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Westmeath Hurling thread

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Replying To CleanShoulder: "Castletown, Raharney and toss of a coin for number 3" You really put clonkill ahead of the Gaels? westmeathgaa11 (Westmeath) - Posts: 308 - 02/02/2025 19:52:21 2589013 Link
Replying To westmeathgaa11: "You really put clonkill ahead of the Gaels?" On par, very little if anything between them. 2 good sides CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 341 - 02/02/2025 21:04:18 2589039 Link
Big mistake was made in july preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 776 - 03/02/2025 12:28:42 2589186 Link
Replying To CleanShoulder: "Castletown, Raharney and toss of a coin for number 3" I was being a smart ass because criticising players from lower grades making inter county debuts is exactly what we dont need this year.I still beleive we can survive with a few games under our belts and with everyone fit.Lots of top teams lose in Belfast so show some patience. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1637 - 03/02/2025 13:38:42 2589203 Link
Replying To jobber: "I was being a smart ass because criticising players from lower grades making inter county debuts is exactly what we dont need this year.I still beleive we can survive with a few games under our belts and with everyone fit.Lots of top teams lose in Belfast so show some patience." Was I wrong? There's guys on the panel with senior teams who have seen limited game time with their senior clubs. Definitely 4-5 players on the panel who would not start for LLG, ctg or Raharney westmeathgaa11 (Westmeath) - Posts: 308 - 03/02/2025 18:06:20 2589275 Link
We have to be patient. It's great to see so many of the young players wanting to be in there. We shouldn't be knocking them at all. It's going to take time, players and management deserve a chance. Best of luck to all involved with the panel this year. They won't be found wanting for effort or commitment! Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 993 - 03/02/2025 22:37:46 2589308 Link
Replying To westmeathgaa11: "Was I wrong? There's guys on the panel with senior teams who have seen limited game time with their senior clubs. Definitely 4-5 players on the panel who would not start for LLG, ctg or Raharney" If XYZ "better" player is not involved it's most likely they don't want to be or management strategically prioritises the growth potential of young players. This has been the case for many years across various management teams. We're not exactly bursting at the seams with playing numbers. There are many underage amalgamations now, and it's not uncommon to see an adult club field just one team. Whatever young promising players are available should given as much exposure as possible and thrown right in. The alternative is a guy in his late 20s just there to keep training numbers and the odd challenge match. You'll also find that some of these players would have turned down invites to join panels as they've prioritised work, family etc. They don't want to be put in huge commitments for little reward. Perhaps they only get to be involved for 2-3 years before being discarded, so it's easy to see why they may go a different route. Our performances will hopefully improve and young players will get better. There are a few experienced players still to come back. It isn't all doom and gloom. Antrim has fantastic hurlers, there's no shame in going up there with a fresh-faced team and losing. We must realise that this is one of the most competitive divisions we'll have had for years. Antrim, Laois, Carlow, Offaly and ourselves have been essentially trading places for some time. Add Dublin and Waterford to the mix. It's a really testing and fair league. gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 173 - 04/02/2025 09:55:00 2589361 Link
Replying To preddan: "Big mistake was made in july" Elaborate please stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 600 - 04/02/2025 12:55:35 2589423 Link
Replying To gedupoutofit: "If XYZ "better" player is not involved it's most likely they don't want to be or management strategically prioritises the growth potential of young players. This has been the case for many years across various management teams. We're not exactly bursting at the seams with playing numbers. There are many underage amalgamations now, and it's not uncommon to see an adult club field just one team. Whatever young promising players are available should given as much exposure as possible and thrown right in. The alternative is a guy in his late 20s just there to keep training numbers and the odd challenge match. You'll also find that some of these players would have turned down invites to join panels as they've prioritised work, family etc. They don't want to be put in huge commitments for little reward. Perhaps they only get to be involved for 2-3 years before being discarded, so it's easy to see why they may go a different route. Our performances will hopefully improve and young players will get better. There are a few experienced players still to come back. It isn't all doom and gloom. Antrim has fantastic hurlers, there's no shame in going up there with a fresh-faced team and losing. We must realise that this is one of the most competitive divisions we'll have had for years. Antrim, Laois, Carlow, Offaly and ourselves have been essentially trading places for some time. Add Dublin and Waterford to the mix. It's a really testing and fair league." Great post.Thats exactly the situation and we need to be patient.All of us and a lot more need to be in Cusack over the Next 2 weekends to support them. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1637 - 04/02/2025 13:20:52 2589428 Link
I looked at a few league programmes from 2024, the following weren't on the panel on Sunday; The Doyle twins (Killian to come back), Charlie McCormack, Shane Clavin, Aenghus Clarke, Shane McGovern, Noel Conaty, Darragh Egerton (inj), Niall Mitchell (inj), David O'Reilly (inj), Conor Lynch, Jamie Mulkearns, Conor Murphy, Cormac Boyle, Davy Glennon, That's 15 off the panel, am I missing anyone? It's great to add Darragh McCormack, Gary Greville, Niall O'Brien and Shane Williams, but no county squad can afford to be missing so many players, let alone a small county like ourselves, if any of the counties in 1A were missing so many they'd be relegated straight away. We have to be realistic, the Laois, Offaly & Carlow games were always going to be big ones, and hopefully we can give Waterford a good rattle in the park, a good crowd is essential for our home games. stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 600 - 04/02/2025 15:56:53 2589467 Link
Replying To stonemadbeany: "I looked at a few league programmes from 2024, the following weren't on the panel on Sunday; The Doyle twins (Killian to come back), Charlie McCormack, Shane Clavin, Aenghus Clarke, Shane McGovern, Noel Conaty, Darragh Egerton (inj), Niall Mitchell (inj), David O'Reilly (inj), Conor Lynch, Jamie Mulkearns, Conor Murphy, Cormac Boyle, Davy Glennon, That's 15 off the panel, am I missing anyone? It's great to add Darragh McCormack, Gary Greville, Niall O'Brien and Shane Williams, but no county squad can afford to be missing so many players, let alone a small county like ourselves, if any of the counties in 1A were missing so many they'd be relegated straight away. We have to be realistic, the Laois, Offaly & Carlow games were always going to be big ones, and hopefully we can give Waterford a good rattle in the park, a good crowd is essential for our home games." Jordy Smyth, Micheal & Eoin Daly aswell stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 600 - 05/02/2025 10:04:53 2589554 Link
What's our best 15 if we can get everyone back before end of league and start of Joe Mac? Personally I think this would be our strongest team on paper anyway. Jack Gillen Darragh Egerton (inj) Tommy Doyle Conor Gaffney Gary Greville Robbie Greville Shane Williams Peter Clarke Davy Glennon (to come back) Niall Mitchell (inj) Killian Doyle (to come back) David Williams Niall O'Brien (to come back) Darragh McCormack David O'Reilly (inj) Interested what others think. I think that's the strongest we could go with from what we have. I haven't heard anything on Darragh Egerton? I understand his injury is quiet a bad one. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 993 - 05/02/2025 12:23:28 2589582 Link
Listening to the Iarnhi podcast and they said about Shane Williams being played way out of position and I'd have to agree. He plays his best hurling at half back Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 993 - 05/02/2025 12:28:12 2589585 Link
Replying To Dheen: "What's our best 15 if we can get everyone back before end of league and start of Joe Mac? Personally I think this would be our strongest team on paper anyway. Jack Gillen Darragh Egerton (inj) Tommy Doyle Conor Gaffney Gary Greville Robbie Greville Shane Williams Peter Clarke Davy Glennon (to come back) Niall Mitchell (inj) Killian Doyle (to come back) David Williams Niall O'Brien (to come back) Darragh McCormack David O'Reilly (inj) Interested what others think. I think that's the strongest we could go with from what we have. I haven't heard anything on Darragh Egerton? I understand his injury is quiet a bad one." I would Johnny b in as well not convinced in the goalkeeper more outfield but just there for size? May gillen will grow into keeper position Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 586 - 05/02/2025 15:13:07 2589612 Link
Replying To Gaaforlife2023: "I would Johnny b in as well not convinced in the goalkeeper more outfield but just there for size? May gillen will grow into keeper position" In fairness to Gillen he had a good debut last weekend, saved a penalty, scored a goal from a free and his puckouts were quiet decent apart from one bad one in particular. He can only improve. Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 993 - 05/02/2025 16:33:46 2589628 Link
Replying To Dheen: "In fairness to Gillen he had a good debut last weekend, saved a penalty, scored a goal from a free and his puckouts were quiet decent apart from one bad one in particular. He can only improve." Fair point Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 586 - 05/02/2025 20:02:54 2589665 Link
Replying To Dheen: "What's our best 15 if we can get everyone back before end of league and start of Joe Mac? Personally I think this would be our strongest team on paper anyway. Jack Gillen Darragh Egerton (inj) Tommy Doyle Conor Gaffney Gary Greville Robbie Greville Shane Williams Peter Clarke Davy Glennon (to come back) Niall Mitchell (inj) Killian Doyle (to come back) David Williams Niall O'Brien (to come back) Darragh McCormack David O'Reilly (inj) Interested what others think. I think that's the strongest we could go with from what we have. I haven't heard anything on Darragh Egerton? I understand his injury is quiet a bad one." Thats a team that would stay in 1b and be favourites for Mcdonagh.But lets faces facts,Egerton is out for the year,Doyle wont return to Ireland till the end of the month,In what state after a long holiday? and Mccormack seems more focused on rugby. Johhny Birmingham and Joey Boyle would be in my team and to be fair Dará Clinton looked to be near his very best last week.Conor Shaw is a loss as of course are Aonghus Clarke and Conor Boyle. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1637 - 07/02/2025 09:42:15 2589847 Link
Are Clavin and Regan gone from panel/team preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 776 - 07/02/2025 17:54:40 2589936 Link
Replying To preddan: "Are Clavin and Regan gone from panel/team" As far as I know yes. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1637 - 08/02/2025 17:26:33 2590073 Link
Replying To jobber: "As far as I know yes." Big losses Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 586 - 08/02/2025 19:59:27 2590118 Link