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Great win for Brownstown in relegation match in Senior B versus Clonkill. Conditions definitely suited the hungrier side. Their defence got totally on top and they ground out a deserved win. Clonkill hampered slightly by keeping a couple of lads back with an eye on tomorrow's semi final but a nice way for Brownstown to finish off the year. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1489 - 23/10/2021 21:47:44 2387066 Link
Fair play to Castletown Geoghegan valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 24/10/2021 19:09:51 2387192 Link
Replying To valley84: "Fair play to Castletown Geoghegan" The final should be a cracker and a hard one to call. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 25/10/2021 14:19:08 2387300 Link
Replying To jobber: "The final should be a cracker and a hard one to call." Yeah it will. Some season for clonkill relegated from senior B and losing a Semi against CTG. Intermediate team also out of championship... Onionbagger (Westmeath) - Posts: 77 - 25/10/2021 17:50:27 2387321 Link
Super win for Castletown, they were the hungrier side and Varley was outstanding at centre back. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 782 - 26/10/2021 09:49:42 2387372 Link
Senior B final next Saturday, Cullion vs Delvin. Senior A final next Sunday, Castletown Geoghegan vs Raharney. Its extremely hard to call either of these games, both should be enthralling. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 782 - 28/10/2021 11:57:38 2387696 Link
Replying To Dheen: "Senior B final next Saturday, Cullion vs Delvin. Senior A final next Sunday, Castletown Geoghegan vs Raharney. Its extremely hard to call either of these games, both should be enthralling." Cullion for senior B. More firepower up front. I think Raharney will just shade the senior. Onionbagger (Westmeath) - Posts: 77 - 28/10/2021 13:28:48 2387717 Link
Delvin for me in the Senior B. They have a little bit extra in terms of nous and experience from previous Senior campaigns. Senior B/Intermediate is always a dogged affair even if the hurling isn't always the most aesthetic. Castletown benefitting from overcoming Clonkill should see them shade the Senior. On paper, both games are very close and looking forward to the weekend. Senior B will be a tight affair next year again. The Wood dropping back down and Plunketts going up. gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 163 - 28/10/2021 14:19:20 2387723 Link
Replying To Onionbagger: "Cullion for senior B. More firepower up front. I think Raharney will just shade the senior." If I was to call it I'd say Delvin for Senior B, the class of Clinton, Ennis and Coll should help Delvin edge it. I'll go with Castletown for the Senior, more of a balanced side than Raharney. There won't be much in either game though, very tight I'd say Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 782 - 28/10/2021 14:24:30 2387725 Link
Senior semi a good game but clonkills management have a lot to answer for all year, making silly substitutions and not taking the correct players off that obviously deserved to be substituted, they also brought in Adam price at half time who stood out when introduced why he didn't start is beyond me, Murtagh to his credit battled hard likewise Anthony price and Darragh Egerton, clonkills midfield non existant the last 2 games while they had talent on the line, all a bit confusing, Looking forward to the final, Castletown to just about shade it with a great game in store, raharneys inexperience should tell in a final with Castletown more balanced throughout, great to see two young teams battle it out Clonkill have had their lions share of the spoils over the last 10 years with many on their team with 7/8+ championships. I can't see raharneys backs keeping our forwards quiet if they hit any type of form The build up in full flow can't beat the excitement. James73 (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 29/10/2021 13:43:13 2387825 Link
Apart from Castletown, Clonkill & Raharney, is there anyone else gonna be in a position to challenge anytime soon? keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 30/10/2021 15:31:37 2387896 Link
Hard to see other significant challengers. The Gaels have been consistently 4th best team over past 5-6 years but some of their key men are getting past their best. Pollard are like them in that there's no strength in depth beyond first fifteen and disciplinary issues means they're often short players. On their day those sides can trouble top three but they struggle to do it on consecutive days. Clonkill at an interesting point as strong possibility that Andrew Mitchell, Paddy Dowdall and Brendan Murtagh may not be available much longer, they don't have an obvious replacement keeper and the two outfield players are irreplaceable. Leaves them vulnerable to an extent. They've just lost three successive championship matches in same year for first time in years, possibly ever. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1489 - 30/10/2021 20:20:54 2387916 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Hard to see other significant challengers. The Gaels have been consistently 4th best team over past 5-6 years but some of their key men are getting past their best. Pollard are like them in that there's no strength in depth beyond first fifteen and disciplinary issues means they're often short players. On their day those sides can trouble top three but they struggle to do it on consecutive days. Clonkill at an interesting point as strong possibility that Andrew Mitchell, Paddy Dowdall and Brendan Murtagh may not be available much longer, they don't have an obvious replacement keeper and the two outfield players are irreplaceable. Leaves them vulnerable to an extent. They've just lost three successive championship matches in same year for first time in years, possibly ever." That's accurately summed up, there are some young sides emerging in the county too, Senior B finalists Delvin and Cullion being an example of that. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 782 - 30/10/2021 21:10:50 2387920 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Hard to see other significant challengers. The Gaels have been consistently 4th best team over past 5-6 years but some of their key men are getting past their best. Pollard are like them in that there's no strength in depth beyond first fifteen and disciplinary issues means they're often short players. On their day those sides can trouble top three but they struggle to do it on consecutive days. Clonkill at an interesting point as strong possibility that Andrew Mitchell, Paddy Dowdall and Brendan Murtagh may not be available much longer, they don't have an obvious replacement keeper and the two outfield players are irreplaceable. Leaves them vulnerable to an extent. They've just lost three successive championship matches in same year for first time in years, possibly ever." Brendan retired after the game. I agree with above comment about management, very slow in making hard decisions. Some of the bench was vastly superior to what was playing.. Onionbagger (Westmeath) - Posts: 77 - 31/10/2021 07:24:51 2387925 Link
Replying To Dheen: "That's accurately summed up, there are some young sides emerging in the county too, Senior B finalists Delvin and Cullion being an example of that." Emerging to what exactly? Winning Senior B and making no impact at Senior proper? If a team progresses to beating The Gaels and Pollard while putting it up to Top 3 - that would be emerging for me. Both Cullion and Delvin have had great strides underage but are light years behind the top three teams. At that even 10+ points behind Castelpollard and The Gaels at present. Delvin or Cullion will yo-yo the same as The Wood, Brownstown, Daltons and Brigids without making a significant dent. It's a numbers game ultimately and the top 3 clubs have a huge number of players with 3x adult teams each if I'm not mistaken. Unless the membership in their areas drops off a cliff they'll continue to dominate. Realistically if there's to be any disruption of the status quo, a club outside the top 3 would need a large increase in participation PLUS 5-10 years of competition at the Div1/premier level (ideally runners up at least) to start converting at senior. Senior B teams or lower grades need a decade, Gaels and Pollard would need about 5 years but again only if they started to win D1 underage and boost playing numbers. Any team that wishes to progress will need to develop 20-25 senior hurlers and have some genuine depth/competition. Having 10 senior players and another 15 making the numbers won't cut it. Take one look at the teams regularly competing at the business end of Senior football c'ship. Consider the size of their membership. Numbers game. gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 163 - 01/11/2021 14:54:16 2388077 Link
Replying To Onionbagger: "Brendan retired after the game. I agree with above comment about management, very slow in making hard decisions. Some of the bench was vastly superior to what was playing.." Sound like you have a serious agenda with clonkill management Left Full (Westmeath) - Posts: 239 - 01/11/2021 16:12:46 2388088 Link
Replying To gedupoutofit: "Emerging to what exactly? Winning Senior B and making no impact at Senior proper? If a team progresses to beating The Gaels and Pollard while putting it up to Top 3 - that would be emerging for me. Both Cullion and Delvin have had great strides underage but are light years behind the top three teams. At that even 10+ points behind Castelpollard and The Gaels at present. Delvin or Cullion will yo-yo the same as The Wood, Brownstown, Daltons and Brigids without making a significant dent. It's a numbers game ultimately and the top 3 clubs have a huge number of players with 3x adult teams each if I'm not mistaken. Unless the membership in their areas drops off a cliff they'll continue to dominate. Realistically if there's to be any disruption of the status quo, a club outside the top 3 would need a large increase in participation PLUS 5-10 years of competition at the Div1/premier level (ideally runners up at least) to start converting at senior. Senior B teams or lower grades need a decade, Gaels and Pollard would need about 5 years but again only if they started to win D1 underage and boost playing numbers. Any team that wishes to progress will need to develop 20-25 senior hurlers and have some genuine depth/competition. Having 10 senior players and another 15 making the numbers won't cut it. Take one look at the teams regularly competing at the business end of Senior football c'ship. Consider the size of their membership. Numbers game." I'd have thought that Cullion have good numbers at adult level. Their underage is hit-&-miss, though. keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 01/11/2021 19:25:37 2388113 Link
Replying To Left Full: "Sound like you have a serious agenda with clonkill management" An observation that was made by plenty of people both in local media and at the game.. Onionbagger (Westmeath) - Posts: 77 - 01/11/2021 19:43:18 2388115 Link
Replying To Left Full: "Sound like you have a serious agenda with clonkill management" What would your own views on it be btw. Do you think it's acceptable that the team with the best panel couldn't learn from the mistakes from previous loss. At the end of the day the joint managers have to take the responsibility. Onionbagger (Westmeath) - Posts: 77 - 01/11/2021 19:56:32 2388118 Link
4 days out from senior hurling finals weekend and proper throw in times or refs or even teams not yet listed on Westmeath GAA website. Castletown and Delvin my choice but they should be 2 close ones. puglerdaly (Westmeath) - Posts: 125 - 01/11/2021 20:28:46 2388121 Link