerty were rested from what i have heard from Galway friends. I have no doubt that had Galway been playing Derry or Armagh those 2 lads would have been played despite the yarns Joyce is spewing to the press. You always had the sense that Galway had another gear or two in them if they needed to use it.

Look, i'm just looking at this with one eye down the road and how can we get as much benefit from this series as possible.

Meridian (Westmeath) - Posts: 664 - 04/06/2024 17:13:17    2549494

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Mickey Harte now has a point to prove-they cant lose 4 in a row surely!!Derry's physicality will be s huge plus for them -we cant just sit back -we need to have a real go at them and hopefully our forwards will have a bigger impact than lately-A draw will see us qualify on scoring difference and I fear Mr.Dolan will set the team up for that end but a dangerous tactic to play-best form of defence is always attack.

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 218 - 04/06/2024 17:21:26    2549496

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Derry got the game on there back door.
Why was it not in fermanagh or cavan.
So unfair.

Mattyreilly (Westmeath) - Posts: 164 - 04/06/2024 18:23:12    2549510

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Suggesting Matthew Whittaker starts instead of Ronan O' Toole is insulting to the Loman's man, he's not in the stellar form of previous years but he's still one of our top forwards and obviously opposing sides realise he's the one who makes our forwards tick, I've criticised the management team in the past but performances in the All Ireland series the last two years have been excellent, competitive in every game against highly rated top five or six opposition

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1971 - 04/06/2024 18:44:04    2549514

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Replying To Mattyreilly:  "Derry got the game on there back door.
Why was it not in fermanagh or cavan.
So unfair."
Pretty sure Newry is further from Derry than Enniskillen or Cavan

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1031 - 04/06/2024 21:59:25    2549554

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Replying To ear2ground:  "Players have been getting experience ? Or who else do you want ? Scahill, whitaker, forde, drumm, Allen all have played championship football this year. Westmeath were in a position to win the game as much as galway were before the game defining moment occured? Who did they rest by the way ? Looked like a full strenght side to me. Is every championship game not high stakes at that level. Or would you argue differently. Again my eyes do decieve me at times so i could be wrong but could you go through your theory of how we were NEVER winning that game ? Id say a team down by 10 points half time possibly never winning no ? Again you sound like you know your football well so i look forward to seeing any future posts. I see Mick Cunningham made his annual trip into Cusack full of hope as ever Mick. Did you have your Galway Jersey on ? I saw you were looking forward to seeing a good Maroon and White team.."
my annual trip . i will treat that remark with the contempt it deserves . westmeath played well but if your ambition is to keep the score down you have no chance

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1880 - 05/06/2024 07:29:49    2549588

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I think the sideline had a big hand in that defeat.

We played a very defensive, running type game and Heslin didnt contribute to any of that, 20 mins to go i feel he should have come off. How Baker can go from no minutes to a start is questionable. Whitaker comes on against Armagh does well then doesn't feature at all. Take off Gonoud when game in the melting pot he looked back to his best on Sunday for me. Connellan really messed up and at fault for 1-1 and the Black card, Now Drumm probably should have taken man and ball but it was the sideline who never made any changes to win the game, Playing for a 1 point moral victory defeat. James Dolan gets injured and we brought on a defender with 6 or 7 to go. I just couldn't believe what i was seeing the entire way through the second half.

Please try and beat Derry and not contain them for 70 minutes.

PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 05/06/2024 08:39:21    2549603

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "I think the sideline had a big hand in that defeat.

We played a very defensive, running type game and Heslin didnt contribute to any of that, 20 mins to go i feel he should have come off. How Baker can go from no minutes to a start is questionable. Whitaker comes on against Armagh does well then doesn't feature at all. Take off Gonoud when game in the melting pot he looked back to his best on Sunday for me. Connellan really messed up and at fault for 1-1 and the Black card, Now Drumm probably should have taken man and ball but it was the sideline who never made any changes to win the game, Playing for a 1 point moral victory defeat. James Dolan gets injured and we brought on a defender with 6 or 7 to go. I just couldn't believe what i was seeing the entire way through the second half.

Please try and beat Derry and not contain them for 70 minutes."
"Please try beat Derry and not contain them for 70 minutes"

Do you honestly think we have the players to play free flowing attacking football and beat a top side like Derry?

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 522 - 05/06/2024 12:55:49    2549680

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "I think the sideline had a big hand in that defeat.

We played a very defensive, running type game and Heslin didnt contribute to any of that, 20 mins to go i feel he should have come off. How Baker can go from no minutes to a start is questionable. Whitaker comes on against Armagh does well then doesn't feature at all. Take off Gonoud when game in the melting pot he looked back to his best on Sunday for me. Connellan really messed up and at fault for 1-1 and the Black card, Now Drumm probably should have taken man and ball but it was the sideline who never made any changes to win the game, Playing for a 1 point moral victory defeat. James Dolan gets injured and we brought on a defender with 6 or 7 to go. I just couldn't believe what i was seeing the entire way through the second half.

Please try and beat Derry and not contain them for 70 minutes."
Would never take John Heslin off if he is fit to stay on just need to play a more forward style of play because he still is the best forward we have to score from play.Whats the story with Lorcan Dolan and Conor McCormack both on match day squads but not getting a look in-either of them would get you a score or two

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 218 - 05/06/2024 14:52:07    2549715

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Temple 56 contain for large periods but need to try win the game, whats there to lose? Seriously 1 point loss or a 7 point loss whats the difference? Not saying playing all out attack but Dessie has set this team up not to lose by much, not to actually try and win
To the other point about Heslin, i dont know if you were at the game but i would say Heslin touched the ball about 8 times and 4 of them were placed balls so he posed absolutely no threat to Galway and the way were playing was all about pace and overlaps hence, mccartans and wallaces points, all our scores came from deep.

PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 05/06/2024 16:01:16    2549733

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "Temple 56 contain for large periods but need to try win the game, whats there to lose? Seriously 1 point loss or a 7 point loss whats the difference? Not saying playing all out attack but Dessie has set this team up not to lose by much, not to actually try and win
To the other point about Heslin, i dont know if you were at the game but i would say Heslin touched the ball about 8 times and 4 of them were placed balls so he posed absolutely no threat to Galway and the way were playing was all about pace and overlaps hence, mccartans and wallaces points, all our scores came from deep."
I was at the game as I was at every other game this season both home and away and I see John Heslin-when he is selected to play-make countless runs into space off his defender calling for the ball but its never delivered-just back and sideways across the middle.He then has to come deep to get envolved but thats his markers dream-keep him away and out the field.I always judge a player by his efforts off the ball and wouldnt judge a player by his touches if he is not getting the service and your right -give it a good rattle against-if you lose you lose but try and set the team up to win.!!

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 218 - 05/06/2024 17:20:38    2549752

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "Temple 56 contain for large periods but need to try win the game, whats there to lose? Seriously 1 point loss or a 7 point loss whats the difference? Not saying playing all out attack but Dessie has set this team up not to lose by much, not to actually try and win
To the other point about Heslin, i dont know if you were at the game but i would say Heslin touched the ball about 8 times and 4 of them were placed balls so he posed absolutely no threat to Galway and the way were playing was all about pace and overlaps hence, mccartans and wallaces points, all our scores came from deep."
Heslin is our best scorer by a mile. It wasn't a forwards game no matter who was there. Sure look at Walsh barely got a kick up the other end and then scored a goal from a mistake. We were relying on the same. The solution isn't to take off the best scorer, if not the best player on the team still!

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 191 - 06/06/2024 08:43:35    2549800

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I travelled to Mullingar as a neutral last Sunday. I thought it was a brilliant game, great atmosphere and a great day out. I thought the game was definitely there for ye, about ten minutes into the second half, the Galway players looked disillusioned and playing against the breeze. But Westmeath probably lacked the belief to go after it. Westmeath have some quality players, number 6 and McCartan were excellent. Connellan is also a class act but I don't know what he was thinking, if I remember correctly he had already given possession away in a similar fashion in the first half. Pity the Derry game isn't in Breffni

97Cavans (Cavan) - Posts: 385 - 07/06/2024 10:13:41    2549953

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Is it possible to seethe entire game online?, I can see small snipits on youtube. but would like to see the whole game.

BarrRst (Westmeath) - Posts: 30 - 07/06/2024 11:22:30    2549969

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Is it possible to seethe entire game online?, I can see small snipits on youtube. but would like to see the whole game.

BarrRst (Westmeath) - Posts: 30 - 07/06/2024 11:23:24    2549970

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Replying To Bluelake:  "Heslin is our best scorer by a mile. It wasn't a forwards game no matter who was there. Sure look at Walsh barely got a kick up the other end and then scored a goal from a mistake. We were relying on the same. The solution isn't to take off the best scorer, if not the best player on the team still!"
From frees yes, but otherwise he is a passenger now. Fitzgerald had his number physically. The way the game is gone I don't think he's suited to it; he hasn't the engine to get behind the ball and then carry it, and if he's left isolated up front I don't think he has the pace to win direct ball and get scores. Funny how Smyth and Whittaker went well against Armagh and barely featured a week later whereas Senan Baker wasn't considered good enough against Armagh but yet started the Galway game; very hard to get consistent performances from players with that going on.

TigerWoods90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 155 - 07/06/2024 13:08:04    2549995

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