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If it's true it's probably all legitimate and above board, whatever about the rights and wrongs of this type of practice. The gas thing is that when Garrycastle came back from eight points down to beat Lomans in the 2019 final, the Lomans manager Luke Dempsey bemoaned the fact that Garrycastle were able to bring on two county players in the second half! The two players involved were James Sheeran and Ger Heneghaan, whose county days were long past at that stage. midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 541 - 30/11/2022 10:47:10 2449121 Link 0 |
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It might not be illegal but I think it is a poor reflection on the "club". It's a bad enough look when this club have actively tried and at times succeeded in recruiting underage talent from smaller rural clubs, but they are also filling their senior squad with lots of outside talent and if that rumour about the Longford lad is true then it seems they are not willing to draw the line anywhere. Smacks of a success at any cost attitude, which for me goes against the ethos of what a club is about.
lady_gaagaa (Westmeath) - Posts: 97 - 30/11/2022 13:02:35 2449143 Link 0 |
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In fairness lads, no club would refuse such a player if he wanted to transfer to your Club. He has obviously chosen St Loman's as he see's it as a realistic chance of silverware at both County and Provincial level. If he lives in Mullingar then its the obvious choice as he isn't going to go to Shamrocks at this moment in time. Meridian (Westmeath) - Posts: 601 - 30/11/2022 16:28:30 2449176 Link 0 |
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Its hardly surprising from Lomans, any new player that arrives to the town is already somehow known by a certain lomans member/local businessman. Plenty of rumors all summer about Lomans trying to poach some well-known players from smaller clubs inside the county as well. Left Full (Westmeath) - Posts: 239 - 30/11/2022 17:56:10 2449187 Link 0 |
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So does anyone give The Downs a chance this weekend ? Bookies have them 8/1 which sounds very generous. The Croke Park novelty was dealt with the last day so shouldn't be an issue. Yes Crokes are favourites to win All Ireland after last year's heartbreak. But when you go through the teams player by player I'm not sure if the gap is that big. Of course Walsh is outstanding but is Loughlin far behind him ? Have Crokes any current Dublin players ? None that I know off. Maybe Crokes will have one eye on the semi and could be complacent given the odds ? They were lucky I felt to get over Na Fianna but were comfortable winners v Naas and Port. BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1129 - 30/11/2022 19:14:32 2449192 Link 0 |
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Lomans & Shamrocks are not his only choices in Mullingar. Shandonagh are the 2022 Intermediate Champions and will be playing Senior in 2023. The Downs are the current Senior Champions and in the Leinster Club Final. All 4 Mullingar clubs will be playing Senior in 2023, and all are good options for a player of this calibre.
JoxerDaly (Westmeath) - Posts: 22 - 01/12/2022 08:58:47 2449204 Link 0 |
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8/1 is about right I'd say. Of course The Downs have a chance, but it's an outside one. A lot will need to go well for them. Crokes made Portarlington look like a bad intermediate team, and we know that the reality is they are actually quite good. Croke Park won't be an issue, but if were from The Downs I'd rather if it was somewhere like Tullamore.
jamsie (Westmeath) - Posts: 443 - 01/12/2022 11:01:17 2449215 Link 0 |
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Luke a great player buts lets be realistic here he's no way near the level of Shane Walsh. Shane Walsh was probably the 2nd best forward in the All Ireland Championship this year and Luke wasn't even in the best 3 forwards in the Westmeath team this year. At times he was fighting with Lorcan Dolan and Alex Gardiner for his place in the team. However, when it comes to both teams in the final this weekend Luke is way more important to The Downs than Walsh is to Crokes. Some of the Crokes players might not be big names but are brilliant players that would walk into any county team in the country. Look at Jack Smith he's probably been are best defender for Westmeath over the last 2 years and he couldn't get near the Dublin Squad. I'd love to see The Downs match Garrycastle's achievements from 2011 but that was a experienced Garrycastle team that had many years in Leinster and had already lost a Lenister final but I think its a step to far for The Downs. Crokes by 6+ on Sunday. Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 383 - 01/12/2022 11:04:43 2449216 Link 0 |
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If you are moving into Mullingar and are a top notch football player you are hardly going to join Shandonagh or Shamrocks??? Players want to win and play at the highest level. Both these teams won't be competing for senior championships anytime soon Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 383 - 01/12/2022 11:07:36 2449217 Link 0 |
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Shandonagh have a very good underage and I could see them being a very good senior side in the next few years.. add a county midfielder to that and it would potentially speed up the process. Why wouldn't he join a club like Shandonagh? Why not challenge himself? Regardless of whether or not you're from Lomans I think you can come to conclusion that their transfer 'strategy' is pretty pathetic. Looking to poach from any intermediate or junior clubs they can, while make a song and dance about letting a lad who last played for their 2nd team 3/4 years ago, leave the club. westmeathman99 (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 01/12/2022 11:46:43 2449221 Link 0 |
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If Gallagher is moving to Lomans (which I still find it hard to believe), I'm sure Peter Foy would have been in his ear to join them as they would have played together with Longford. Spinx (Longford) - Posts: 1236 - 01/12/2022 11:57:41 2449222 Link 0 |
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I have a big problem with poaching players within our own county. Everyone has heard the talk around the county about a certain Senior footballer from a small rural club from north Westmeath going to play with Lomans. If that transfer happened then I think people have the right to be upset. However, If a player from a different county is living in Mullingar or Athlone then I see no problem with them moving to whatever club they want. More than likely they are going to move to the bigger clubs because they want to play at the top level. Lomans, Garrycastle, Athlone, Moate and many more even Shandonagh have benefited from this in the past. Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 383 - 01/12/2022 12:30:13 2449226 Link 0 |
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Can't think of many cases of high profile adult transfers within the county. Any examples are of players who were well past their peak years.
jamsie (Westmeath) - Posts: 443 - 01/12/2022 14:31:07 2449243 Link 0 |
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Yeah if that transfer was to happen, which I don't see how it could, we may forget about football in Westmeath.
westmeathman99 (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 01/12/2022 14:53:34 2449248 Link 0 |
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Do you know that certain Senior player, i do and that rumour was a complete spoof ,so much so that when asked about it he would say its true for the laugh,it was never happening. Again people listening to pub talk
Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 232 - 01/12/2022 15:18:41 2449251 Link 0 |
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Of course they have a chance, maybe not a huge one but 8/1 is a ridiculous price in a provincial final and not truly reflective of how good a side they are. Kilmacud are a very strong outfit and would be favourites regardless of who they play on Sunday and rightfully so, but the Downs are a very decent outfit as well, they are well balanced, in Lar Wall they seem to have a very astute manager, are well drilled and playing a nice brand of football this year. There's a really good mix in the team and they're not over reliant on any one individual. The one big thing that could count against them is their lack of experience at this level and that showed at times against Ratoath the last day, particularly in the closing minutes of each half, but that is something that I'm sure will have been addressed in the last couple of weeks. They were comfortably the better team the last day out and in the previous game to that as well, and that's saying a lot for provincial championship. Yes they'll be underdogs and rightfully so but with a good fighting chance and all the burden of expectation on their opponents. They are free to go out and give it a right good go and if they manage the occasion in the right way then who knows. If ever a stage was set for an upset in favour of a Westmeath team I think this could CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 268 - 01/12/2022 20:10:04 2449289 Link 0 |
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CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 268 - 01/12/2022 20:10:55 2449290 Link 1 |
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Exactly Chick. He has zero interest in leaving his club to join Lomans. Said senior player is a serious club man who rarely misses a session even when the county is in full flight. Also coaches underage players in the club.
AlaRad10 (Westmeath) - Posts: 13 - 01/12/2022 20:50:15 2449291 Link 0 |
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You seem to be implying that we did it was going to happen? 'Pub talk' or not this is a forum that ultimately means nothing so why wouldn't we talk about it here? Also not that I believed it would happen anyways, I don't think it can be called pub talk if the player in question, when asked, said he was moving clubs. Regardless of whether or not he was joking I don't think it's crazy that someone would believe him. westmeathman99 (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 02/12/2022 09:45:34 2449302 Link 0 |
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Don't agree that The Downs were comfortably the better team vs Ratoath, it was an even game for long spells, The Downs shaded it and credit to them for doing so but Ratoath were seriously competitive and a couple of missed frees midway through second half were costly. 8-1 odds in a two horse race is borderline insulting, The Downs are unbeaten in all games this year, have a full panel to choose from. They need lots of breaks to go their way and need to be within 3-4 points at half time. Crokes have been doing enough defensively all year but don't shoot huge scores, The Downs have 3-29 in two provincial matches, would be a shock on a par with Mullinaghta's win four years ago against Crokes but The Downs have a fighter's chance. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1478 - 02/12/2022 11:23:58 2449319 Link 0 |