I think this could be a cracking game of football

Westmeath are on fine vein of form at present and are now a Division 1 side…

I think if Dublin are as flat as they were against Tyrone... I think we Dub fans maybe in a for a very uncomfortable afternoon

Dublin will have to be at their best

I said it on the Dublin form that arguably Westmeath could be considered in the Top 3 Leinster counties

They bloody gave Kerry one hell of a game not so long ago... and let's be honest... WM were robbed that day!

I think a lot of their fans will carry a nice bit of confidence going into this game

From a Dublin point of view we have huge competition for places

As such I expect to see a full blooded Dublin effort in every area of the pitch

It'll be interesting to see who lines out for Dublin... this is the time for Jim and co to get things right.

All in all I think we have a cracking game on the way...

If Dublin performs to their ability then we should win

Anything else and WM will be well up for causing an upset...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 21/05/2013 13:21:49    1388161

I can't see anything but a comprehensive Dublin win.
First game of the league in front of their home crowd, and players competing for places trying to impress the management.
If Westmeath can get within half a dozen points of the league champions, they will be doing well.

bryanadams (Kildare) - Posts: 733 - 21/05/2013 13:50:18    1388194

I don't think they are arguably a top 3 Leinster side at the moment, I think they are a top 3 side. If they were playing anyone else apart from Dublin or Kildare, they would be favourities. They would even have a great chance against Kildare.

Dublin are a different proposition though and are justifiably one of the favourities for the All-Ireland. Westmeath would have to up another level to beat them. It could happen of course but if you were betting today, you'd put your money on Dublin.

They could go far in the qualifiers though. It would be great to see another team in Croke Park in All Ireland 1/4 final day.

county man (Limerick) - Posts: 1156 - 21/05/2013 13:58:56    1388209

Snuff/Breff/TC etc...Old Guard, do ye remember back in the earlys 00's when WM were decent there was a fella on here called Lakeside or something like that and another fella called Iarmhi Iontach or something aimilar.....remember them? Two complete hoors! They werent long disappearing once Paidi left!! Big mouths for 2 years and then back into their boxes once the Laois Posse arrived!

That aside, the current WM team look decent. But, i would worry for them if Heslin is out. Glennon may be talented but i wouldnt trust him beside me in a battle. Dessie is back from retirement, and while class is permenant, championship fitness isnt.
They may do well for 50 mins but hand on heart, I cant see anything less than a sound beating for a finish. 8+ would be the handicap if i was calling it

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 21/05/2013 15:01:27    1388278

Lads I am actually really looking forward to the game because simply we have nothing to lose.I don't think anyone could argue that Dublin ,if not the best are certainly in the top 2/3 teams in the country,also Dublin for some reason always seem to start a little slowly before they get motoring. have to be honest and say this is as strong a westmeath team as I have ever seen,we simply did not play well against Carlow largely due to the fact we found ourselves in strange water(game was too easy).We have some very talented individuals in Sharry ,Heslin and Egan.All this talk about heslin but I think a lot of people should watch Sharry play....a much better footballer in my opinion and arguably the best centre back in the country.I still think the dubs will prevail ,but it will be tighter than people think......as for Kildare I wouldn't mind playing them at all...unless they get their cheque book out again

footiemad (Westmeath) - Posts: 733 - 21/05/2013 15:39:35    1388318

have to say this game will be close enough as westmeath have had a win under their belts in the championship already and as already pointed out dublin are often slow starters in the first match.throw in the fact that dublin will have done very little championship training together because of a round of club championship in both football and hurling being played here over the last 2 weeks meaning they will only have this week and next week to do collective training as a panel which is not very much preparation going into a game against a team who will no doubt view this game as their all ireland final and will be in oeak fitness i would imagine for it.
westemath will probably play like mosthave this year against us try and get bodys back and plug up the defence so dublin will need to be patient and not waste possesion and carve out openings for scoring chances over the course of the first 50 minutes.
I would expect dublin to have the firepower to kick on in the last 20 minutes when the game opens up that little more.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/05/2013 15:47:40    1388332

County man, definitely beat anyone? 125+ years and counting. Still can't beat one particular county

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 21/05/2013 15:48:34    1388333

My worry for Westmeath I cant get the Derry game out of my head , I thought pace physicality was way off our game. V Tyrone , I remember thinking at time Either of those teams would struggle v a DIV 1 team , its for this reason Im confident of a win . We've had games were we are have been slow to hit pace ourselves , notably v kildare and Wexford over recent years , and a bit of luck has gotten us over the line , so anythings possible , but head says Dubs win .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 21/05/2013 15:49:17    1388335

Brolly hit the nail on the head during the Sunday Game. Westmeath were a better footballing side than Derry in the league final, but Derry's superior fitness wore them down in the last 5 minutes. If Westmeath can't cope with Derry's fitness levels then they sure as hell won't be able to withstand Dublin's supreme fitness levels and their ability to call top class footballers from the bench .

Dublin by 6.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 21/05/2013 16:00:25    1388351

footiemad
County: Westmeath
Posts: 425

1388318
Lads I am actually really looking forward to the game because simply we have nothing to lose.I don't think anyone could argue that Dublin ,if not the best are certainly in the top 2/3 teams in the country,also Dublin for some reason always seem to start a little slowly before they get motoring. have to be honest and say this is as strong a westmeath team as I have ever seen,we simply did not play well against Carlow largely due to the fact we found ourselves in strange water(game was too easy).We have some very talented individuals in Sharry ,Heslin and Egan.All this talk about heslin but I think a lot of people should watch Sharry play....a much better footballer in my opinion and arguably the best centre back in the country.I still think the dubs will prevail ,but it will be tighter than people think......as for Kildare I wouldn't mind playing them at all...unless they get their cheque book out
again

Hope you get your wish. Rather play Westmeath than the dubs any day of the week. But it just won't happen.Have to say I haven't heard who the best centre back in the country was until now..Sharry who ?

St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1745 - 21/05/2013 16:01:02    1388352

Dublin will win this game. Nothing else needs to be said..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 21/05/2013 16:25:30    1388386

If Dublin intend on being in reckoning next summer they ought to be beating the likes of Westmeath by 8+ points. An Iarmhí have progressed greatly since the start of the year but are a couple of years off challenging for the honours. They should stay in the game until about 50 minutes at which point the Dubs subs should wipe the floor of them. No disrespect to an Iarmhí.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 21/05/2013 16:38:44    1388409

Liamwalkinstown
County: Dublin
Posts: 4405

1388278 Snuff/Breff/TC etc...Old Guard, do ye remember back in the earlys 00's when WM were decent there was a fella on here called Lakeside or something like that and another fella called Iarmhi Iontach or something aimilar.....remember them? Two complete hoors! They werent long disappearing once Paidi left!! Big mouths for 2 years and then back into their boxes once the Laois Posse arrived!

Get a room!

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 21/05/2013 16:44:23    1388415

Good point Mourne Army. Made the same myself on Dublin forum. Westmeath are good but apear not to have the level of fitness and conditioning - yet perhaps - to play for 75 minutes at the intensity required in Croke Park. I can still see them taking a few scalps in the qualifiers mind you, but Dublin in Croker a bit beyond them at minute. If match was anywwhere else it would be close enough possibly.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 21/05/2013 16:59:43    1388435

Glennon's own words regarding Westmeaths fitness drop off

"We've no reason to doubt ourselves at this stage. Derry beat us [in the Division Two final] but we were right in it until the last minute of the game. Playing club championship the week before didn't help - the legs ran out of juice.

"But I don't think we will have the same problem the next time when we go up to Croke Park. We will have two weeks together as a team, something we didn't have before the league final."

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 21/05/2013 17:04:31    1388444

I think Westmeath will certainly gives Dublin a good rattle.

In saying that I'd still expect us to get away from them in the last quarter.

Agreed that it has the makings of a good game and if Dublin aren't at their best, or approaching their best, then Westmeath have a chance.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13846 - 21/05/2013 17:15:17    1388455

footiemad
County: Westmeath
Posts: 425

1388318 Lads I am actually really looking forward to the game because simply we have nothing to lose.I don't think anyone could argue that Dublin ,if not the best are certainly in the top 2/3 teams in the country,also Dublin for some reason always seem to start a little slowly before they get motoring. have to be honest and say this is as strong a westmeath team as I have ever seen,we simply did not play well against Carlow largely due to the fact we found ourselves in strange water(game was too easy).We have some very talented individuals in Sharry ,Heslin and Egan.All this talk about heslin but I think a lot of people should watch Sharry play....a much better footballer in my opinion and arguably the best centre back in the country.I still think the dubs will prevail ,but it will be tighter than people think......as for Kildare I wouldn't mind playing them at all...unless they get their cheque book out again

Good post, interested to see the Westmeath lads take on it.
Your right you have nothing to lose up to a point.(assuming you dont lose by a huge margin)and its a great opportunity for the players to see where they are at. Dublin are on a hidig to nothing either way.
If we win well people will say we learned nothing from the game, if we win a tough match people will say they just about got over a newly promoted div2 team and will struggle against the bigger sides.
I think Westmeath will try and frustrate Dublin as much as possible and try and stop our half backs running out with the ball , midfield battle will be interesting and if Dublin start winning midfield early in game it will be over early. if westmeath win their midfield kickouts then it will be close for a lot longer.
Id expect fitness to play a huge part in this game and i think westeath will tire from trying to keep with our half backs and half forwards and eventually we will pull away.
Though nothing is guaranteed and if WE which i dont think WE will take our eye of this match we will be punished.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 21/05/2013 17:19:41    1388459

Apart from Derry we had no problems with fitness in div2. We were blowing teams away in the second half behind at half time in all our matches.

Obviously Dublin will be at a few levels above the teams we were playing.

doyle55 (Westmeath) - Posts: 13 - 21/05/2013 17:22:55    1388463

Liamwalkinstown I agree with your basic point that Dublin should win this game pulling up but your suggestion that Westmeath were only decent for two years when the late Paudi was in charge is a bit simplistic. That Westmeath team appeared in 3 all Ireland quarter finals under 3 different managers so there was a bit more to them than that. A lot of teams havent got that far that often. From a Dublin point of view that mightnt be much but its a good record in the bigger scheme of things.

Whats the bit about the Laois posse arriving to silence Westmeath?. Westmeath won the Leinster in 04 whilst Laois won it in 03. Nothing since so dont get that point.

Like I said however Dublin should be too strong for this current Westmeath team and are hot favourites.

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1080 - 21/05/2013 18:38:38    1388520

Dublin should win, but wouldn't be surprised if it was alot closer than some think

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 21/05/2013 18:46:42    1388529