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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Condolences to Mark McHugh on the sad news his brother was killed in a Car Crash in Cavan yesterday, a great footballer himself was Jim.
RIP
Corofin123 (National) - 11/08/2026 09:48:15
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International Rules - 2 Like(s)
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Most GAA players now start at 5/6 in their clubs. Its something similar in OZ.
So Kobe is starting at least 10 years behind his team mates on the skills of the oval ball.
Thats a lot of hours to put in to catch up - and most Irish lads never do.
So they end up being half backs (winning breaks and "tagging" the oppositions best players. Becoming "water carriers" in an inferior game (IMO).
It is a shame for GAA that we lose some of our very best footballers when they chose to be average water carriers on a professional team - unlikely to gain any money outside the sport - as sponsors don't really pay up to be associated with average players." Im sure most fellas would happily carry water if they we're paid to do so and have the professional lifestyle, it beats working for a living. Any young player male or female who gets even half an opportunity to go play in Australia should jump at it, and if it doesn't work out so be it. It's about doing something different with your life. Fair play to them. Anything else is pure begrudgery.
Bon (National) - 11/08/2026 18:13:44
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"It's Worrying For Hurling!" - 2 Like(s)
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." Again, an alternate view -
Hurling remains strong and popular in all the areas where it's always been strong and popular, and where people remain willing to develop and promote it.
It remains weak or even non-existent in all the places where people have little or no interest in doing anything to foster it in the first place. Won't even agree to basic Go Games for Under 10s!
As I keep pointing out - all the resources and supports in the world won't bring on hurling in those places if the local clubs don't want to work at it anyway. Horse, water, and drink.
Pikeman96 (National) - 11/08/2026 14:08:03
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Leitrim GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To gaelsboy: "Think mossie is retired now alright but if they can get out of their group I'm sure he could be got back, they need everyone they can get out" I doubt he's retired so millions. Thanks. Sure he's a young man with a young family please. He'd surely have to work for a number of years yet please and thank you.
bláthach (National) - 11/08/2026 13:05:00
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Donegal GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
May I express my condolences to The McHugh family and all the Donegal Gaa family on this very traumatic and extreme sad time.May James rest in peace.
CiarraiMick (National) - 11/08/2026 12:48:27
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Claretandblue: "It's far from a perfect structure and that's been well commented on here but what has been very noticeable in the opening two rounds has been the intensity and championship type tempo of the games. Teams know that losing one match could have a huge effect on qualifying so there's far greater urgency in the games. Caulry vs Garrycastle on Friday night was virtually a knockout game with both sides having lost their opening match and with tough games to come. The game was played at a great level of intensity with Caulry very unlucky. In Section A a side that could reach a county final will be eliminated, three draws out of six matches played suggests teams realise the importance of not losing early on, structure likely to be tweaked again next year but doubtful if scenario of four teams qualifying out of six will be reintroduced. Teams qualifying with one win out of five games hardly what supporters wish to see." I'd agree with your last sentence, but I doubt very much if that was the main reason forchanging the system. I think most people would believe that the clubs that supported the change, some of whom were well represented on the county executive, were motivated mainly by self-interest.
midlands (National) - 11/08/2026 09:07:00
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Claretandblue: "It's far from a perfect structure and that's been well commented on here but what has been very noticeable in the opening two rounds has been the intensity and championship type tempo of the games. Teams know that losing one match could have a huge effect on qualifying so there's far greater urgency in the games. Caulry vs Garrycastle on Friday night was virtually a knockout game with both sides having lost their opening match and with tough games to come. The game was played at a great level of intensity with Caulry very unlucky. In Section A a side that could reach a county final will be eliminated, three draws out of six matches played suggests teams realise the importance of not losing early on, structure likely to be tweaked again next year but doubtful if scenario of four teams qualifying out of six will be reintroduced. Teams qualifying with one win out of five games hardly what supporters wish to see." How often did teams qualify with 1group win over the 10 years that the system was in? Not often I'd imagine. Now we have a system where the 9th best team qualify and the 4th, 5th and 6th are all out? I think supporters would much rather the old system, as clearly voiced on this forum all summer long.
tparker120 (National) - 11/08/2026 09:58:35
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Donegal GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
With Cian O'Neill available, what's the chances Jim reaches out to him?
donegalgael-12 (National) - 11/08/2026 22:31:48
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Kickitout: "A strong rumour cian o Neill going join the cork hurling backroom team I know it's kind like silly season at moment. With all rumours just said I'd throw that one out there , I don't think I'd take him back he was on the management team that lost to Armagh in a brutal performance not pushing up on kickouts until it was 2 late last 5 mins ,under old rules he got away with it but as I've stated numerous times unless Galway get 2 new goalies a complete new half back line with pace and who actually kick ball into forwards not solo up field and give 2 yard hand pass to a player who is already marked , Galway need drop off panel that includes extended panel at least 8 if not more there are lads there for 3/4 years and getting virtual no games big shake up need in dugout and playing personnel" That final was lost because we couldn't kick frees.
As far as I'm concern the management had their job done.
smallfrank (National) - 11/08/2026 21:10:42
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Galway Hurling thread - 1 Like(s)
If ever there is a statement "how the mighty have fallen " it could sum up Portumna!
I know it's early days in the Club Championship BUT, it already looks like Portumna will be in a Relegation battle to avoid dropping from Intermediate to 3rd tier Junior with most likely Mullagh, Killimor and Rahoon-Newcastle.
4 group bottom teams I expected to be these 4 Clubs.
Surely Rahoon-Newcastle or Killimor have to be certs for the drop? Mullagh would be best out of those 4 and will survive.
Could the once mighty Portumna drop?
They got hammered 12pts by the mighty men from Meelick-Eyrecourt, Ahasragh-Fohenagh will also hammer them and Kinvara should beat them too by a few points.
katser (National) - 11/08/2026 19:39:23
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"It's Worrying For Hurling!" - 1 Like(s)
Replying To CastleBravo: "I agree with this, the "hurling needs to be promoted" line always seems to boil down to 2 arguments;
1. That 10s of thousands of people in non-hurling counties would actually dearly love to play and support hurling but as soon as anyone in these counties gets onto their club or county board they forget what hurling is and repress it instead. Why this grá for hurling is invisible is a strange one to make sense of.
2. The Liam Griffin theory that hurling isn't popular in these counties because their populations are just too thick to realise it's the greatest game on earth. The idea that large numbers of people know exactly what hurling is but have little interest in playing it is simply unthinkable- it's obviously just incompetence by the GAA to sell it to them." Regarding point number 2.
I grew up in a part of Galway city where hurling is almost non existent. I grew up believing it was a sport that,like much of irish culture,was for rural dwellers and premier league soccer was the only show in town. Once I started following hurling i discovered it is in fact, the greatest sport on earth :),in my opinion anyways.
It doesn't mean theyre thick obviously, but there are huge numbers of people all over ireland who would discover a love of hurling if it was fostered properly but as there is no culture of it they remain totally aloof.
Seniorleague (National) - 11/08/2026 18:58:28
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
A strong rumour cian o Neill going join the cork hurling backroom team I know it's kind like silly season at moment. With all rumours just said I'd throw that one out there , I don't think I'd take him back he was on the management team that lost to Armagh in a brutal performance not pushing up on kickouts until it was 2 late last 5 mins ,under old rules he got away with it but as I've stated numerous times unless Galway get 2 new goalies a complete new half back line with pace and who actually kick ball into forwards not solo up field and give 2 yard hand pass to a player who is already marked , Galway need drop off panel that includes extended panel at least 8 if not more there are lads there for 3/4 years and getting virtual no games big shake up need in dugout and playing personnel
Kickitout (National) - 11/08/2026 17:30:46
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International Rules - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Seanfan: "Some people are addicted to disaster stories...
Like yer man Hanrahan in the song...
"We'll all be ruined says Hanrahan before the year is out"" It's also funny how the "The best thing a player can do for his reputation is get injured" applies to getting signed by the AFL. Every player signed by the AFL is apparently destined to become the greatest GAA player in history who would have lead their county to generational dominance if only they'd stayed.
But when a lot of these same players come home 2-3 years later they have a regular spread of careers varying from unremarkable to good.
CastleBravo (National) - 11/08/2026 16:00:11
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Anti GAA Agenda - 1 Like(s)
Replying To BarneyGrant: "There's a huge market for televised sport. GAA in surrendering two prime months by curtailing championships has cut a switch for our own back.
The accountants only see the short term gain in freeing up event time.
And yes. The turkeys voted for Christmas.." Tell us about the great marketing the GAA used to do for intercounty hurling and football in August and September?
GreenandRed (National) - 11/08/2026 10:50:39
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"It's Worrying For Hurling!" - 1 Like(s)
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling also has 30+ counties entering its competitions.
Football is just less exclusive.
Football has been changing its championship since 2001. Changing its rules to try to make it a better watch as well as attractive to more people - which it is.
The only significant change to hurling was the round robin provincial system, which was introduced in a panic as a response to the football super 8's (which only lasted 2 years).
Hurling only copies parts of what goes on in football. I'd say its safe to say that the last great innovation in hurling (rules or structures) that was conceived, trailed and implemented by the hurling counties themselves (and later copied by football) was the All Ireland B championship in 1974. An innovation that removed 3 counties from the Leinster championship (Wicklow, Kildare, Westmeath). When football introduce an All Ireland B competition in 1990, no county left their provincial championship.
The reality is in 24 of the 32 counties , football is king. Even when football counties like Dublin, Galway and Offaly win a provincial or All Ireland - it doesn't seriously impact the development of hurling in those counties. Others that do well for a while - Kerry, Roscommon, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, Down, Derry etc - havent been able to challenge that.
In the large urban areas - Galway, Dublin city, Sligo, Athlone, Belfast, Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Enniskillen etc - hurling has made minimal inroads in 140 years.
With the current demographic swing to the eastern seaboard and Dublin area, unless hurling bucks up its ideas, it will go the way of other GAA sports that have all but disappeared. (Rounders and handball)." And in any case its the GAAs responsibility to protect and promote hurling. Not the responsibility of "hurling" itself.
The biggest problem is that there are too many half gael county boards in Ireland who arent doing their jobs properly!
Viking66 (National) - 11/08/2026 13:38:42
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Corofin123: "Condolences to Mark McHugh on the sad news his brother was killed in a Car Crash in Cavan yesterday, a great footballer himself was Jim.
RIP" apologies, his uncle.
Corofin123 (National) - 11/08/2026 10:04:13
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International Rules - 1 Like(s)
Is it strange that some people, who are less than supportive of the LGFA, of the standard of ladies football and integration seem concerned about the state of intercounty LGFA because some of it's better players go and play in the AFLW?
GreenandRed (National) - 11/08/2026 10:46:47
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Carlow GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Onion Breath: "Maybe there's another way instead of the complete split season like we had in recent years.
For me the biggest issue is dual players are playing too many competitive and unforgiving matches week after week and it's going to drive them away from one sport to save themselves for the other, or their clubs will effectively do it for them and not train at all for one sport and pay it lip service to it. 15 weeks of consecutive championship matches was mentioned earlier. And make that senior for some dual players and it's all the worse. We're a small county and we need dual players more than most other counties to keep the numbers up in both codes so we need to encourage and facilitate dual players. We've always had a great tradition of dual players (some outstanding ones like Quirke, Hayden, Nevin, Cullen to name some) and we should try to maintain that.
My suggestion is no player or team should as a rule play more than 3 championship matches per month. So that means reverting to the 2 groups of 4 set up for the SFC and IFC and JFC and in hurling unless there's 8 teams go with one group but each team plays no more than 3 group matches (to be drawn like football is at present).
Then split the hurling and football championships across the months. So for the first year, July is football only with each team playing their 3 championship matches, meaning all players have one weekend off in the month. Then August is hurling only and again no player or team has more than 3 championship matches that month. Then September and it's football only again with each team having no more than 3 championship matches, quarter final, semi and final. Some will have two and some only one but that's championship for you. Then October is back to hurling only and again similarly no team has more then 3 matches. Reverse the order the following year and so on. This way everyone is crystal clear each year eg July is football only, August is hurling only and so on. And no more than 3 matches per month. I think this keeps both football and hurling moving through the better summer months and not waiting for ages for it to start and it gives players and teams a bit of breathing space. 15 weeks in a row is just mad." My original post was not let through so I'll tone it down.
I agree with a lot of your proposals. If Carlow Town or Burren Rangers win Intermediate, you have a 7 team SHC. That's not workable in the current calendar as you need 7 rounds to run off the round robin so an additional 2 rounds. I'd make an 8 team championship and promote both of them to give you the two groups of 4. Introduce quarter finals if you want an have the bottom teams play a Senior B Final with the winners going through to Leinster Intermediate Championship.
There's talk of the Joe McDonagh final being pushed back to early July and next year will have a semi final between 2nd and 3rd which makes our current structure even more unworkable.
IHC would consist of Kildavin/Clonegal, MLR 2, Bagenalstown 2, St. Mullins 2, Naomh Eoin 2 and maybe Carlow Town 2 or Ballinkillen 2.
The current SFC format means a team might play 8 games (excluding replays) to win a county title. That's 1 or 2 too many especially in a dual county. Laois teams play a maximum of 6 games to win a SFC. Every team plays Round 1 and 2, if you win both then into quarter final. If you lose one you end up in Round 3, winners of Round 3 into a quarter final so 6 games max.
I feel like there's a lot of time wasted in September and October as well. This is current schedule:
6 September: Hurling Semi Finals
13 September: Football Quarter Finals
27 September: Hurling Finals
4 October: Football Semi Finals
18 October Football Finals
8 November: Leinster Club Hurling Championship
15 November: Leinster Club Football Championship (anomaly this year as bye into QF, prelim round is on 1 November)
I know they were trying to be fair on teams if they got to latter end of football and hurling championships that they would have a break but I think it would be more beneficial building break weeks into the group stages.
All group games currently finish on weekend of 30 August.
13 September: Football Quarter Finals
20 September: Hurling Semi Finals
27 September: Football Semi Finals
11 October: Hurling Finals
18 October: Football Finals
This leaves weekend of 4 October open for hurling or football semi final replays.
This gives you a week break between group stages and knockouts and barring no replays, a 3 weeks build up to county finals. If we reduce the group stages by 2 games (1 in each code at least) this allows breaks in the group stage.
ACarlowGael (National) - 11/08/2026 12:30:50
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International Rules - 1 Like(s)
Replying To ORIELMAN85: "Would you start and do a count of how many elite gaelic players go to the AFL. Most players who go are back inside 2 years. Lads spend longer away on college erasmus. Fair play to any lad or lassie that can get a free couple of years enjoying the Aussie life." Some people are addicted to disaster stories...
Like yer man Hanrahan in the song...
"We'll all be ruined says Hanrahan before the year is out"
Seanfan (National) - 11/08/2026 12:03:45
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Anti GAA Agenda - 1 Like(s)
Replying To GreenandRed: "Tell us about the great marketing the GAA used to do for intercounty hurling and football in August and September?" The people that watched big inter County GAA games on TV in August and September are still watching the big games in June and July.
Meanwhile in August and September 32 Counties will run Club Championships in an organised manner unlike the hit and miss disorganised depends on the County team fiasco that were the norm.
Seanfan (National) - 11/08/2026 12:01:05
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