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Division 2A Final: Down V Westmeath

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The Division 2A final was confirmed yesterday: Down v Westmeath. Winning promotion to Division 1 is the biggest hurling prize on offer next weekend, the first weekend of April. Can Down join Antrim in Division 1 or can Westmeath replace Offaly in Division 1? "Allianz Hurling League Division 2A round 3 At Ballycran Down 0-22 Kildare 2-17 Allianz Hurling League Division 2A round 4 At TEG Cusack Park Down 1-18 Westmeath 1-16" Down have been in flying form, their only blip being a surprise defeat to Kildare (R3). Westmeath would have been the preseason favourites. They've shrugged off defeats to Carlow (R2) and Down (R4) to make the final. Down were unlucky to miss out on last year's McDonagh final. A tough one to call. Division 1 hurling benefitted Westmeath in last year's McDonagh final. They'll be slight favourites on that basis. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 27/03/2022 13:07:00 2407317 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "The Division 2A final was confirmed yesterday: Down v Westmeath. Winning promotion to Division 1 is the biggest hurling prize on offer next weekend, the first weekend of April. Can Down join Antrim in Division 1 or can Westmeath replace Offaly in Division 1? "Allianz Hurling League Division 2A round 3 At Ballycran Down 0-22 Kildare 2-17 Allianz Hurling League Division 2A round 4 At TEG Cusack Park Down 1-18 Westmeath 1-16" Down have been in flying form, their only blip being a surprise defeat to Kildare (R3). Westmeath would have been the preseason favourites. They've shrugged off defeats to Carlow (R2) and Down (R4) to make the final. Down were unlucky to miss out on last year's McDonagh final. A tough one to call. Division 1 hurling benefitted Westmeath in last year's McDonagh final. They'll be slight favourites on that basis." The return of key attacking players who haven't been available in the league will be a boost to Westmeath. They came off the bench to see us past Kerry yesterday. I thought Kerry were very good yesterday and seemed to play better when they went down to 14 men, although that does happen a lot. Down have been flying, Westmeath may be slight favourites but won't be taking anything for granted in this one. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 782 - 27/03/2022 13:33:45 2407320 Link
The Division 2A final is being streamed by TG4. It's getting the same treatment as the Intermediate and Junior Club finals. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 29/03/2022 21:01:26 2408237 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "The Division 2A final is being streamed by TG4. It's getting the same treatment as the Intermediate and Junior Club finals." Hurling is only really popular on the Ards Peninsula. It's football everywhere else. Is there even much interest within Westmeath as well? Seems like footballers get the most attention there. Can't blame TG4 for this. It's up to the GAA to increase hurling's profile in these counties. Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 738 - 30/03/2022 09:51:46 2408262 Link
Replying To Rolo2010: "Hurling is only really popular on the Ards Peninsula. It's football everywhere else. Is there even much interest within Westmeath as well? Seems like footballers get the most attention there. Can't blame TG4 for this. It's up to the GAA to increase hurling's profile in these counties." Maybe we should concentrate on Hurling in Down as the football teams aren't up to much. Ronanthehammer (Down) - Posts: 48 - 30/03/2022 10:15:57 2408272 Link
Replying To Ronanthehammer: "Maybe we should concentrate on Hurling in Down as the football teams aren't up to much." All joking aside. Potentially we could have our senior hurlers playing division 1 next year and as we know our footballers will be playing division 3. Fair play to Ronan Sheehan and his team. By the way people keep referring to him as a native of Newry. He was actually born and breed in Kilkeel and learned his hurling skills under the management of his father Gerry, who took the hurling team (St Colman's) in Kilkeel for years. Ronanthehammer (Down) - Posts: 48 - 30/03/2022 10:45:51 2408282 Link
I'm surprised Westmeath are such heavy favourites for this one. Down have beaten Westmeath, Carlow and Kerry in the last few months. Its great to see them back challenging for Division 1 status. Westmeath haven't been playing well in the league and were really struggling against Kildare until Kildare had a man sent off. Think it will be tight but I just about fancy Westmeath to win it. carlovia (None) - Posts: 1517 - 30/03/2022 10:59:30 2408289 Link
Replying To Rolo2010: "Hurling is only really popular on the Ards Peninsula. It's football everywhere else. Is there even much interest within Westmeath as well? Seems like footballers get the most attention there. Can't blame TG4 for this. It's up to the GAA to increase hurling's profile in these counties." I'm not blaming TG4. It's an understandable decision from their point of view. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 30/03/2022 11:30:54 2408295 Link
Replying To Ronanthehammer: "All joking aside. Potentially we could have our senior hurlers playing division 1 next year and as we know our footballers will be playing division 3. Fair play to Ronan Sheehan and his team. By the way people keep referring to him as a native of Newry. He was actually born and breed in Kilkeel and learned his hurling skills under the management of his father Gerry, who took the hurling team (St Colman's) in Kilkeel for years." sorry mean't bred Ronanthehammer (Down) - Posts: 48 - 30/03/2022 11:38:46 2408300 Link
Down always seem to be westmeaths bogey team always seem to get a win against them when the odds are stacked against them. I remember the 2004 div. 2 final between the counties, I think westmeathsl were big favourites and there was talk at the time it was their best team in nearly 20 years but down went out and bet them handily enough in the end, I think this year though Westmeath should do enough to get the win and get back to div. 1. As for Down they have to be one of the most improved teams in the country so getting to the final was a great achievement with the small pick they have. preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 736 - 30/03/2022 12:09:01 2408315 Link
Replying To preddan: "Down always seem to be westmeaths bogey team always seem to get a win against them when the odds are stacked against them. I remember the 2004 div. 2 final between the counties, I think westmeathsl were big favourites and there was talk at the time it was their best team in nearly 20 years but down went out and bet them handily enough in the end, I think this year though Westmeath should do enough to get the win and get back to div. 1. As for Down they have to be one of the most improved teams in the country so getting to the final was a great achievement with the small pick they have." Yeah like I was saying, I think the return of key players for Westmeath will be the difference at the weekend but we haven't been playing well at all and still managed to get to the final so I'm hoping we actually perform to the level we expect of ourselves on Saturday. I've been disappointed with our league campaign but if we get the job done we can't have too many complaints. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 782 - 30/03/2022 13:20:03 2408344 Link
Replying To Dheen: "Yeah like I was saying, I think the return of key players for Westmeath will be the difference at the weekend but we haven't been playing well at all and still managed to get to the final so I'm hoping we actually perform to the level we expect of ourselves on Saturday. I've been disappointed with our league campaign but if we get the job done we can't have too many complaints." I think Down must be favourites.They beat us in Mullingar and have had a two week break.At no stage have we played to our full potential.Some of our key players for one reason or another are playing very poorly.This group really need to improve dramatically in Thurles for Westmeath to return to division 1.We know they can do it but but ??? jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 31/03/2022 11:46:37 2408604 Link
Replying To preddan: "Down always seem to be westmeaths bogey team always seem to get a win against them when the odds are stacked against them. I remember the 2004 div. 2 final between the counties, I think westmeathsl were big favourites and there was talk at the time it was their best team in nearly 20 years but down went out and bet them handily enough in the end, I think this year though Westmeath should do enough to get the win and get back to div. 1. As for Down they have to be one of the most improved teams in the country so getting to the final was a great achievement with the small pick they have." Down's biggest improvement seems to be that they've stopped leaking goals. keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 31/03/2022 12:05:17 2408616 Link
Division 1 will be a big step up from Division 2A. I'd have a preference for the old Division 1B. If the league semi-finals are scrapped, the top 2 in each division should qualify for the final. The 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B final winner should be promoted. The runners-up should be given a second bite at the promotion cherry through a play-off with the 5th placed team from the division above. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 01/04/2022 14:07:51 2408881 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "Division 1 will be a big step up from Division 2A. I'd have a preference for the old Division 1B. If the league semi-finals are scrapped, the top 2 in each division should qualify for the final. The 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B final winner should be promoted. The runners-up should be given a second bite at the promotion cherry through a play-off with the 5th placed team from the division above." That would be way too good of an idea for it to be actually implemented! Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 01/04/2022 14:59:02 2408898 Link
Congratulations to Westmeath! They backed up last year's McDonagh success by getting the results in 2A when it mattered most. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 02/04/2022 18:21:31 2409101 Link
A complete performance from the lake men today. Down never really got going and were very wasteful with the ball. Westmeath were far more efficient in front of goal. Credit to Down, they kept plugging away but it was only going one way in the 2nd half. 35OLT (USA) - Posts: 90 - 02/04/2022 19:04:46 2409115 Link
1 out of 12 Division 1 teams being relegated is a very low percentage for the league. The 2A runner-up should get at least a play-off against the Division 1 relegation final winner. This year would have resulted in Antrim v Down in a Division 1 play-off. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 03/04/2022 13:15:02 2409188 Link