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I am around a while and negativity against winners is a constant in Westmeath hurling.Brownstown in the seventies,eighties and early nineties were feared and hated.Then everyone hated Clonkill during the first 20 years of the century and now CTG are the evil ones with half the county to pick from.
Well my opinion for what its worth congratulations Alan Mangan on your magnificent team who are a joy to watch and respect to all those mentors who have brought through this fine hurlers.
But you havent won any championship yet because Lough Lene Gaels and perhaps Raharney wont die without a fight.Last year everyone including the local newspapers were thanking hurling for saving the GAA in the county so good were the championships.
We all saw what the county produced so mayne this year with a poor championship might be better for the county team.
Also lets not forget the Senior B is an excellent competition where practically every game has been highly competitive and Turin have been a relevation in intermediate.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1785 - 18/08/2025 14:25:26
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Long term for the development of the GAA in the county there needs to be some kind of mutual agreement done between hurling and football clubs in the county. Westmeath is a strange dual county in that very few clubs are actually true dual outfits, maybe Delvin is the only actual true dual club. You have say clubs sharing grounds and/or players, say Killucan/Raharney, Clonkill/The Downs, CTG/St. Malachy's, Ballymore/Fr. Daltons, but for all intents and purposes separate entities with their own goals.
The problem is football men want to see football thrive in the county and hurling men likewise want the small ball game to thrive. Thus, as I see it, the problem is these sibling clubs feel the other gaa sport is a rival for numbers, and so they're simply a hindrance to the success or goals of the football or hurling club. Often in my experience, I find you'll hear cases at adult level of the manager in a strong football club placing a ban on lads to play hurling and vice versa for strong hurling clubs. Even worse, I have heard tales of such things going on at underage level too in times gone by.
I think at least at underage level, an understanding has to be made between all the football clubs and hurling clubs in the county as to how we can share the pick of young lads coming up because the pool of players seems to not be increasing, and will probably keep shrinking into the future. Adult level whatever, let a fellah decide himself, being a dual player is a huge commitment in this day and age. We are a small county, and relatively sparsely populated. We can't afford to really not be maximising our resources.
With the young lads though, there should be an active endeavour by the county board to at least ensure every young person in the country gets a reasonable opportunity to play both codes. The south of the county, and the main big towns surely should be fielding teams in both codes. Moate for example should definitely be a target for a hurling club and perhaps one more club in the wider Athlone area. The logical thing would be to have an established football club as a hub, but a financial and support incentive might be necessary to get a football club to play ball. For the football men maybe some kind of promise to ensure football coaching is done in the schools in the northern end of the county or to try develop one more football club in the North end of the county? Some kind of carrot anyway, needs to be provided to get everyone rowing the same way rather than simply bemoaning that is impossible and developing hurling or football will only hinder my little patch or pet sport.
RadioactiveTan (UK) - Posts: 35 - 18/08/2025 19:28:33
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Replying To RadioactiveTan: "Long term for the development of the GAA in the county there needs to be some kind of mutual agreement done between hurling and football clubs in the county. Westmeath is a strange dual county in that very few clubs are actually true dual outfits, maybe Delvin is the only actual true dual club. You have say clubs sharing grounds and/or players, say Killucan/Raharney, Clonkill/The Downs, CTG/St. Malachy's, Ballymore/Fr. Daltons, but for all intents and purposes separate entities with their own goals.
The problem is football men want to see football thrive in the county and hurling men likewise want the small ball game to thrive. Thus, as I see it, the problem is these sibling clubs feel the other gaa sport is a rival for numbers, and so they're simply a hindrance to the success or goals of the football or hurling club. Often in my experience, I find you'll hear cases at adult level of the manager in a strong football club placing a ban on lads to play hurling and vice versa for strong hurling clubs. Even worse, I have heard tales of such things going on at underage level too in times gone by.
I think at least at underage level, an understanding has to be made between all the football clubs and hurling clubs in the county as to how we can share the pick of young lads coming up because the pool of players seems to not be increasing, and will probably keep shrinking into the future. Adult level whatever, let a fellah decide himself, being a dual player is a huge commitment in this day and age. We are a small county, and relatively sparsely populated. We can't afford to really not be maximising our resources.
With the young lads though, there should be an active endeavour by the county board to at least ensure every young person in the country gets a reasonable opportunity to play both codes. The south of the county, and the main big towns surely should be fielding teams in both codes. Moate for example should definitely be a target for a hurling club and perhaps one more club in the wider Athlone area. The logical thing would be to have an established football club as a hub, but a financial and support incentive might be necessary to get a football club to play ball. For the football men maybe some kind of promise to ensure football coaching is done in the schools in the northern end of the county or to try develop one more football club in the North end of the county? Some kind of carrot anyway, needs to be provided to get everyone rowing the same way rather than simply bemoaning that is impossible and developing hurling or football will only hinder my little patch or pet sport." How can say delvin are only proper dual club killucan malchys not
Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 924 - 18/08/2025 21:46:38
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Replying To RadioactiveTan: "Long term for the development of the GAA in the county there needs to be some kind of mutual agreement done between hurling and football clubs in the county. Westmeath is a strange dual county in that very few clubs are actually true dual outfits, maybe Delvin is the only actual true dual club. You have say clubs sharing grounds and/or players, say Killucan/Raharney, Clonkill/The Downs, CTG/St. Malachy's, Ballymore/Fr. Daltons, but for all intents and purposes separate entities with their own goals.
The problem is football men want to see football thrive in the county and hurling men likewise want the small ball game to thrive. Thus, as I see it, the problem is these sibling clubs feel the other gaa sport is a rival for numbers, and so they're simply a hindrance to the success or goals of the football or hurling club. Often in my experience, I find you'll hear cases at adult level of the manager in a strong football club placing a ban on lads to play hurling and vice versa for strong hurling clubs. Even worse, I have heard tales of such things going on at underage level too in times gone by.
I think at least at underage level, an understanding has to be made between all the football clubs and hurling clubs in the county as to how we can share the pick of young lads coming up because the pool of players seems to not be increasing, and will probably keep shrinking into the future. Adult level whatever, let a fellah decide himself, being a dual player is a huge commitment in this day and age. We are a small county, and relatively sparsely populated. We can't afford to really not be maximising our resources.
With the young lads though, there should be an active endeavour by the county board to at least ensure every young person in the country gets a reasonable opportunity to play both codes. The south of the county, and the main big towns surely should be fielding teams in both codes. Moate for example should definitely be a target for a hurling club and perhaps one more club in the wider Athlone area. The logical thing would be to have an established football club as a hub, but a financial and support incentive might be necessary to get a football club to play ball. For the football men maybe some kind of promise to ensure football coaching is done in the schools in the northern end of the county or to try develop one more football club in the North end of the county? Some kind of carrot anyway, needs to be provided to get everyone rowing the same way rather than simply bemoaning that is impossible and developing hurling or football will only hinder my little patch or pet sport." An interesting and thoughtful piece.Hopefully someone on the board reads it and acts on it,but I doubt it.To be fair there are more people coming around to your way of thinking.The new venture in CastleDaly might be the club in the Moate area you are thinking off.It was tried before and got off to a promising start but was strangled by the narrow minded.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1785 - 18/08/2025 23:10:30
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It works both ways
In a hurling club you could have players off playing with 3/4 football clubs on different evenings Disrupts training and challenge games
Then you have football managers actively telling players to stop playing hurling.
valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1909 - 19/08/2025 08:59:58
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Replying To Gaaforlife2023: "How can say delvin are only proper dual club killucan malchys not" Because malachys should be called Castletown Geoghegan football club then it would be a proper dual club. Delvin plays under the one badge both codes. So yes it's correct to call it that. The others are sharing grounds for want of a better way of putting it.
2maroonjerseys (Galway) - Posts: 110 - 19/08/2025 09:58:51
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Replying To 2maroonjerseys: "Because malachys should be called Castletown Geoghegan football club then it would be a proper dual club. Delvin plays under the one badge both codes. So yes it's correct to call it that. The others are sharing grounds for want of a better way of putting it." So just because they changed the name means they are not a dual club? They are most definitely a dual club no question about it
DanGer966 (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 19/08/2025 10:26:46
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Replying To DanGer966: "So just because they changed the name means they are not a dual club? They are most definitely a dual club no question about it" They are two separate clubs. A duel club is one club that plays both hurling and football. It really is that simple.
jamsie (Westmeath) - Posts: 478 - 19/08/2025 10:47:34
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Replying To DanGer966: "So just because they changed the name means they are not a dual club? They are most definitely a dual club no question about it" Plenty of football men in malachys see the hurling as a distraction and a cause for them to be less successful. Some hurling men reckon they'd have won a lot more championships if football wasn't holding them back. hence you see two excellent footballers Niall O brien and Aonghus only playing hurling this year. I agree with a shared ground not a full dual club like a loughmore in Tipp.
Dazzler30 (Westmeath) - Posts: 56 - 19/08/2025 11:13:05
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Replying To Dazzler30: "Worrying times for clonkill have never seen them with so little fight not something you'd associate with them. They went with the old guard of dowdalls and murtagh for too long without blooding new players and its showing ill effects now. CTG full credit for their win will be hard stopped." Clonkill had a golden generation during that period. Many teams in all sports go through these phases. You can blood as many players as you want, it doesn't guarantee that you'll develop them to the level of the two best players the county has ever had.
The Gaels had their dominant period before that and Brownstown. Garrycastle with Dessie in full flight were a sight to behold. Lomans have been in a period like this also. It comes in cycles.
Pollard are at the opposite end of that spectrum currently. Serious credit to Daltons, I wouldn't have expected that turnaround. I saw McCabe's wonder goal and couldn't help but think how the previous Pollard teams would have left him on his arse before he got near the 21. Surprised to see them face relegation but others don't seem to be.
Loving the competitiveness of Senior B. Any of 3x teams can go down, 2x of them could also still sneak a semi final spot. If Pollard go down you still expect them to bounce back up. They've done it before.
Turin do look to be ready for Senior B now. No guarantees but the senior 2nd teams should be weaker as the c'ship progresses.
gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 202 - 19/08/2025 11:54:47
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Replying To Dazzler30: "Plenty of football men in malachys see the hurling as a distraction and a cause for them to be less successful. Some hurling men reckon they'd have won a lot more championships if football wasn't holding them back. hence you see two excellent footballers Niall O brien and Aonghus only playing hurling this year. I agree with a shared ground not a full dual club like a loughmore in Tipp." If technical yes in name but most sre dual players play both though with odd exception choosing one each year it has lot dual players if even 2 separate club names same with kilucan and raharney
Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 924 - 19/08/2025 12:49:27
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Replying To Dazzler30: "Plenty of football men in malachys see the hurling as a distraction and a cause for them to be less successful. Some hurling men reckon they'd have won a lot more championships if football wasn't holding them back. hence you see two excellent footballers Niall O brien and Aonghus only playing hurling this year. I agree with a shared ground not a full dual club like a loughmore in Tipp." Loughmore kick a ball for about half an hour after the hurling training sessions. If it was tiddlywinks those tipp boys would be all out to win it.
2maroonjerseys (Galway) - Posts: 110 - 19/08/2025 12:59:20
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Replying To DanGer966: "So just because they changed the name means they are not a dual club? They are most definitely a dual club no question about it" They never changed the name, they started out as malachys their own identity. So separate not dual.
2maroonjerseys (Galway) - Posts: 110 - 19/08/2025 13:01:36
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Replying To Dazzler30: "Plenty of football men in malachys see the hurling as a distraction and a cause for them to be less successful. Some hurling men reckon they'd have won a lot more championships if football wasn't holding them back. hence you see two excellent footballers Niall O brien and Aonghus only playing hurling this year. I agree with a shared ground not a full dual club like a loughmore in Tipp." I think hurling is no 1 for 90% of players out there with Aonghus and Niall I think it's just a case of trying to prolong their careers as long as possible now they're in their 30s
DanGer966 (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 19/08/2025 13:13:59
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Replying To 2maroonjerseys: "They never changed the name, they started out as malachys their own identity. So separate not dual." You're right but same village, same players so they have to have some level of collaboration. Dual in all but name it seems
DanGer966 (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 19/08/2025 16:11:34
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Replying To DanGer966: "You're right but same village, same players so they have to have some level of collaboration. Dual in all but name it seems" Agree most play both OK not dual by name but most play hurling and football
Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 924 - 19/08/2025 17:25:20
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Replying To DanGer966: "You're right but same village, same players so they have to have some level of collaboration. Dual in all but name it seems" Underage is Lilliputt gaels an amalgamation of malachys, loughnavalley and Balinagore.
2maroonjerseys (Galway) - Posts: 110 - 19/08/2025 17:29:03
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Replying To jamsie: "They are two separate clubs. A duel club is one club that plays both hurling and football. It really is that simple." A duel club is one that does fencing
CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 369 - 19/08/2025 19:20:18
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