It's hard to know how we missed that goal at the end. Lynch will have nightmares over it. Very similar to the Longford game; we must have put 7/8 wides alone in the second half. We didn't deserve to win with us missing so much. Fermanagh had what looked like a point disallowed also. Very disappointing overall and it it looks like division 3 for another year which is a massive set back for Jack. I expect we need to Antrim next Sunday and Fermanagh to go to Limerick and win to get promoted which won't happen.

Matthew (None) - Posts: 1005 - 20/03/2022 16:03:10    2405933

Another very disappointing display. Lucky to get a draw as most observers felt Fermanagh had a point incorrectly waved wide at a critical stage in the second half. Another worrying second half collapse with only four scores in the entire half. Fermanagh grew in confidence as the game progressed and their supporters were more disappointed at the end. Management slow to introduce subs when we were being dominated in middle sector. Promotion out of our hands now even by beating Antrim away but in reality we're not good enough to compete in division 2.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1478 - 20/03/2022 16:17:42    2405938

Terrible football better of in div 3 when playing like that

Mooo (Westmeath) - Posts: 41 - 20/03/2022 16:22:15    2405939

Conditions today in the park were ideal for football, pitch in great condition, light breeze throughout, dry ball, yet we contrived to only score a total of 1-9, Fermanagh got 13 scores, our forwards look good on paper but very little creativity between, link up play is poor, our style is certainly not appealing to watch and might explain the paltry attendance for a home game. Lateral and backward passing over and over.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1478 - 20/03/2022 16:52:01    2405945

This team does not deserve to be promoted how fermanagh didn't win is beyond me. The team looks robotic. By that I mean that they are programmed to play a certain way and when that goes wrong they have no other way. Players that shine in the club Jersey are almost like different people when wearing the maroon Jersey division 3 is our level and the idea of anything else is fanciful

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1799 - 20/03/2022 17:08:03    2405950

Not impressed with team selection, set up and changes. I hope there was good reason why Wallace did not start.
McCartan started at centre back which for me is the last place he should be. Wing back, midfield or wing forward is where can do most damage.
While Lynam did ok at wing forward you are really playing with 3 midfielders and therefore down a forward which is not positive enough. Heslin seemed to operate on the half forward line for most of the game.
That left Loughlin and Gardiner inside but the ball didn't reall go in enough to them.
Subs didn't really have any impact save for Wallace. Thought Connellan could have stayed on for longer too.
Sam Duncan was playing very well and we lost the midfield battle when he was subbed.
Good crack in the stand as the Fermanagh supporters and mentors were going bananas with the officials practically from the start. The point that was waved wide looked good to me to be honest.
But they were doing some amount of heckling at the linesmen in both halves plus the referee.
Officials had to escorted off the field at the final whistle which is not good to see. Overall I didn't think he was too bad but the missed point was the last straw for the visitors.
WH definitely not good enough over the 70 mins to win. The wide count must have been well into double figures and too many dropped into the keepers hands, schoolboy errors. But just lacked the composure to seal the deal when on top.
Lynch and Gardiner had great goal chances in the second half.
Very disappointing overall but I believe the starting 15 and set up should have been better.
On a side note I see Conor McCormack on crutches, what's the story there ?

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1129 - 20/03/2022 17:34:50    2405956

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 383 - 20/03/2022 18:31:00    2405975

Matthew (None) - Posts: 1005 - 20/03/2022 19:02:44    2405987

Very dissappointing to only score 4 pts in second half.Our main go to man John Heslin was totally blocked out by Richard O Callaghan so John didnt score from play so we need a plan B to overcome that.Too many sideward and backward passes when in attacking positions.After last weeks great winning performance where we put promotion in our own hands now we have to win in Antrim and hope for others to do us a favour.Ronan Wallace must not have been 100% fit to start as he has been superb in all previous games and Conor McCormack looked in some distress on crutches so that looks serious.Ref had his hands full with some of the going ons around him but the vile and sickening abuse he recieved from the Fermanagh crowd as he was going down the tunnel was totally out of order.Grown men (and women) should be ashamed of themselves-no place for that in our game.

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 163 - 20/03/2022 19:10:02    2405991

What a shocking display in Mullingar from the officials today, never seen such poor officiating, in a game that wants overly aggressive, 3 black cards and a red, in a fixture that meant so much to both teams.

Some of the decisions were beyond belief, awarded a free for a throw ball when Fermanagh had shooting opportunity on 13 metre line, harshly blew Ciaran Corrigan for overcarrying inside 13 metre line in final play when had chance to get winning score and thats not to mention Sean Quigleys clear point that the umpire somehow waved wide,how the ref didnt see this or linesman on stand side(too busy causing trouble and being centre of attention himself)
Video and photos show umpire looking straight at it!! Costly error


On the game itself,it was exciting to watch but the quality at times was very poor, both teams made numerous unforced turnovers and kicked poor wides on day whereby weather wasnt an issue. Division 3 is certainly the most evenly matched division of a highly competitive league but id argue that no stand out teams in it this year and quality is slightly lower than previous seasons.

Fermanagh were very fortunate to be only 2 points down at half time, Westmeath easily could have scored another 4 goals today, especially chance at very end, dont know how he missed it.
Yas still have chance if we do you favour in Limerick but could be tough if rotate team ahead of Tyrone in few weeks

macca999 (Fermanagh) - Posts: 1097 - 20/03/2022 19:48:33    2406006

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1799 - 20/03/2022 20:36:28    2406031

Few observations from today. Westmeath is a county that is very poorly supported and that has been evident over the last few years it's disheartening especially when I think back to the early 2000s when Cusack was filled, the county is very poorly promoted by the county board.

On todays game. Very bright start, great control shown up until the black card and that gave Fermanagh a platform into the game. The 2nd half was very disappointing from a Westmeath perspective, defensively solid enough, no real goal scoring opportunities and there scores generally were on the periphery. Taught we transitioned the ball well into the right hands but then it just become repetitive and predictable.Very disappointing and very similar to Longford which is the worrying thing moving forward. Goal scoring opportunities have to be put away and there was 2 if not 3 today.

On separate note from reading back over posts I taught David Lynch was very good today and maybe some of the harsh comments should be directed at other players going by what I saw today.

ear2ground (Westmeath) - Posts: 109 - 20/03/2022 21:16:11    2406050

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1445 - 21/03/2022 08:32:03    2406078

Interview in the Westmeath Examiner with Jack Cooney.
So Ronan Wallace was carrying a possible hamstring issue and was not risked from the start.
In hindsight he was fine but I guess as he is a key player come championship they didn't want to risk it.
David Lynch had a good game the last day for sure. Operating as a wing back mainly I think.
Yes he missed the goal opportunity but it wasn't the only chance spurned.
Good to hear James Dolan and Ger Egan are making slow but positive progress on the road to recovery.
The bye will give Westmeath another week compared to some others but you won't find May 1st coming around !
Will the players go back to the clubs for a little while or do they stick with county ?

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1129 - 22/03/2022 16:07:46    2406525

I go to nearly all the games, home and away, and I'm being very fair here, but this group of players need time! It's a poor a standard as I've seen in the past 5/6 years. The team (as a collective) is not good enough right now. we have injuries, we're blending in newer players, and changing up positions for some . Our standard now unfortunately is Div 3. I hope we don't get promoted and that's simply because we'll develop more if we don't. We tend to blow up our players to be superstars when in reality we have about 4 players who would make an impact on a bigger team and get their place. 4 at a push. We have goalkeeping problems now too which doesn't help. The confident seems to be gone. Get this league out of the way, let the players back to the clubs for a few weeks and see if we can recharge this season.

Edman78 (Westmeath) - Posts: 100 - 24/03/2022 11:19:38    2406802

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 163 - 24/03/2022 12:14:31    2406823

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1799 - 24/03/2022 14:34:22    2406858

Best of luck to the hurlers and footballers this weekend.Hopefully the footballers will do the business against Antrim and maybe just maybe Fermanagh will do us a favour in Limerick.

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 163 - 25/03/2022 18:21:05    2407093

I don't know what the thoughts are in the Camp but I thought Keane and Dolan would have brought this team forward this year and it doesn't look like it from the signs, it has been refreshing to see new players but it's how the team has been performing when I look at Roscommon and Derry similar enough in where they have come from they seem to be making progression, we have been kind of stagnant the last 3 years.

PowellJohn (Westmeath) - Posts: 95 - 26/03/2022 19:25:28    2407241

sourmilk93 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1143 - 26/03/2022 19:40:41    2407243