I am so proud of the boys. Brilliant achievement and well done to Pat Flanagan. I reckon we can have a good summer as well but we need to be realistic.

We have been very good against other Div 2 sides. I expect us to beat Carlow in the 1st round of the champioship but I in all honesty don't see us getting even close to the Dubs. They are on a different level to even the other Div 1 teams maybe with the exceptions of Tyrone, Cork, Kerry, Donegal and Mayo. Playing against them in Croker in the championship is daunting to say the least. If we play really well and hope they are well below their normal performances this year we have a chance. If Dublin play well we really won't get close.

I reckon we will have a good run the champioship.

iarmhiman (Westmeath) - Posts: 140 - 25/03/2013 20:55:06    1356301

johnjoseph
County: Derry
Posts: 88

1347458
have to say ,been impressed with Westmeath they have really dug in. Longford have been desperately unlucky. Jamie Clarke taking a holiday in the middle of a league campaign is a huge loss for Armagh, he's a class act. If Derry get Eoin and Paddy Bradley back to full match fitness before the middle of April and get them participating in a league final i'd be delighted but the topsy turvy nature of this league guarantees nothing and its there for the taking. Derry Westmeath will decide who goes through I reckon. Louth , Armagh ,Wexford and Galway are as unpredictable as a big heap of snow in the second week of March.

johnjoseph (Derry) - Posts: 158 - 30/03/2013 20:32:15    1358950

bad news for the likes of galway ,laois etc,westmeath have gone with second string against derry,looks like derry are up

footiemad (Westmeath) - Posts: 733 - 03/04/2013 14:59:23    1360303

Derry v Westmeath..........Derry
Louth v Longford...........Louth
Wexford v Laois............Laois
Armagh v Galway............Armagh

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 03/04/2013 15:14:03    1360313

What will be will be Footiemad. I'm sure whatever team Westmeath put out will still be trying to win and go up to Derry confident they can.

I'm hopeful more than anything about the weekend. Survival has already been achieved, promotion highly unlikely, but it would be nice to go to Armagh and win. Although with them needing the points more their hunger may win out.

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 03/04/2013 15:26:13    1360324

I know it looks like Westmeath have an incredibly week team with 10 changes being made but Dessie Dolan and Paul Sharry are 2 of changes and they would be 2 of our best players. We also have around 4 on the bench who could really change a game coming on at half time or just after.. 4/1 for a Westmeath win is a little bit tempting.

square_ball_69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 826 - 03/04/2013 20:02:21    1360491

can see laois playing a weak side and loosing on sunday to wexford

merri (Laois) - Posts: 65 - 03/04/2013 21:04:42    1360537

merri
County: Laois
Posts: 51

1360537


can see laois playing a weak side and loosing on sunday to wexford


Why would Laois play a weak side,they are still in there with a chance of promotion.

I fancy 4 home wins to finish up this division.

THE_SNAPPER (Louth) - Posts: 2019 - 03/04/2013 21:18:10    1360549

Wexford could beat a full Laois team. Laois have been poor lately

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1046 - 04/04/2013 10:02:57    1360635

That Westmeath team is strong enought to give any team a hard game but the question is which subs will be risked if Westmeath are in with a shout early in the second half as I reckon they will. Derry could run out easy enought winners in the last 15 if the game changers are not risked and I think thats what will happen.

maroon2gold (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 04/04/2013 21:36:22    1361162

Ollie has predicted Westmeath would lose every game so on that grounds I predict a draw or a Westmeath win even though they have made big changes.

Matthew (None) - Posts: 1084 - 04/04/2013 21:50:03    1361179

Only three years ago Westmeath finshed their Div 2 season with no points some turnaround!

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3724 - 04/04/2013 21:56:07    1361186

Derry
Louth
Laois
Armagh

DUB1 (Dublin) - Posts: 5583 - 05/04/2013 08:37:47    1361200

Reality is that Galway's focus now is on Mayo on Mayo 19th in the championship. We are young and slowly building on the back of the minor all-ireland success in 2007 and the u21 success in 2011. Will be interesting to see which of the Div 2 teams will make a dent in the champiuonship over the next two seasons. Our u21s are in the provincial fimal tomorrow after two games in five days (Sligo and Mayo) so these guys have been in and out of the senior set up for a period now. Once they are integrated i would be hopeful that a new era for Galway football will emerge.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1992 - 05/04/2013 09:44:18    1361229

Matthew
County: All
Posts: 435

1361179
Ollie has predicted Westmeath would lose every game so on that grounds I predict a draw or a Westmeath win even though they have made big changes.

Matthew me oule flower as me oule English teacher used to say if you make a statement you back it up? I could do you for slander.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 05/04/2013 13:02:37    1361371

To be fair to Ollie he predicted 2 wins and a draw for us.. Having said that if all of his predictions came through I think we'd get relegated.. I backed Westmeath +4 at 10/11. Defibitely don't think it will be a hammering.

square_ball_69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 826 - 05/04/2013 14:05:47    1361431

@ollie aramgh and laois final you were wrong there lad

Midlu1 (Louth) - Posts: 790 - 05/04/2013 19:05:07    1361672

Should be interesting how the Derry v westmeath final will pan out after they were destroyed today. Psycholigally can't be good for any team to ship a defeat like that.

johnjoseph (Derry) - Posts: 158 - 07/04/2013 17:44:28    1362385

Kiloughter: I hate to disagree with a fellow Tribesman, but the truth is we were completely out-played and out foxed in the first half. Armagh won 75% of the kick-outs, most of them completely uncontested. The first half performance was abysmal. Second half much more encouraging, but midfield was again completely out-played. Had Galway even one inter-county level mid-fielder that would have been a much closer game.

Well done Armagh, delighted that ye're still in Div 2 and look forward to seeing how ye do in the Summer.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3152 - 07/04/2013 18:08:58    1362420

I wouldn't be too concerned from a westmeath point of view. I think we learned more from today than Derry did. There are 10 starters to come back into that team which will make a massive difference

iarmhi_an_mhaith (Westmeath) - Posts: 280 - 07/04/2013 18:23:00    1362442