National Forum

Westmeath Football thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To OverTheHill85:  "So you criticise people for saying Limerick aren't that bad then you literally say "Limerick are by no means a bad team"."
Westmeath are by no means a bad team. Laois aren't that bad.

saorkick (Dublin) - Posts: 21 - 01/06/2025 21:26:43    2614161

Link

Where was Lynam at the weekend ?. Could have done with him around the middle

Lakecounty94 (Westmeath) - Posts: 81 - 01/06/2025 22:24:45    2614175

Link

Laois on Saturday evening at 5.00 in Cusack Park. Good test after Saturday's disappointing display. Hopefully the players will produce a reaction. Otherwise it will signal a very poor year for this group.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2181 - 02/06/2025 16:39:40    2614352

Link

We cannot get too far ahead of ourselves and must take it 1 game at a time. We might have been 1 of the favourites at the outset for the TC but everyone must focus on the next game. It's knockout football from now for the team and apart from the Limerick game the team has been pretty consistent so far.

Given all the players new to senior intercounty football this year, we cannot be too harsh on the players. If we get our act together, we are capable of salvaging our season. Good luck to the management & players against Laois.

londoner (UK) - Posts: 111 - 02/06/2025 17:59:09    2614375

Link

Any updates/rumours regarding venues or dates for the league finals?

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 79 - 04/06/2025 11:45:40    2614781

Link

Replying To OverTheHill85:  "Any updates/rumours regarding venues or dates for the league finals?"
There are still some games in lower divisions to be played off. Not sure if they have much bearing on final pairings but may be a reason for delay

Iakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 15 - 04/06/2025 14:13:14    2614850

Link

Westmeath under pressure now, maybe thats what they need, some positive performances in the lague but they need to make a Tailteainn cup final for this year to be somewhat salvagable. People might say they need to be winning it but i see Kildare to be slightly better as seen already but a one off game in croker could be a different outcome. Missing some real experience all of a sudden, wallace and connellan the only experienced players around the middle 3rd, I find it strange they bring shane allen in from the cold and straight back into squad and Hyland as a back up keeper, could they not have brought him in for the league if that was the case. Mccabe and Mchugh are under pressure now if they lose against Laois are they gone? i would hate to see it as they seem to be building something.

PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 81 - 04/06/2025 16:46:04    2614911

Link

Replying To Iakecounty90:  "There are still some games in lower divisions to be played off. Not sure if they have much bearing on final pairings but may be a reason for delay"
Division 4 and Division 3 finals scheduled for tomorrow week and Friday week. Both in Cusack Park. Presume 1 and 2 will be at weekend depending on how TC goes on Saturday

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2181 - 04/06/2025 21:38:39    2614949

Link

Replying To PowellJohn3:  "Westmeath under pressure now, maybe thats what they need, some positive performances in the lague but they need to make a Tailteainn cup final for this year to be somewhat salvagable. People might say they need to be winning it but i see Kildare to be slightly better as seen already but a one off game in croker could be a different outcome. Missing some real experience all of a sudden, wallace and connellan the only experienced players around the middle 3rd, I find it strange they bring shane allen in from the cold and straight back into squad and Hyland as a back up keeper, could they not have brought him in for the league if that was the case. Mccabe and Mchugh are under pressure now if they lose against Laois are they gone? i would hate to see it as they seem to be building something."
I think they are under pressure as it by all accounts not a great year. Yes were close in plenty of games and if that's the level of Westmeath football then fair enough they'll stay but i think others would of got more from them. We seem very limited for scores if Luke is tied up which is a major worry against Laois this weekend.

Dazzler30 (Westmeath) - Posts: 49 - 05/06/2025 08:51:50    2614989

Link

Other managers? Who? By all accounts McCabe and his coaches are very respected by the players and have done a lot right. Regardless of Saturday's result I'd hope he stays for at least two more years. He has got a lot right, the keeper issue is exactly that, they seem stubborn on their original idea but the rules changed and they didn't change their thinking. Hopefully they target a keeper in the club championship, Sean Brennan from Garrycastle and Trevor Martin and Stephen McNevin from Kinnegad have all potential. Joe Hyland might benefit from involvement in county set up. A TC final would make it a decent year, a TC win would make it a really good year, anything else would be disappointing but with promising signs

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2181 - 05/06/2025 11:53:25    2615038

Link

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Other managers? Who? By all accounts McCabe and his coaches are very respected by the players and have done a lot right. Regardless of Saturday's result I'd hope he stays for at least two more years. He has got a lot right, the keeper issue is exactly that, they seem stubborn on their original idea but the rules changed and they didn't change their thinking. Hopefully they target a keeper in the club championship, Sean Brennan from Garrycastle and Trevor Martin and Stephen McNevin from Kinnegad have all potential. Joe Hyland might benefit from involvement in county set up. A TC final would make it a decent year, a TC win would make it a really good year, anything else would be disappointing but with promising signs"
What games are you be watchin
Jack Connaughton is the best goalie in the county
Conor is wasted in goal
Luke wouldnt be under so much pressure if had Conor in the forward line with him.

lakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 134 - 05/06/2025 13:05:01    2615061

Link

Replying To lakecounty90:  "What games are you be watchin
Jack Connaughton is the best goalie in the county
Conor is wasted in goal
Luke wouldnt be under so much pressure if had Conor in the forward line with him."
Will you stop, if McCormack was worth his place outfield he'd be playing outfield simple as . I won't argue with Connaughton as a goalie but Jason Daly and Trevor Martin are both easily good enough to start on this team. Bizarre that they persisted with McCormack since the rule change

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 262 - 05/06/2025 13:39:23    2615077

Link

Replying To Bluelake:  "Will you stop, if McCormack was worth his place outfield he'd be playing outfield simple as . I won't argue with Connaughton as a goalie but Jason Daly and Trevor Martin are both easily good enough to start on this team. Bizarre that they persisted with McCormack since the rule change"
Also strange that McCormack doesn't come out the field much from the games I have seen so what's the point. I agree though that management have got a lot right and I hope they continue for another year or 2.

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1186 - 05/06/2025 15:29:39    2615130

Link

Replying To Bluelake:  "Will you stop, if McCormack was worth his place outfield he'd be playing outfield simple as . I won't argue with Connaughton as a goalie but Jason Daly and Trevor Martin are both easily good enough to start on this team. Bizarre that they persisted with McCormack since the rule change"
Noone else better than McCormack in forwards
Name player in county with bette left foot other then Luke
Management too stubborn to change anything.
Laois will beat us because were clueless on the sideline

lakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 134 - 05/06/2025 15:49:41    2615136

Link

People turn so quickly, despite relegation it's been a solid year considering the player turnover. However, exit in the TC preliminary QF would definitely be a big blow. I don't know if we are good enough to win it out, on our day probably yes, but have we enough in the tank to now win four knockout games in a row; I think we might just fall short. I think people are overly dismissive off opposition such as Limerick, Fermanagh etc., Wicklow bet us last year when we were much stronger. It's a young team and they probably are been carried by 2/3 off the more experienced players which just shows the value of that bit of age. We are probably a Ronan O Toole or Kevin Maguire away from been in a Leinster SF or probably winning the Tailteann.

On another note are there any players showing well in the ACFL that may be worth a call up in the winter; unfortunately I think the age group from 23-27 was overlooked and the boat has probably sailed for a lot of those players who were good enough had they been blooded in time. We are probably looking at 19-22 year olds now who need to be brought in and developed for 2-3 years before they are really ready to compete.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 79 - 05/06/2025 17:18:10    2615166

Link

Replying To OverTheHill85:  "People turn so quickly, despite relegation it's been a solid year considering the player turnover. However, exit in the TC preliminary QF would definitely be a big blow. I don't know if we are good enough to win it out, on our day probably yes, but have we enough in the tank to now win four knockout games in a row; I think we might just fall short. I think people are overly dismissive off opposition such as Limerick, Fermanagh etc., Wicklow bet us last year when we were much stronger. It's a young team and they probably are been carried by 2/3 off the more experienced players which just shows the value of that bit of age. We are probably a Ronan O Toole or Kevin Maguire away from been in a Leinster SF or probably winning the Tailteann.

On another note are there any players showing well in the ACFL that may be worth a call up in the winter; unfortunately I think the age group from 23-27 was overlooked and the boat has probably sailed for a lot of those players who were good enough had they been blooded in time. We are probably looking at 19-22 year olds now who need to be brought in and developed for 2-3 years before they are really ready to compete."
We won't be winning the Tailteann Cup, performance levels have dropped off. The lack of depth in the squad is showing game on game. Laois is probably 50 50, whoever wants it most on the day. Management have done well, building a squad with a bunch of new players takes time. A lot of the players never played at this level before this year. Dessie Dolan was a super footballer for Westmeath but I'd question his time as manager. There was no long term planning. Look at the age profile of the squad he inherited, blooding new players should have been a priority. Dessie was very loyal to the old guard and we're paying the price.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 153 - 05/06/2025 23:20:18    2615228

Link

Replying To iarmhiabu:  "We won't be winning the Tailteann Cup, performance levels have dropped off. The lack of depth in the squad is showing game on game. Laois is probably 50 50, whoever wants it most on the day. Management have done well, building a squad with a bunch of new players takes time. A lot of the players never played at this level before this year. Dessie Dolan was a super footballer for Westmeath but I'd question his time as manager. There was no long term planning. Look at the age profile of the squad he inherited, blooding new players should have been a priority. Dessie was very loyal to the old guard and we're paying the price."
Should Dessie have dropped Maguire, Heslin, O'Toole?? They won Div 3 and ran the All Ireland finalists close in the All Ireland series. If the 2 late goals against Galway and Derry hadn't gone in, they could've got to the Qtr Final. That's on the back of a really competitive showing the previous year. It's not Dessie's or McCabe's fault, it's just bad timing

daboru (Westmeath) - Posts: 53 - 06/06/2025 09:22:08    2615249

Link

Replying To lakecounty90:  "Noone else better than McCormack in forwards
Name player in county with bette left foot other then Luke
Management too stubborn to change anything.
Laois will beat us because were clueless on the sideline"
This lad has to be on the wind up or very deep in the fog.
Best left foot in the county and his kickouts a hinderance.

dakid (Australia) - Posts: 299 - 06/06/2025 10:00:23    2615256

Link

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Other managers? Who? By all accounts McCabe and his coaches are very respected by the players and have done a lot right. Regardless of Saturday's result I'd hope he stays for at least two more years. He has got a lot right, the keeper issue is exactly that, they seem stubborn on their original idea but the rules changed and they didn't change their thinking. Hopefully they target a keeper in the club championship, Sean Brennan from Garrycastle and Trevor Martin and Stephen McNevin from Kinnegad have all potential. Joe Hyland might benefit from involvement in county set up. A TC final would make it a decent year, a TC win would make it a really good year, anything else would be disappointing but with promising signs"
I think Caulry are the team to beat in the Tailteann Cup. Don't think anyone will get near them.

dakid (Australia) - Posts: 299 - 06/06/2025 10:32:29    2615271

Link

Replying To iarmhiabu:  "We won't be winning the Tailteann Cup, performance levels have dropped off. The lack of depth in the squad is showing game on game. Laois is probably 50 50, whoever wants it most on the day. Management have done well, building a squad with a bunch of new players takes time. A lot of the players never played at this level before this year. Dessie Dolan was a super footballer for Westmeath but I'd question his time as manager. There was no long term planning. Look at the age profile of the squad he inherited, blooding new players should have been a priority. Dessie was very loyal to the old guard and we're paying the price."
Let's look at it from Dolan's perspective. He knew he was only going to be in the job for 2 years so he used the best players available to try succeed in his time as Westmeath manager, something he did to a point, Div 3 winners and within an inch of getting through to all Ireland qf. Should he have just downed tools and dropped the old reliable and played new younger lads so that the next manager could succeed while he failed? I don't think so

Tailteannchamps (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 06/06/2025 11:38:05    2615290

Link