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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To Claretandblue: "There has been a bit of reaction to his speech. The people watching online were those who bought tickets and were interested in the winner being announced and the number of tickets sold. Doubtful that many watched online who hadn't supported the draw, felt he should have celebrated the fact that the draw turned out to be a huge success, €930,000 in our county's first such draw is huge. Tommy Kelly and his crew obviously helped massively in recent weeks, he's a top gaa man, lucky to have him, Chairman has put in a huge effort too and maybe has felt the brunt of criticism but last night was not the place to be settling scores. Credit to the clubs who supported the draw and the individuals who bought tickets, a profit of well over half a million is a great start" Shockin it took a good Roscommon GAA man to push us over the line. Chops (Westmeath) - Posts: 836 - 02/07/2025 23:21:21 2623301 Link
100k for marketing is peanuts. Whether they got value from that marketing company is a question for another day. To walk away with 500k is an excellent result. I've had the pleasure of been at Tyrones COE a few times and its a class set up. You can't help but notice the investment from the likes of big businesses supporting it and also the county ground (McAleer & Rushe, Donnelly Brothers, Rocwell Water, Bank of Ireland). It would be good to see some of our own businesses operating on a national scale get behind the COE as I don't think Roma Chippie or a computer repair shop on Mullingar High Street will have the pocket's needed. Maroon Heaven (Westmeath) - Posts: 46 - 03/07/2025 05:03:56 2623321 Link
Replying To Maroon Heaven: "100k for marketing is peanuts. Whether they got value from that marketing company is a question for another day. To walk away with 500k is an excellent result. I've had the pleasure of been at Tyrones COE a few times and its a class set up. You can't help but notice the investment from the likes of big businesses supporting it and also the county ground (McAleer & Rushe, Donnelly Brothers, Rocwell Water, Bank of Ireland). It would be good to see some of our own businesses operating on a national scale get behind the COE as I don't think Roma Chippie or a computer repair shop on Mullingar High Street will have the pocket's needed." If it was 100k then it was completely wasted as there was nothing done at all until the last couple of weeks and even then it was using our own county players to promote it. I could not think of a worse way of wasting money considering there were local alternatives that would not have cost as much. Bar that amount though this discussion in general shows how completely out of touch Westmeath top table is to the clubs. Hopefully the next person in the top job is willing to work constructively with people Darragh (Westmeath) - Posts: 340 - 03/07/2025 13:37:27 2623420 Link
Replying To Darragh: "If it was 100k then it was completely wasted as there was nothing done at all until the last couple of weeks and even then it was using our own county players to promote it. I could not think of a worse way of wasting money considering there were local alternatives that would not have cost as much. Bar that amount though this discussion in general shows how completely out of touch Westmeath top table is to the clubs. Hopefully the next person in the top job is willing to work constructively with people" I'll vote for ye Darragh for the top job or whatever other position on the Board you are going for to help out. Meridian (Westmeath) - Posts: 677 - 04/07/2025 09:17:21 2623545 Link
Replying To Meridian: "I'll vote for ye Darragh for the top job or whatever other position on the Board you are going for to help out." Thanks for the vote of support there but I have a young family, am underage chairman in my own club and run training twice a week as it is. Could it be too much to just ask for whoever does take the job to work with people and not take every opportunity to criticise clubs and supporters Darragh (Westmeath) - Posts: 340 - 04/07/2025 16:35:04 2623635 Link
With the football championships about to kick off shortly I see there are a total of 57 inter-county players from around the country signed up and registered to play in the US this summer.im sure local clubs in Westmeath are losing more players as well with travelling/working abroad as well.Are many clubs here affected badly? Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 267 - 09/07/2025 07:59:55 2624542 Link
Replying To Bruno@1: "With the football championships about to kick off shortly I see there are a total of 57 inter-county players from around the country signed up and registered to play in the US this summer.im sure local clubs in Westmeath are losing more players as well with travelling/working abroad as well.Are many clubs here affected badly?" From one site I read i saw Senan Baker, Danny McCartan and Charlie Drumm away with clubs in States anyway so that's Caulry, Lomans and Downs definitely affected Darragh (Westmeath) - Posts: 340 - 09/07/2025 09:09:48 2624550 Link
Replying To Bruno@1: "With the football championships about to kick off shortly I see there are a total of 57 inter-county players from around the country signed up and registered to play in the US this summer.im sure local clubs in Westmeath are losing more players as well with travelling/working abroad as well.Are many clubs here affected badly?" I see Fola has left Lomans for a club in Sligo. He is a big loss. Kian Mitchell has returned to Athlone GAA after a 2 year stint in Galway with Menlough. He played with Galway's u20s this year! He moved over to Galway after not being called up to the Westmeath u20s. Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 560 - 09/07/2025 10:05:25 2624557 Link
Replying To Bruno@1: "With the football championships about to kick off shortly I see there are a total of 57 inter-county players from around the country signed up and registered to play in the US this summer.im sure local clubs in Westmeath are losing more players as well with travelling/working abroad as well.Are many clubs here affected badly?" Around 2,000 Clubs, c1,000 Council Senior panellists 57 gone to the semi pro circuit. Not exactly a crisis!!! Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2524 - 09/07/2025 11:46:52 2624577 Link
Every year there is the same complaints from players. Why is Westmeath one of the few counties that can't provide exact dates for championship fixtures more than 2 weeks in advance. Granted we know which weekend but is there a reason why our county board can't give exact days over the weekend westmeathgaa11 (Westmeath) - Posts: 319 - 09/07/2025 13:14:55 2624608 Link
Replying To westmeathgaa11: "Every year there is the same complaints from players. Why is Westmeath one of the few counties that can't provide exact dates for championship fixtures more than 2 weeks in advance. Granted we know which weekend but is there a reason why our county board can't give exact days over the weekend" they have. They are on the website for the games up to end of the month jamsie (Westmeath) - Posts: 474 - 09/07/2025 14:14:08 2624631 Link
Replying To westmeathgaa11: "Every year there is the same complaints from players. Why is Westmeath one of the few counties that can't provide exact dates for championship fixtures more than 2 weeks in advance. Granted we know which weekend but is there a reason why our county board can't give exact days over the weekend" Clubs have their fixtures for first round of football championships ~2.5 weeks in advance. Seems to be accommodation made this year for all Ireland final too. Cant have any complaints really. Hopefully a sign of things to come from those arranging fixtures for the remainder of the championship! Iakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 19 - 09/07/2025 14:36:21 2624637 Link
Replying To Iakecounty90: "Clubs have their fixtures for first round of football championships ~2.5 weeks in advance. Seems to be accommodation made this year for all Ireland final too. Cant have any complaints really. Hopefully a sign of things to come from those arranging fixtures for the remainder of the championship!" 2.5 weeks in advance, ground breaking stuff lads. Other counties have exact dates out for the full schedule of rounds westmeathgaa11 (Westmeath) - Posts: 319 - 09/07/2025 15:44:13 2624652 Link
Replying To westmeathgaa11: "2.5 weeks in advance, ground breaking stuff lads. Other counties have exact dates out for the full schedule of rounds" I meet lots of adult players and I've never heard one complain about fixtures not being available months in advance. The clubs and players do know which weekend they're playing so where's your issue? In my own club for example one of our longest serving senior players is getting married on Saturday week, we submitted a request to the County Board last week asking could our senior fixture be on the Friday? They obliged us so no issues. I'm sure our situation could be similar for every club but chances are clubs themselves or club secretaries wouldn't be aware of stag dos, weddings, concerts etc until within 2-3 weeks of matches. Players don't tend to tell club executives months in advance that there are ten lads away on a break together. If exact fixtures were given out months in advance you don't think clubs would genuinely have an issue with them? Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2259 - 09/07/2025 16:16:30 2624664 Link
Replying To westmeathgaa11: "2.5 weeks in advance, ground breaking stuff lads. Other counties have exact dates out for the full schedule of rounds" You're not wrong. But there's also not really an issue with it. Not sure what's gained by knowing it months in advance? Iakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 19 - 09/07/2025 16:27:43 2624667 Link
Replying To Iakecounty90: "You're not wrong. But there's also not really an issue with it. Not sure what's gained by knowing it months in advance?" What's is there to be gained? Are you for real? Nevermind letting players plan their lives, sure let them wait until 2 weeks before. ill flip that and challenge you what's to be gained in waiting? westmeathgaa11 (Westmeath) - Posts: 319 - 09/07/2025 18:46:25 2624703 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "I meet lots of adult players and I've never heard one complain about fixtures not being available months in advance. The clubs and players do know which weekend they're playing so where's your issue? In my own club for example one of our longest serving senior players is getting married on Saturday week, we submitted a request to the County Board last week asking could our senior fixture be on the Friday? They obliged us so no issues. I'm sure our situation could be similar for every club but chances are clubs themselves or club secretaries wouldn't be aware of stag dos, weddings, concerts etc until within 2-3 weeks of matches. Players don't tend to tell club executives months in advance that there are ten lads away on a break together. If exact fixtures were given out months in advance you don't think clubs would genuinely have an issue with them?" The county board obliged your club or the other club obliged and the county board agreed with it? I assume the other club also has to have agreed to the change?? Chops (Westmeath) - Posts: 836 - 09/07/2025 20:33:54 2624715 Link
This was senior football championship, clubs can't organise those fixtures themselves. We made a request through our club secretary to be facilitated if possible. They said they'd look at it, possibly consulted our opponents but not sure. When fixtures came out last weekend we were pleased. My original point was in response to the post about getting fixtures 3-4 months in advance. Clubs could get a fixture now for mid Sept in championship but guaranteed they'd look for a change because of some event, wedding, etc that the club didn't know about. Players don't tell club secretaries 12-14 weeks in advance that there's 5/6 players going to Edinburgh on a Saturday. That's not my experience. In our own case it was only three weeks ago that the manager found out by accident that 6-7 starters had a wedding on Saturday week Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2259 - 09/07/2025 21:55:02 2624726 Link