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And Westmeath without Niall O'Brien, Robbie Greville, and Tommy Gallagher.. 3 main players.
Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 797 - 07/02/2022 20:17:09 2399150 Link 0 |
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Westmeath needs to kick on from last year when I was impressed with them. These weather conditions has more effect on teams coming up as they need more experience at the top level when the ball is hopping. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2666 - 07/02/2022 21:35:13 2399179 Link 0 |
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Don't think Robbie Greville will be playing this year is he not gone travelling ?
Westmeath213 (Westmeath) - Posts: 332 - 07/02/2022 22:00:33 2399189 Link 0 |
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I think that Fortune has started well but in situations like on Sunday when we have a strong wind we need to get the likes of the Doyles with decent possession 60-80 metres from the opposition goal which we completely failed to do.Credit to Kerry their workrate was huge and they caused us serious problems in the first half. Glennon was very important for the twenty minutes he played and along with Joey Boyle and Regan are the only forwards winning possesion.The others need to up their workrate.I question if we can afford to play three forwards who mostly need to be handed possession no matter how skilful.Anyway Carlow away yet again on Sunday.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1459 - 08/02/2022 07:36:23 2399195 Link 0 |
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I actually felt Boyle didn't have one of his best games on Sunday, hence why he was replaced by Davy Glennon. I thought Mitchell and Gillen caused serious problems for Kerry throughout when the ball was played into them, combining for 3 goals. Regan has been playing well and deserves to keep his place, he's a great ball winner as you mentioned. I believe Robbie Greville will be returning? Joe Fortune never included him in players who have left the panel. Shane Clavin, Josh Coll and Jordy Smyth are the ones who have left. The negatives for me were out tackling and failure to stop the runners, and our disappointing use of a strong wind in the first half. Those are things we can definitely improve on going forward. Very impressed with the Cullion lads so far. Galvin, Regan and Gillen were all hurling down the same side of the pitch in the second half and that was clearly where we were making the most headway. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 797 - 08/02/2022 10:54:16 2399248 Link 0 |
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Despite a distinctly average performance last Sunday, the first half in particular was full of mistakes by both sides, westmeath are by a distance the best team in the division. Kerry have definitely gone backwards in the past two years even allowing for the absent Kilmoyley players. Carlow have also regressed considerably and Westmeath will easily win the division. Division 2 hurling at its current standard will be poor preparation for the huge challenges of facing Kilkenny, Galway etc in April and May when the pace will be considerably quicker. Our most important match this year will be against Laois who performed very well in their opening league match. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1504 - 08/02/2022 15:19:36 2399345 Link 0 |
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Utter nonsense and i suspect with bad intentions.We may be the best team but we have to do it on the field and that means five more wins in a row.Kerry without the Kilmoyley players were far more physical last Sunday and will be no pushover if we meet them again.Of course you are right its not perfect preparation for Mccarthy but i seem to remember you complaining of our bad performances in Division 1. Winning the league is huge but arrogance will get us nowhere.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1459 - 08/02/2022 16:27:34 2399368 Link 0 |
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Where's the arrogance Jobber? Do you not think we're the best team in the group? By a distance. That's called self belief. Any manager involved with a team would instil that whether a junior football team that's struggling or a senior hurling side aiming to win a championship. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1504 - 08/02/2022 16:45:18 2399370 Link 1 |
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You are the best team when you win the final,if you hammer the opposition in that final then its by a distance.Telling the World we are the best team in the division after one round when our performance was patchy at best is either arrogance or worse( i will be censored if i use the word). It also hands the opposition a useful tool to use against us. We play Carlow away on Sunday in Carlow where our record is poor, then Meath in Navan where they will play their best game of the year then Down in Ballycran where they havent lost in years. Our only home game is against Kildare who could or maybe should have beaten us in Mcdonagh and who will be on fire after Naas winning the Intermediate All Ireland.When all those are won and the final then crow away to your hearts content but up to then show a little humility.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1459 - 09/02/2022 07:21:21 2399438 Link 1 |
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Your posts are about how good we are, the strength of our panel, if the worst Carlow team in ten years beat us or Meath who are ten points inferior or Kildare then we're wasting our time. Humility is just an excuse for lack of ambition. We're missing no players long term, everyone on board, the current group of players are our best in years and likely to be given age profile and recent underage record. Finally, if a lad from Carlow is inspired by my confidence then it's laughable. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1504 - 09/02/2022 10:17:49 2399460 Link 0 |
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There is a lot wrong with that post Jobber. Firstly we are playing Down at home in Cusack Park, and we are playing Kildare away in Newbridge. Our recent record against Carlow is quiet decent, 5 wins in a row, 2 of them down in Carlow. I'm not saying we should be take anything for granted and this weekend's game will be a difficult one too, but I have full confidence in the ability of our lads. We didn't play anywhere near our best against Kerry and had 6 points to spare over them. We can be confident without underestimating our opponents. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 797 - 09/02/2022 12:20:27 2399491 Link 1 |
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i think Carlows lack of playing numbers and clubs is beginning at last to catch up with them, for years now they have hurled above their weight, were in div 1 in 2013 and took wexford to et in championship and drew with galway in 2019 nhl..Westmeath have probably the best team/panel in the group and should do the business but still every team on their day is capable of getting a result off one another. One loss in this and your under pressure of not making a final preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 740 - 09/02/2022 14:58:51 2399534 Link 0 |
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That was a Kerry B team v Westmeath. 8 lads from last years Joe McDonagh final left the Kerry panel for one reason or another and then the 4 Kilmoyley lads missing. Kerry are not going to have a good year. Past hurler (None) - Posts: 741 - 09/02/2022 15:13:56 2399541 Link 0 |
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It's a fair point about the clubs. We peaked about three years ago winning Div 2, MacDonagh and drawing with Galway in the league. We played Galway in the championship in Galway and were a point down with a few minutes to go. Our problem has been retirements and injuries to our best players the last few years. At the moment we haven't the strength in depth to replace them. Our whole half back line has gone since 2019 and it was our strongest line. On the other hand we have a fifth senior team Bagnelstown have made great improvements and contribute to the panel. And Mount Leinster Rangers are producing great young players so the future looks good. We have a great manager with a history of producing great results with limited resources. At the moment Division 2 is our level but hopefully in a few years the young players will come through. carlovia (None) - Posts: 1517 - 09/02/2022 15:41:31 2399548 Link 0 |
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Despite all that, Carlow still have some fine hurlers like Marty Kavanagh, Diarmuid Byrnes and Chris Nolan.. So it would be stupid of us to underestimate ye, especially in Netwatch Cullen Park. I'd be confident in our teams ability and squad depth but recognise this weekend should be a difficult game and a big test as Carlow won't want to lose 2 games on the bounce. We have 3 big players to come back in, not in time for this weekend however. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 797 - 09/02/2022 17:23:03 2399568 Link 0 |
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Some of Carlow's key men are playing with Carlow IT in Fitz cup and unlikely to play on Sunday. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1504 - 09/02/2022 18:33:52 2399580 Link 0 |
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You are right Dheen i got the Down and Kildare fixtures mixed up.What i was trying to do was to knock any notion of over confidence out of anyones head.We may indeed have the best players but any cockiness will be punished and we HAVE to win 2A for the future of Westmeath hurling.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1459 - 09/02/2022 19:40:33 2399594 Link 0 |
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Westmeath are where we were at a few years ago with a good bench. Last year we were a point up with a few minutes to go but your subs , Glennon and Williams made a huge difference. We are missing James Doyle who with Marty is our best player and Marty was injured last night playing with IT Carlow. But we have a lot of players playing college hurling so the future looks good for us. Hope it's a good game at the weekend. carlovia (None) - Posts: 1517 - 09/02/2022 21:25:41 2399600 Link 0 |
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For the level that Westmeath, Carlow and Kerry are at, having genuine bench options is often the difference. That plus injuries and availability of 1 or 2 key players. The D2 teams don't have huge pools of talent to draw from and often the quality drops off after the first 15 players. I don't mean that as any disrespect to the players whatsoever. The reality is the traditional or larger counties will have a constant supply of new talent and swathes of players who just miss out. Many of these will have hurled to a high enough level previously and would walk onto the D2 teams. It is very hard for the counties to keep a squad of the best players as there's always the pull of other opportunities, particularly work abroad or even committing to the big ball. The commitment required these days isn't necessarily an attractive lifestyle for some either. I often wonder what a "midlands" all-star team of Westmeath, Offaly, Laois would be like against the top teams. Or even some combination of them, possibly include Carlow in that mix. gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 164 - 10/02/2022 16:24:26 2399693 Link 0 |
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Nice looking line out posted for the Carlow match tomorrow. Glad to see A Clarke in at midfield as they were sorely lacking in that area last weekend vs Kerry. Strong bench too, unfortunately lacking Glennon who took a knock at the weekend. 35OLT (USA) - Posts: 90 - 12/02/2022 21:49:38 2400019 Link 2 |