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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To Temple56: "Proud Westmeath man Yesterday! A kick away from making it to the knockout stages. Who would have thought that when the draw was made. Heslin kicks that free 99 times out of 100. Dessie and the players proved a lot of people wrong over the last few weeks. Now onto the club championship, need younger players to have good championships and put their hands up for Dessie next year. As seen with Senan Baker (our best underage player since Heslin) it takes a lot of time to adjust to intercounty football he looked out of his depth in all of the last 3 games. Some people on this forum wanted younger players to be just put into the team but its not that easy at this level. To the 2 or 3 players that played their last game for Westmeath yesterday they will go down as legends of Westmeath Football for what they have done over the last 10/15 years" Not sure why you feel the need to have a pop at Senan Baker, he has acquitted himself very well in his breakthrough year. We need as many younger players as possible exposed to this level and Senan has already showed he has what it takes. He is arguably pound for pound the best forward in the county even at his young age and one of the nicest lads youll meet. Well done as well to Andy McCormack, an excellent debut season for the Rosemount man at 27/28. A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 294 - 19/06/2023 14:36:25 2487365 Link
Replying To A_Chairde: "Not sure why you feel the need to have a pop at Senan Baker, he has acquitted himself very well in his breakthrough year. We need as many younger players as possible exposed to this level and Senan has already showed he has what it takes. He is arguably pound for pound the best forward in the county even at his young age and one of the nicest lads youll meet. Well done as well to Andy McCormack, an excellent debut season for the Rosemount man at 27/28." My apologies if I came across like having a pop at Baker I was using him as an example. I agree that he did have a good year. Played well in the league and for the u20s. Also had a very good first half against Louth. The point I was trying to make is its very hard to adjust at the this level and to adjust to the way we play as a team. We play a very running game that doesn't suit some players but Baker is a total footballer and the best we have produced since Heslin. I hope some of the younger lads around the squad have great summers with their clubs and can kick on for next year. The future is bright in Westmeath Football!! Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 547 - 19/06/2023 14:47:43 2487371 Link
First post here - yesterday was one of the best Westmeath performances I've seen. Tyrone heads were absolutely gone towards the end, kind of reminded me of Meath in 2015. We had them on the ropes but I suppose we just ran out of time, all that was needed was one more attack after Heslin's miss. I was actually sitting right behind that kick the end and it looked over to me, but wasn't to be. Thing that impressed me most was our conditioning and stamina in the 2nd half, every player looked super fit and even when Tyrone went 4 points up and were threatening to pull away, we had the legs to stay with them and then in time even start to dominate. Lots to build on for next year, my hope is that key men stay around and remain even hungrier for next year, which is challenging for inter county players these days given time commitments etc. Charlie_90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 3 - 19/06/2023 14:53:26 2487379 Link
Great to see the CB offering group stage tickets this year per club, also seem to be offering on the day tickets this year as "tap and go" and weekend passes. [url=]https://twitter.com/westmeath_gaa/status/1670742189033369600?s=20 martyW (Westmeath) - Posts: 333 - 20/06/2023 10:54:18 2487717 Link
Common sense has prevailed. Well done to the county board on postponing U19 fixtures until next week. Wmeath2 (Westmeath) - Posts: 182 - 20/06/2023 13:23:24 2487802 Link
Replying To Temple56: "My apologies if I came across like having a pop at Baker I was using him as an example. I agree that he did have a good year. Played well in the league and for the u20s. Also had a very good first half against Louth. The point I was trying to make is its very hard to adjust at the this level and to adjust to the way we play as a team. We play a very running game that doesn't suit some players but Baker is a total footballer and the best we have produced since Heslin. I hope some of the younger lads around the squad have great summers with their clubs and can kick on for next year. The future is bright in Westmeath Football!!" Point taken Temple . Dara Canavan scored ten points against us on Sunday, he took a while to find his feet at top level. We havent been blessed with a lot of top class scoring forwards, Larry Giles, Ger Heavin, Dessie Dolan, Denis Glemnon, Ger Egan, John Heslin and Senan Baker. Inter county is much more than raw talent and natural ability nowadays but still need to kick the ball over the bar. A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 294 - 20/06/2023 18:18:53 2487929 Link
Replying To A_Chairde: "Point taken Temple . Dara Canavan scored ten points against us on Sunday, he took a while to find his feet at top level. We havent been blessed with a lot of top class scoring forwards, Larry Giles, Ger Heavin, Dessie Dolan, Denis Glemnon, Ger Egan, John Heslin and Senan Baker. Inter county is much more than raw talent and natural ability nowadays but still need to kick the ball over the bar." He wouldn't have scored them off our under 21 full back CasKD (Westmeath) - Posts: 38 - 21/06/2023 16:47:12 2488215 Link
Explain comment Cas? Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2152 - 21/06/2023 21:32:11 2488272 Link
Replying To CasKD: "He wouldn't have scored them off our under 21 full back" Kieran Martin point was pure class. Clifford would be proud of it Mattyreilly (Westmeath) - Posts: 167 - 21/06/2023 22:28:00 2488279 Link
Presume you're referring to Killucan's Sam Smyth? He's definitely Kevin Maguire's long term replacement and if he proves to be half as good over the entirety of his inter county career we'll have no complaints. Maguire has been consistently excellent in a key position for the past 7/8 years, unflappable, dominant and clearly held in huge regard by his peers. Dessie Farrell and Jack O' Connor would find room for him. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2152 - 21/06/2023 22:38:05 2488283 Link
Hard luck to the Westmeath Footballers this year a massive effort put in, and a heartbreaking way to go out of the championship. This team makes you proud to be a Westmeath man living overseas. On another note, I love to see the 2023 Club Football Championships Previews - The Westmeath Game Podcast is back on youtube!! It's great to see and helps people keep up to date with the club championship when living overseas, and I'm sure they'll be plenty of friendly banter with the "panelist" with some already thrown digs. And with that being said, Shane Donoghue, "St.Mary's Rochfortbridge have been as low as Junior and right up to Senior in the last 6 to 7 years." He only got 50% of that right, Rochfortbridge were playing Senior in 2018 & 2019, but they have not played Junior football since 2008. That's 15 years. kevinno.8 (Meath) - Posts: 29 - 22/06/2023 08:26:58 2488318 Link
Odds for SFC rnd 1 matches are out and this is my treble comin in at over 40/1 Caulry 3/1, Killucan 3/1 and Shandonagh 13/ 8. Reports comin from Caulry camp are all good and have an unbelievable talent in Baker. Cake Currans men will be cut down from 33/1 after weekend mark my words IKillucan have Leech back fit and hurlers back in. Future Westmeath full back Sam Smyth will cancel out Egan. Dont be fooled by there league relegation Garrycastle out to prove a point that they are still contenders but fancy a slicker Shnadonagh to open them up for goals Good luck. lakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 131 - 22/06/2023 16:49:52 2488483 Link
Championship is finally here. Here are a few predictions for Round 1. News out of the St. Lomans camp is that they will most like be resting players with John Heslin, Peter Foy and Shane Dempsey the most noticeable trio to be excluded. Obviously looking further down the line to the latter stages and giving those lads a rest while they can. So it's a Downs win for me. But In a close game. Both will easily advance to the knockout stages. With Kevin Maguire's ankle injury, I can't see him playing in the Caulry vs Kinnegad game so I'm edging towards Kinnegad, following on from the impressive league final win. And thus putting Caulry under pressure from the start. Have a feeling they will be heading back to section B this year unfortunately. Can see Ger Egan being the difference and Tyrellspass having too much for Killucan. Free taking will be the difference. Hard to know what kind of a Killucan Team will turn up but they usually do their damage later in the championship rounds and I do fancy them to get to a quarter final. Edman78 (Westmeath) - Posts: 100 - 23/06/2023 00:10:22 2488528 Link
Think it's fair to say that Edman and LakeCounty's views on Caulry, Ger Egan and Killucan are slightly different!!!!!!!! On a serious note why would Loman's rest Shane Dempsey and Peter Foy, they're two very fit lads who haven't played much or any inter county lately. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2152 - 23/06/2023 09:37:24 2488568 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Think it's fair to say that Edman and LakeCounty's views on Caulry, Ger Egan and Killucan are slightly different!!!!!!!! On a serious note why would Loman's rest Shane Dempsey and Peter Foy, they're two very fit lads who haven't played much or any inter county lately." I just think Ger Egan is a top class footballer and will be one of the standouts of the championship. No county football this year will stand to him IMO. Also I was off point about the St. Lomans situation as I learned this morning that Shane Dempsey is apparently away on holidays and Peter Foy has been dropped/ left the squad after a heavy disagreement with team management. Championship fever in full flow I guess. Lol Edman78 (Westmeath) - Posts: 100 - 23/06/2023 10:20:57 2488581 Link
Replying To lakecounty90: "Odds for SFC rnd 1 matches are out and this is my treble comin in at over 40/1 Caulry 3/1, Killucan 3/1 and Shandonagh 13/ 8. Reports comin from Caulry camp are all good and have an unbelievable talent in Baker. Cake Currans men will be cut down from 33/1 after weekend mark my words IKillucan have Leech back fit and hurlers back in. Future Westmeath full back Sam Smyth will cancel out Egan. Dont be fooled by there league relegation Garrycastle out to prove a point that they are still contenders but fancy a slicker Shnadonagh to open them up for goals Good luck." Caulry 3/1? Put €10 on that and you will lose €10 They really struggled in Division 2 of the league this year. No Kevin Maguire or Conor McCormack with injuries. Emmet Nally and Eoin Fox gone for the year. A few other injured players around the panel. Can't see them getting within 5 points of Kinnegad. Caulry happy enough to target games 2 and 3 against Tyrellspass and Killucan Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 547 - 23/06/2023 11:53:27 2488611 Link
Replying To Temple56: "Caulry 3/1? Put €10 on that and you will lose €10 They really struggled in Division 2 of the league this year. No Kevin Maguire or Conor McCormack with injuries. Emmet Nally and Eoin Fox gone for the year. A few other injured players around the panel. Can't see them getting within 5 points of Kinnegad. Caulry happy enough to target games 2 and 3 against Tyrellspass and Killucan" Told Maguire and Mc Cormack are playing tomoro wouldnt back them if they werent. Have it on good authority that Maguire and Mc Cormack will play and Nally is back after been away tho wont play Saturday just Fox gone from last year. There wont be much in it and them and Kinnegad. lakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 131 - 23/06/2023 12:27:32 2488631 Link
Replying To Edman78: "Championship is finally here. Here are a few predictions for Round 1. News out of the St. Lomans camp is that they will most like be resting players with John Heslin, Peter Foy and Shane Dempsey the most noticeable trio to be excluded. Obviously looking further down the line to the latter stages and giving those lads a rest while they can. So it's a Downs win for me. But In a close game. Both will easily advance to the knockout stages. With Kevin Maguire's ankle injury, I can't see him playing in the Caulry vs Kinnegad game so I'm edging towards Kinnegad, following on from the impressive league final win. And thus putting Caulry under pressure from the start. Have a feeling they will be heading back to section B this year unfortunately. Can see Ger Egan being the difference and Tyrellspass having too much for Killucan. Free taking will be the difference. Hard to know what kind of a Killucan Team will turn up but they usually do their damage later in the championship rounds and I do fancy them to get to a quarter final." Not resting them , two away on holidays one due to a disagreement Westmeath213 (Westmeath) - Posts: 338 - 23/06/2023 23:18:16 2488741 Link
Big shock in the Junior last night with Ballycomoyle beating St. Josephs, with so many young players maybe St. Josephs lack that experience to win a championship, they have impressively beaten all in front of them in the league for the last 2 years. TigerWoods90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 156 - 24/06/2023 08:25:24 2488753 Link
Looking forward to being in Cusack today for two good games. Like the Westmeath podcast the Flanagan cup winner will come from these four. Caulry and Coralstown/Kinnegad to draw Lomans to beat The Down by two Mountlin (Westmeath) - Posts: 59 - 24/06/2023 11:31:27 2488766 Link