i was at the bridge moate game last night and i am beginning to wonder could the bridge win the intermediate championship? they are doing well this year, they were were very unlucky against tang and should have at least got a draw. they seem to have the forwards to be able to do it and have a good subs bench also, and whats more the big teams like tubberclare and shandonagh are losing games which indicate weaknesses in the sides although i do understand that the other group is a lot tougher. with this in mind the intermediate is known for its upsets here and there and it is fair to say that anyone can win it. i no bal will be a big step up for the bridge the next day but bal have already been beaten too, by kilbeggan, i will admit that was a shock! but still i think the bridge could be in with a big shout this year, its early days yet, does anybody else think that the bridge could cause the shock of the season?

itsintheblood (Westmeath) - Posts: 7 - 04/08/2009 13:39:01    376880

Considering the Bridge are now definately through to at least a quarter final, anything can happen. They have proven in years gone past that they have the winning mentality to win finals and have great dept and experience in their team, with the x county boys that they still have involved. Have they many players to return to the squad, i.e. Adam Nolan, Ken Delaney, or are the likes of these boys gone for the season. I've only seen the Bridge once this season in a league game and to be honest I wasn't impressed, but as we all know the Championship is a whole different story and with a few good wins and performances under their belt, who knows........

Regarding the other remaining teams in the intermediate, Bal have appeared to have started off where they left off last year. I understand Tubberclair were missing 5 to 6 important players last Friday night when they were defeated, but are still going to finish 1st or 2nd in their group, depending on their last game with Finea. Finea aren't playing all that well and were dissappointing in the 2nd half against Ballymore, but are still grinding out results and remain unbeaten (if they peak at the right time, they could be still playing championship football in October). That leaves Tang who have been very consistent all season and were unlucky against Bal on Friday night. All of the above teams will feel they can effect the outcome of the intermediate championship........it's wide open.

16thman (Westmeath) - Posts: 19 - 06/08/2009 09:58:20    380578

Big weekend ahead any predictions

DABLACKSPOT (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 12/08/2009 11:43:47    389199

Now that the dust has settled and the group stages have been fininshed, how do people see the rest of this championship panning out? St. mary's against CFCW, Balinagore against Tang and of course the relegation play off Milltownpass and Shandonagh.......
Personally I can see Marys and Ballinagore reaching the semis but the 2 teams that are already there Balnacargy and Tubberclair facing off in what could be a cracking final. Very hard to call the relegation game, both teams have only registered 3 wins each in the the past 2 championship seasons. Shandonagh have the edge on Milltownpass in recent meetings but then again Milltownpass have proven before they're a hard team to beat in the relegation match having twice surrvived before.
Either way I think it's a good bet that whoever is relegated will reach a junior final next year and perhaps the same can be said for whoever comes down from senior.

fizzygravy (USA) - Posts: 165 - 18/08/2009 17:36:26    395994

Though to call im goin to shout a St Marys Tang final and Milltown to beat Shandonagh.

DABLACKSPOT (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 18/08/2009 19:03:11    396082

for the quarter final predictions i predict that st.marys will beat finea. but just about. finea usually bottle it at this stage every year and i dont think niall kilcoyne is playing much for them and he will be a loss. st.marys are on a role, are playing with no fear and have great momentum going. against bal i just think st marys didnt turn up, their forwards just didnt click. they just looked like their minds were elsewhere. maybe it was the fact that they had nothing to gain by winning. st marys have been missin a few players here and there, i dont know is it through injury or what, but i think if they want to win the championship or even get through to semis they will have to have all these players available and have a full squad to choose from. i also think that if st marys get over finea and click in the semi final against bal they will take them too. bridge to beat finea by 1 or 2 points. tang and balnagore will be very tough to pick, balnagore seem to be coming good now and just at the correct time. tang are a good decent side too they have been there there abouts the last few years and really need to do something this year. something tells me that tang will scrape through this one. tang by 1 point. tubberclare will be hard to beat too, but as the blackspot said, a bridge and tang final might not be a bad bet. in intermediate its impossible to predict!! in relation to the relegation battle, shandonagh should win it, on paper they are the better team. a few years ago the bridge were highly tipped to beat milltown and milltown shocked everybody. although theres a lot of mileage on the shandonagh clocks, maybe its time to rebuild and start a fresh. milltownpass dont seem to be at much this year, the bridge destroyed them and bal absolutely hammered them but then they shocked kilbeggan. milltown blow hot and cold and in my opinion i think milltown will be very very hard beat in a relegation battle, they have won two outta two now. its a tight one to call, but if i was a gambling man i would put my money on shandonagh because of their experience and they have a very strong scoring power. shandonagh by 4 points

itsintheblood (Westmeath) - Posts: 7 - 19/08/2009 14:26:57    397070

finea to beat bridge by a couple of points have seen the bridge a couple of times and although they are not bad they are not at high enough standard to progress further than quarters, bal will then beat finea by 4 or 5 points in the semi, i have a fancy for ballinagore to sneak through in the other section they are a very hard team to beat wont give much scores away and may just squeeze past tang and tubberclair by a point or2! ballynacargy to beat ballinagore by 2 or 3 points in final bal have nippy pacey forwards and can score goals which will be enough to see them win it out... shandonagh to beat milltown in relegation playoff.

dec (None) - Posts: 295 - 19/08/2009 14:54:37    397118

finea to beat bridge by couple points, tang to beat ballinagore in tight game. finea to beat bal, as quarter final will stand to them while tang to beat tclair on other side. even though tclair are probably best team in it tink tang will turn them over.final wud be a toss up as both teams have been strong the last 2years but will tip finea based on that they have most room for improvement . shandonagh shud be too strong for milltown but milltown are always hard bet but will go with shandonagh

john cena (Westmeath) - Posts: 41 - 24/08/2009 17:07:04    402452

The Bridge are finally gone what a shame! they were found out against the big guns failing to beat any of them this year, dont really see them kicking on next year as the gap with the top teams is to big for them to close! still think bal are team to beat? any thoughts?

TheWinner (Westmeath) - Posts: 61 - 30/08/2009 11:41:51    408942

(THE WINNER)...Have just read back a lot of your messages seems to me you have been talking up Shandonagh for a while and then only shouting again when the Bridge beaten.A little sad really hope Milltown send ye down.UP THE WARRIORS!!!

DABLACKSPOT (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 02/09/2009 10:40:21    412774

DABLACKSPOT just for you're information im really looking forward to playing in our semi final next weekend. maybe you could come along and watch! i doubt ul have the boots found in the loft by that stage!

TheWinner (Westmeath) - Posts: 61 - 02/09/2009 17:11:02    413358

Now that we are down to the business end of the championship, the four teams I predicted for the semi finals on the 22nd of July, have all made the semi finals. First up, we have Tubberclair and Tang. I was very impressed with Tubberclair when I seen them beat Finea in the last group game of the championship and they looked the best intermediate team I've seen this year, I therefore predict them to beat Tang in the first semi final.

The second semi final will be an interesting match up, a repeat of last year's semi final, with Bal having made it straight through to the semi and Finea having played a tough quarter final against the Bridge and having beat Moate to win the league on Sunday gone by, I feel Finea are in the better position this year, having played competitive games each of the last two weeks before the semi final, where last year they had no games for 6 weeks before the Bal semi final and definately went into the game over confident. This will not happen this year. Finea to pip Bal in a very tight affair, once they stop Bal scoring goals. Looking forward to two good semi finals.

16thman (Westmeath) - Posts: 19 - 08/09/2009 09:51:29    418931

the 2 semi finals should be very close games this weekend,
Tubberclair v tang, a hard one to call,tang seem to have one game plan and that is to get quick direct ball into conway if tubberclair can cut out tang possesion around midfield this could stop tangs gameplan but i think tang may be a bit stronger around midfield than tubberclair im goin to go for tang to win this one by a point or 2..

Bal v Finea, this will be very close i have been impressed with finea this year but i think bal's ability to score goals will swing it there way, bal by a couple of points

dec (None) - Posts: 295 - 08/09/2009 11:24:06    419036

any thoughts on the weekend.. local derby seems to be the pick of 2 but should be 2 crackers!! who do people think the standout players are so far in the championship?

TigerWoods90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 156 - 08/09/2009 15:53:21    419414

william murtagh is the best footballer in westmeath at the moment!! no doubt he'll win the intermediate football champ for bal this year!! bal 4 senior 2010!!

fred201 (Galway) - Posts: 99 - 11/09/2009 19:30:47    423592

milltownpass relegated. cant see them returnin to intermediate anytime soon.

itsintheblood (Westmeath) - Posts: 7 - 12/09/2009 23:03:57    424267

itsintheblood: You're right, it'll be at least 12 months before Milltownpass are back intermediate

fizzygravy (USA) - Posts: 165 - 13/09/2009 08:14:09    424355

from what I saw yesterday, they will be down for a while. Relying on the 2 burkes way too much. All their 2 corner backs wanted to do was fight, they should concentrate on playing football. On the other side of it, Shandonagh are very reliant on Alan Hickey. He takes the frees and does most of their scoring from play.

breast (Westmeath) - Posts: 133 - 13/09/2009 12:52:07    424423

your a funny man fizzygravy!!! well what i was trying to say was that milltownpass will be down playing junior football for a couple of years. they have been struggling the last few years. was yesterday their 3rd relegation playoff in 5 years???? in fairness, maybe they shoulda been down there years ago!! shandonagh should never have been there anyway, they are a decent side.

itsintheblood (Westmeath) - Posts: 7 - 13/09/2009 15:54:02    424514

Bal looked strong sat night, it was a poor first half but bal showed there quality in the second half i thought griffin kearney was good at corner back, liam reilly had a very good game at wing forward, willie murtagh was decent and daniel keena played well when he came on, it should be a good final wont be much in it but i think bal will make up for loosing the final last year and win it by a couple of points.

dec (None) - Posts: 295 - 14/09/2009 12:39:19    425181