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Not even going to comment on what led to this, but fair play to Westmeath for doing the right thing here.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 13/08/2014 10:52:25    1636121

Some talk the talk this county board walked the walk , unfortunate but a good life lesson for young men .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 13/08/2014 12:32:18    1636217

Would it not have made more sense to drop the individuals who were responsible from the squad rather than punish the whole team?Seems very unfair on the rest of the players.

juniorbsub (Wexford) - Posts: 646 - 13/08/2014 13:13:49    1636259

I would say that there is a chance they don't know which individuals have done it perhaps and nobody playing the rat! I don't know if this is the case tho, pure speculation !

Jack Daniels (Westmeath) - Posts: 152 - 13/08/2014 15:16:13    1636401

I wonder would they have pulled the team if it was the minor footballers?

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 13/08/2014 15:41:15    1636428

they only did this to save a bit of money..

sharpshooter23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 187 - 13/08/2014 16:07:48    1636454

Seems a bit harsh for tops n jerseys.
Goes on all over the country.
This seems to have been handled badly.

hound (Meath) - Posts: 234 - 13/08/2014 16:26:43    1636472

Interesting point keeper.

Fair play though. These things shouldn't be tolerated and people need to learn that when you do something wrong then there are consequences.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 13/08/2014 16:55:30    1636495

Westmeath would probably be favourites to win this competition. 4 years ago at the U14 Feile na nGael, Raharney hammered everyone to win Division 2 & Castletown-Geoghgan walked the Division 3 title. Raharney also won Div 2 the following year. Clonkill would be decent at minor level too.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 13/08/2014 17:41:45    1636527

Maybe given the walkover is the lesser of two evils for example running the possibility of getting thrown out and bringing a media circus to town. Either way its unfair on the lads who did nothing. But don't lose sight of the real issue, entering another teams dressing room and interfering with their property - well its childish - and costly.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 13/08/2014 17:42:52    1636528

This act of raiding dressing rooms for gear has become a cancer of the GAA in recent times and quite frankly it is disgusting and I for one instantly lose respect for anyone who participates in this pathetic theft.

I feel sorry for the majority of the Westmeath players who probably had no part to play. Personally I think anyone of any age needs to kicked out of their club for the remainder of the year if they're involved in such things.

Its not cool, its not funny and for clubs with tight budgets trying yo look after and maintain gear its a wrong.

crossfieldball (Galway) - Posts: 650 - 13/08/2014 18:15:16    1636543

They did the right thing. Nice to see that some people have a sense of honour.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 13/08/2014 20:39:31    1636609

Ridiculous high-handed nonsense from the Westmeath county board. The majority of the panel who had no part in this are now denied a chance to win an All Ireland medal. Would the self righteous county board have even entertained this notion for a moment if their minors were in an all Ireland A semi final. Like hell they would.

Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1412 - 13/08/2014 21:11:36    1636626

Honour!!
If this was a football fixture would they have withdrawn from the fixture!!

The management and panel weren't to blame and in a sense they ( the innocent have been punished and tarnished) with this act...
This wasn't just the theft of personal items from a female changing room in Armagh but a total disregard for our fellow Gaels/players and more importantly those of the opposite sex..... Although i don't know all the details ( who does)but what I heard wouldn't be out of place in the TV programme the'Inbetweeners'.....
I'm sorry , there is no honour here!!

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1673 - 13/08/2014 21:23:44    1636634

Onion Breath & cuchulainn35

+1

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 13/08/2014 21:52:45    1636653

Well done to W/M co. board.

jerryp (Cork) - Posts: 104 - 13/08/2014 21:55:06    1636655

Good call by W/meath. I'm sure that there were plenty of opportunities for those to come forward and admit to the crime, but they chose not to, whether they did it or knew who did.....I would like to think that if it were footballers the same would have happened.

freddy2 (Wexford) - Posts: 215 - 14/08/2014 08:28:53    1636667

I think the real reason for pulling them from the competition would it would save them a few euro, plus there's a full round of senior and intermediate club hurling fixed for this weekend which might have meant altering these fixtures. Pity cause our only chance of a bit of hurling success is these B competitions.

overdabar (Westmeath) - Posts: 230 - 14/08/2014 09:36:23    1636684

It will be excellent life lesson for them. Too many people think they can do whatever they want with no consequences. Might help them become men.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 14/08/2014 09:43:22    1636687

This is a disgraceful action by our county board.
Would never happen to the footballers.
This is a bunch of hurlers who started training last year for the A competition, were beaten by Kildare in the first round but din't get a chance to play a back door game, even though Kilkenny and others got that chance.
They entered the B to give players a few more games.

I've posted already that to punish the whole group for the actions of a few is ridiculous.

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 14/08/2014 09:51:07    1636690