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Westmeath Football thread

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Huge amount of fellas in there last year unavailable through injury, schools football a big step up to u-20, as a county we need everyone avilable those mentioned above are all nailed on starters and have played a full year of adult football last year. two other lads who opted out were byrne and maloney who i think would add something to the team, and then the other admision would be Henson for Garrycastle. The annoying thing about it theres a quality team there there without 7-9 players who i feel would make a massive difference and are better stronger players than those who played last week.

nadunta2025 (Westmeath) - Posts: 28 - 30/03/2026 08:28:37    2663899

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "There was a stark difference in how they were moving, they seemed physically so far ahead. We have to beat Dublin now to advance it would seem. Beating just Wexford which will be extremely difficult won't be enough. It must be said there are 7 starters missing from that U20 team from what I was told last night, there are three from Tubberclair in Bourke, Staunton and O'Connor, Curran from Moate, Geary from Athlone, Ryan Kelly from Shamrocks and Conor Callaghan from Kinnegad. All seven of these are in their last year and have played adult championship for their club. The younger Whittaker looked promising when he came on. I think the question again that must be raised is the fact U18s cannot play adult football until they are 19. I think 8 or 9 of the team would not have played for their clubs above underage yet and then the step up is massive."
Good point, not letting lads play Adult football until they are over 18 is another factor to the dreadful performances of the County U20 team. It is beyond belief that they have not been doing any gym sessions as a group. What has been learned from last year? Sent out like lambs to the slaughter again.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 327 - 30/03/2026 11:25:29    2663935

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "Good point, not letting lads play Adult football until they are over 18 is another factor to the dreadful performances of the County U20 team. It is beyond belief that they have not been doing any gym sessions as a group. What has been learned from last year? Sent out like lambs to the slaughter again."
it was disappointing. With lads from Marist and CBS on that team, a few from Moate who've all played Schools Leinster and All-Ireland finals, and a couple from AIT after winning a Freshers All-Ireland, along with a strong Shamrocks and Tubberclair group, I genuinely thought it was one of the best U20 sides we've had in years.

I know they probably didn't get much time training together, but the physical side was very noticeable - same as against Meath last year. McFadden even said it after the league final: ''the game now is nearly all about kick-outs and having big men, and that's something we thankfully have plenty of.''

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 159 - 30/03/2026 14:30:28    2663965

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Replying To nadunta2025:  "Huge amount of fellas in there last year unavailable through injury, schools football a big step up to u-20, as a county we need everyone avilable those mentioned above are all nailed on starters and have played a full year of adult football last year. two other lads who opted out were byrne and maloney who i think would add something to the team, and then the other admision would be Henson for Garrycastle. The annoying thing about it theres a quality team there there without 7-9 players who i feel would make a massive difference and are better stronger players than those who played last week."
Well said these are FACTS

GCCABU (Westmeath) - Posts: 27 - 30/03/2026 14:41:17    2663967

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Replying To GCCABU:  "Well said these are FACTS"
Maloney had a leg brace on last Monday when himself,Ty and Micky Weir were on the iarmhi podcast 10 with the management team.

He didn't play on Friday as the Board wouldn't pay for a Dunnes Store plastic bag to wrap around it to keep it dry (other supermarket plastic bags are also availablle

FACT

ExiledCuCu (Cavan) - Posts: 287 - 30/03/2026 19:21:50    2664018

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