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Westmeath Football thread - 6 Like(s)
Absolute shambles.
After a vote this evening, where the county board delegate held the majority our championship format has been changed. I genuinely can't believe it.
Under the new structure, the 9th-ranked team overall will qualify for the quarter-finals by coming through a group while the 4th-ranked team in the championship will be knocked out. You could easily see a situation where Lomans finish 4th in Group A after facing top sides like The Downs, Shamrocks, Kinnegad and Garrycastle, while Kilcucan finish 3rd in Group B after playing teams like Moate, Tang, Athlone and Tubberclair.
How is that fair?
Not a single player I've spoken to wants this change. Can someone explain why this was pushed through and what the reasoning is? It's a real kick in the teeth for players and clubs.
If you believe I'm wrong please let me know and your reasons to why change was needed ????
I'm just fed up! County board finally had something right and then decided actually no we should change it as it's running too well.
Temple56 (National) - 12/02/2026 22:42:56
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Donegal GAA thread - 4 Like(s)
Replying To S1234: "Lol are you the expert are ya? . We came up against the best team ever Dubs 6 in a row. Where the only ones whoever came close to them . Would hardly call that blowing chances. Yes we for sure blew one or two no doubt about it . But to say we will never wim sam is just a load of rubbish from an outsider and from a rival county . A draw wouldn't surprise you hilarious your ahead of us but we have had your number last few in years in league anyways. Another ridiculous post from you." I don't normally reply to trolls but I'll make an exception because you made me laugh with this reply, it reminds me of a discussion I heard on 'off the ball' one time, could have been David Brady that was on not sure but anyway they maintained that if the Dublin 6 in a row team where the best team of all time then Mayo were the second best!
you'd just have to laugh at their logic,
of course Donegal actually beat that great Dublin team in 2014, otherwise it possibly could have been 8 in a row but you don't hear us saying we were the second best team of all time lol.
Poor Mayo, I really do feel sorry for them, at least most of the team from that era got a national league winners medal and a good few Connacht medals having beaten the likes of Leitrim, Sligo, London and New York along the way, 2nd best team of all time indeed.
Tirchonaill1 (National) - 12/02/2026 22:16:29
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Donegal GAA thread - 3 Like(s)
Replying To Tirchonaill1: "I don't normally reply to trolls but I'll make an exception because you made me laugh with this reply, it reminds me of a discussion I heard on 'off the ball' one time, could have been David Brady that was on not sure but anyway they maintained that if the Dublin 6 in a row team where the best team of all time then Mayo were the second best!
you'd just have to laugh at their logic,
of course Donegal actually beat that great Dublin team in 2014, otherwise it possibly could have been 8 in a row but you don't hear us saying we were the second best team of all time lol.
Poor Mayo, I really do feel sorry for them, at least most of the team from that era got a national league winners medal and a good few Connacht medals having beaten the likes of Leitrim, Sligo, London and New York along the way, 2nd best team of all time indeed." And you know if they ever do win one, David will be back to say they're best team of all time of course. Insufferable fools.
Square_B (National) - 13/02/2026 18:22:44
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Westmeath Football thread - 3 Like(s)
Replying To anon: "I see the county board have come back with another proposal since the previous ones gained no traction.
They now want to put 3 teams from each section through, but keep the A and B sections as they are. Top 2 in section A go through to semis and the other 4 teams in an open draw for the quarters
This is more nonsense. You have the 6 strongest teams on one side and the weaker side gets as many teams through to the knockouts.
You end up better off if you finish 3rd in section B than 4th in section A, where you would be playing much stronger teams.
It's also the same number of games as currently take place, thus not helping the dual player, which was apparently a key reason for wanting change in the first place.
They tried to change things, were clearly told that clubs are happy with the structure overall but have decided that they still want to change it for some reason." The structure is rewarding mediocrity, having a so called stronger group and a weaker group. There's no real championship cut and trust to it for want of a better word. As you said if you're in group B it's an easier path to the knockout stages.
It should be the 12 teams open draw 2 groups of 6. League format.
Winners of A play runner up B. Winners of B play runner up A. There's your semi finals and finals.
To add bite and reduce as many dead rubbers have a promotion/relegation semi final and final. Both bottom teams in each group, Team 5 from A play team 6 from B and vise versa. Losers of semi finals play relegation final with the loser going down.
All teams get a minimum of 5 games and a max of seven barring replays. Standard goes up as it becomes more dog eat dog to qualify for semis or avoid relegation playoffs. For example you'd have situations/games where the downs would need to win on the last day to make the semifinal and their opponents eg shamrocks would need the win to avoid relegation playoffs and if shamrocks won stop the downs from reaching the semifinal stage. It would add a bit of spice to every game.
2maroonjerseys (National) - 13/02/2026 08:47:54
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Westmeath Football thread - 3 Like(s)
Replying To nadunta2025: "I think my point still very valid after the weekends game, how we have been so bad at minor grade the last few years and the schools getting it right. I know the Marist have maybe 4-5 lads from Roscommon but still combine these schools teams with Rochfortbridge, Moate,Kilbeggab and then theres probably 1-2 lads going to school in Other schools like Ballymahon or Edenderry perhaps, How have we only won a handful of games at minor in the last 5 years is beyond belief.
Marist have Mchugh a great Talent as long as he stays fit, Whittaker which i seen last year although wasnt as close to goal foe the marist will be a county player, a few another 5-6 county Minors, where Mullingar were probably stacked all over maybe 1 forward shy of the full package. Midfield are giants and the way kickouts have gone suits them but they can also play football. Maloney, Masterson, sheerin, Weir,Mcwade, Higgins are all solid performers and then Scahill has the brilliance.
County Board need to be held accountable!!!" There are many people who would argue that a thriving, well coached and competitive schools scene is far more important than anything that is happening on the county development side which has been in a state of malfunction for years with inadequate infrastructure (County managers having to beg Clubs for use of pitches). It's an absolute disgrace that a Centre of Excellence has not been built by now, generations of players failed by the County Board.
iarmhiabu (National) - 13/02/2026 08:36:30
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To 2maroonjerseys: "The structure is rewarding mediocrity, having a so called stronger group and a weaker group. There's no real championship cut and trust to it for want of a better word. As you said if you're in group B it's an easier path to the knockout stages.
It should be the 12 teams open draw 2 groups of 6. League format.
Winners of A play runner up B. Winners of B play runner up A. There's your semi finals and finals.
To add bite and reduce as many dead rubbers have a promotion/relegation semi final and final. Both bottom teams in each group, Team 5 from A play team 6 from B and vise versa. Losers of semi finals play relegation final with the loser going down.
All teams get a minimum of 5 games and a max of seven barring replays. Standard goes up as it becomes more dog eat dog to qualify for semis or avoid relegation playoffs. For example you'd have situations/games where the downs would need to win on the last day to make the semifinal and their opponents eg shamrocks would need the win to avoid relegation playoffs and if shamrocks won stop the downs from reaching the semifinal stage. It would add a bit of spice to every game." A gift to mediocrity is right.I believe a large majority of football clubs voted against this only passes by the unanimity of the board who now expect the clubs to find millions for the COE.
Some hope!
jobber (National) - 13/02/2026 12:42:51
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
I actually can't believe the new Championship format that the county board have pushed through for this year. The one thing they had got right for the last few years and was the envy of other counties they have now gone and messed up! Who in their right mind would think it's a fair system that 3 teams qualify from each group for the knockouts when 1 group has all the stronger teams. This is now only going to weaken the knockout phase of the championships too. You could get a situation where team 2 in group B gets drawn against team 3 in group B in the quarter final with team 3 in group B then reaching the semi finals if they win.
Westmeath fan (National) - 13/02/2026 00:14:40
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
I'm still reeling from last night. As someone else mentioned, it really felt like the way it was set up pitted Group A clubs against Group B teams in both Senior and Intermediate.
I still can't get my head around how the ninth-best team from the group stage qualifies for the knockouts, while the fourth-best is eliminated. Surely the groups need to be reviewed?
If you're involved with a Group B club in either championship, you're probably delighted today. I'd say there are a few laughs being had at the expense of local rivals. It also makes you wonder what the point was of clubs pushing so hard for promotion last year if this is how it plays out.
Temple56 (National) - 13/02/2026 15:39:14
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Temple56: "Absolute shambles.
After a vote this evening, where the county board delegate held the majority our championship format has been changed. I genuinely can't believe it.
Under the new structure, the 9th-ranked team overall will qualify for the quarter-finals by coming through a group while the 4th-ranked team in the championship will be knocked out. You could easily see a situation where Lomans finish 4th in Group A after facing top sides like The Downs, Shamrocks, Kinnegad and Garrycastle, while Kilcucan finish 3rd in Group B after playing teams like Moate, Tang, Athlone and Tubberclair.
How is that fair?
Not a single player I've spoken to wants this change. Can someone explain why this was pushed through and what the reasoning is? It's a real kick in the teeth for players and clubs.
If you believe I'm wrong please let me know and your reasons to why change was needed ????
I'm just fed up! County board finally had something right and then decided actually no we should change it as it's running too well." Disgrace. Own goal after own goal scored by the County Board, clear out needed to save Westmeath football.
iarmhiabu (National) - 13/02/2026 11:22:51
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Fair play to Westmeath county board for getting rid of one of the few good things we had going. New championship format is ludicrous. What was even the thought process behind this ???
Bluelake (National) - 13/02/2026 11:05:45
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Replying To Temple56: "Absolute shambles.
After a vote this evening, where the county board delegate held the majority our championship format has been changed. I genuinely can't believe it.
Under the new structure, the 9th-ranked team overall will qualify for the quarter-finals by coming through a group while the 4th-ranked team in the championship will be knocked out. You could easily see a situation where Lomans finish 4th in Group A after facing top sides like The Downs, Shamrocks, Kinnegad and Garrycastle, while Kilcucan finish 3rd in Group B after playing teams like Moate, Tang, Athlone and Tubberclair.
How is that fair?
Not a single player I've spoken to wants this change. Can someone explain why this was pushed through and what the reasoning is? It's a real kick in the teeth for players and clubs.
If you believe I'm wrong please let me know and your reasons to why change was needed ????
I'm just fed up! County board finally had something right and then decided actually no we should change it as it's running too well." Pure ludicrousness from everyone invloved , not a good start to his tenure as chairman . When you think they can't get anything else wrong they change the only thing that was working !!
Initial reason for changing was to reduce games for dual players … does this reduce games ? NO.
If 3 teams come out of each group , teams should be seeded in some way and then a draw for the two groups.
The top teams shouldn't be punished for being a top Team and the weaker teams shouldn't be rewarded for being a weaker team. Mental stuff but can't say I'm surprised!!
Westmeath213 (National) - 13/02/2026 11:00:02
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Westmeath Football thread - 2 Like(s)
Meeting last night was so set up. First the county board were asked by 95% of the clubs in January not to change the structure. So what did they do only bring another proposal to the clubs, knowing that it would be a fight out between the A group teams and the B group teams. And then to add insult the chairperson told the 17 members from management to vote for the new format. Last night was an insult to the delegates that attended for their clubs and if the country board expect these clubs to support them in the future fundraising, well don't be surprised if they don't.
CHAMPS (National) - 13/02/2026 10:19:14
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Donegal GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Tirchonaill1: "I don't normally reply to trolls but I'll make an exception because you made me laugh with this reply, it reminds me of a discussion I heard on 'off the ball' one time, could have been David Brady that was on not sure but anyway they maintained that if the Dublin 6 in a row team where the best team of all time then Mayo were the second best!
you'd just have to laugh at their logic,
of course Donegal actually beat that great Dublin team in 2014, otherwise it possibly could have been 8 in a row but you don't hear us saying we were the second best team of all time lol.
Poor Mayo, I really do feel sorry for them, at least most of the team from that era got a national league winners medal and a good few Connacht medals having beaten the likes of Leitrim, Sligo, London and New York along the way, 2nd best team of all time indeed." Good old David Brady, the gift that keeps on giving :D
ModernMaharaja (National) - 13/02/2026 10:39:46
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Carlow GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Onion Breath: "I think our win against Antrim has been devalued a bit as they now seem to be in disarray, certainly since we beat them anyway as some of their players have now walked away from the panel. They also finished with 13 against Tipp. which is never a good sign. It probably now means that Antrim are not the contenders we thought they would be before it started and other teams still to play them might now get it a bit easier compared to how hard we had to work to beat them up there on day 1.
As a result it's hard to know what Tipp are really like after also beating Antrim and how good are London really? London beat Longford but then Longford only scrapped past Waterford. It'll be a lot clearer after Sunday anyway what way the form of teams is really shaping up like. Interesting to see how Leitrim do in London. They're a team I'd be worried about as it seems they have a number of strong players now coming back and we don't play them until our last game so they're likely to be getting stronger as it goes on. I wouldn't like the pressure of having to beat them on the last day if it came to that and they are still in it then also. Poacher and St Ledger back in town will only add to it!
For this Sunday I think having no match last weekend will do us good, we had a hectic period of non-stop matches up to and including the Wicklow match. I think the big open pitch should suit our lads a lot hopefully. From memory of last year I don't think Tipp struck me as a running team but were very big down the middle so opening it up and breaking quickly the way our lads can should suit. As of now I wouldn't take a draw as I'm optimistic we'll have enough to win there on Sunday by maybe 2-3 points but it will be tight." A very sensible assessment of the state of play in Division 4. I also think it will come down to a shootout on the last day vs yourselves which will add to the excitement of course. Ye both bet Antrim by 4 points so probably will be a tight enough game but having bet Wicklow, I think ye will shade it.
The game to watch is our own this weekend, depending how that plays out could be a sticky one as your own match v London would be the 'shootout' for promotion. Still lots to play for in Division 4.
Square_B (National) - 13/02/2026 12:10:46
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Any word on McCormick? Is he fit for the weekend. We really need him for Sunday
dave1988 (National) - 13/02/2026 07:50:46
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
To be honest it's really a massive disappointment that the structures have changed; it seems utterly unnecessary. At the least a playoff between A4 and B3 for a QF.
I think at Intermediate it's a bigger issue than Senior as the gap is broader; Miltown/Miltownpass/Shandonagh/Malachys won't come out of the group but a Maryland/Ballymore/CFCW/Ballinagore will, there's a massive gap between those teams; at least at Senior there's not as much difference between a Caulry for example and a Tang/Moate/Athlone but the point still stands as the general quality of team is much higher. They wanted structural change which was voted against but I'm not sure what this new structure offers.
Also, our league presumably starts in 7 days and there are no fixtures out, year after year this happens. So many young lads will need to book time off work and can't do so as they don't have a fixture.
OverTheHill85 (National) - 13/02/2026 15:01:31
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Non-Gaa Forum - 1 Like(s)
Replying To conordee: "I have to disagree. Lots of commentators in print and elsewhere have brought up the change with Nienaber's influence having a negative effect on Leinster and therefore on Irish players. More emphasis has been placed on defence than on attack which previously worked better under Schmidt and Lancaster." Leinster have won one European Cup in 13 years, so what exactly was working for them so well? It was a time when you would say Ireland was at its peak. Leo Cullen has been head coach for 12 of those 13 years. Lancaster was not the head coach and neither is Nienaber. The scribes you are talking about are so typical of whats wrong with Irish rugby - it cant be our fault so stick the head in the sand and ignore it. How many of the scribes have called for Cullen to be sacked?
zinny (National) - 13/02/2026 05:33:26
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Temple56: "Absolute shambles.
After a vote this evening, where the county board delegate held the majority our championship format has been changed. I genuinely can't believe it.
Under the new structure, the 9th-ranked team overall will qualify for the quarter-finals by coming through a group while the 4th-ranked team in the championship will be knocked out. You could easily see a situation where Lomans finish 4th in Group A after facing top sides like The Downs, Shamrocks, Kinnegad and Garrycastle, while Kilcucan finish 3rd in Group B after playing teams like Moate, Tang, Athlone and Tubberclair.
How is that fair?
Not a single player I've spoken to wants this change. Can someone explain why this was pushed through and what the reasoning is? It's a real kick in the teeth for players and clubs.
If you believe I'm wrong please let me know and your reasons to why change was needed ????
I'm just fed up! County board finally had something right and then decided actually no we should change it as it's running too well." County Board Delegates had a majority. 38-18 was the vote. Take 16 for county management from the 38 and it leaves 22-18 for clubs which voted in favour of the slight change in the championship structure. Not disagreeing with your general point but the only clubs put out by this are those in Group A of SFC and IFC. It suits the clubs in Group B of both championships. BTW, Delegates voted not to accept the proposed changes to the JFC.
Greengrass1 (National) - 13/02/2026 15:54:53
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Donegal GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Tirchonaill1: "I don't normally reply to trolls but I'll make an exception because you made me laugh with this reply, it reminds me of a discussion I heard on 'off the ball' one time, could have been David Brady that was on not sure but anyway they maintained that if the Dublin 6 in a row team where the best team of all time then Mayo were the second best!
you'd just have to laugh at their logic,
of course Donegal actually beat that great Dublin team in 2014, otherwise it possibly could have been 8 in a row but you don't hear us saying we were the second best team of all time lol.
Poor Mayo, I really do feel sorry for them, at least most of the team from that era got a national league winners medal and a good few Connacht medals having beaten the likes of Leitrim, Sligo, London and New York along the way, 2nd best team of all time indeed." If we take the "Dublin Era" as 2011 to '23 when Clucko, Fitz and Macker won 9 celtic crosses the Dubs won about 75 championship matches and lost 4, one to Donegal, two to Mayo and one to Kerry. Any Dublin player, manager or fan from that era knows that over those years Mayo were consistently our closest and toughest rivals, regularly just a kick of the ball between us.
sligo joe (National) - 13/02/2026 16:06:36
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Are bigger question how did past aside from clubs who voted and thought this was great idea on whole.
Probably everyone get used to it but dont think will change much positively anyway.
Gaaforlife2023 (National) - 13/02/2026 16:27:19
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