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National Forum

Westmeath Hurling thread

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Replying To Greengrass1:  "Undermined by his own players by the look of it. Sad."
His own club players too

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1185 - 05/11/2026 21:27:43    2699549

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O'Brien, whose departure was confirmed by Westmeath GAA this afternoon, is bitterly disappointed that the current situation has come to pass and admitted he is hurting.

"I'm a Westmeath man and I have given my heart and soul to this. I have plans in place, Abbotstown (GAA Centre of Excellence) has been booked, I only want the best for hurling in the county. But I have been thrown under the bus here. People have set about undermining me at every turn and they have succeeded," he said.

O'Brien was critical of social media platforms where he said untruths were written and spoken, all of which he feels has been part of a concerted effort to derail the county's senior hurling management team.
(Westmeath Independent)

The podcast were criticising him as soon as he got the job the same as Bulfin before him.

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1098 - 05/11/2026 21:33:25    2699550

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Replying To Greengrass1:  "Undermined by his own players by the look of it. Sad."
Seems to be the word. Never nice to see but you have to ask why the players weren't with him.

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 389 - 05/11/2026 22:00:39    2699557

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Maybe players see no facilities or backing and thibk whats point many gave ot service and blaming them now maybe its a combination of things.

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:28:03    2699559

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Replying To ear2ground:  "Why does it always always go back to heads must roll in the county board ? And a full independent review into what exactly ? It's clear to see and has been for 4/5 years that their was a massive gap in the quality of players coming through to those that were leaving. Like now is it clear to see that brighter days will come with the lads that will be coming through to play senior and it will pick up.

The players deserve exactly what they get for far too long the tail has been wagging the dog with these players. I feel for O Brien of course I do but it could have been Brian Cody in the role and it would have been the same result. Standards have fallen short, the standards are set by the dressing room, alot of them chose to walk away that was there decision."
Maybe the county board has a part in it; of course, they have no set place to train while being amateur players. A few players may have come in with football, and who could blame them if there's too much pressure?

Now, I'm not saying you don't have a point about some players, but saying the county board can't be questioned is ridiculous.

Just look: minor setup, no communication towards the management team with gpkd setup, no communication, never mind treating them better; couldn't bother with communication and still no further on. Can I ask, have a game that thinks it's just blaming the players. Seems my county board has their messengers out to deflect.

They don't really care about hurling and wonder-top players, especially from C.T.G.
Lg. or Raharey bother playing.

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:34:32    2699561

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Replying To ear2ground:  "Why does it always always go back to heads must roll in the county board ? And a full independent review into what exactly ? It's clear to see and has been for 4/5 years that their was a massive gap in the quality of players coming through to those that were leaving. Like now is it clear to see that brighter days will come with the lads that will be coming through to play senior and it will pick up.

The players deserve exactly what they get for far too long the tail has been wagging the dog with these players. I feel for O Brien of course I do but it could have been Brian Cody in the role and it would have been the same result. Standards have fallen short, the standards are set by the dressing room, alot of them chose to walk away that was there decision."
A lot here could see or tell players may pull i have sympathy for him.
Maybe Brennan pulled too?

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:35:35    2699562

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Replying To ear2ground:  "Why does it always always go back to heads must roll in the county board ? And a full independent review into what exactly ? It's clear to see and has been for 4/5 years that their was a massive gap in the quality of players coming through to those that were leaving. Like now is it clear to see that brighter days will come with the lads that will be coming through to play senior and it will pick up.

The players deserve exactly what they get for far too long the tail has been wagging the dog with these players. I feel for O Brien of course I do but it could have been Brian Cody in the role and it would have been the same result. Standards have fallen short, the standards are set by the dressing room, alot of them chose to walk away that was there decision."
Again eho are players you digging at many gave westmeath great service

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:36:46    2699563

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Replying To Greengrass1:  "Undermined by his own players by the look of it. Sad."
Maybe there is a reason much more than that, it's looking at the mess they are in at the board level of a minor situation

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:38:24    2699564

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It all comes from the top nkt suroriesd i am right; there's always a few who think the top of any organisation can't be questioned. Sometimes they get wrongly blamed, but they are a big part of the blame in this case.

Unless all stakehokders get questioned includign thise top even if its from own ones clubs westmeath are going nowhere.

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:41:16    2699565

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Eho were the people he suggeted were undermining from what i read cant be players

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1397 - 05/11/2026 22:51:33    2699566

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Its some mess but sad to say its been on the cards with so few turning up for training. Now we need every Westmeath hurling person to rally around, players,coaches and board and find the right people to bring us forward.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 2053 - 05/11/2026 23:22:11    2699568

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To add to the respect not given to hurling here currently, it seems some dual players preparing for Leinster club hurling championship this weekend have been told by county football mgmt that the have to train (thought there was no country training until Nov 20th as per GAA rules) with county on morning of their hurling championship match or it will impact on their selection for the football panel.
Meanwhile those in football club championship have been told to train away with their clubs until their Leinster championship is over… double standards and overbearing stance by mgt. Nobody standing up for players/club.

gameman (Westmeath) - Posts: 16 - 06/11/2026 08:34:52    2699573

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Replying To Gaaforlife2023:  "Eho were the people he suggeted were undermining from what i read cant be players"
Social media he said. See Westmeath Independent

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1098 - 06/11/2026 10:32:33    2699581

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Replying To gameman:  "To add to the respect not given to hurling here currently, it seems some dual players preparing for Leinster club hurling championship this weekend have been told by county football mgmt that the have to train (thought there was no country training until Nov 20th as per GAA rules) with county on morning of their hurling championship match or it will impact on their selection for the football panel.
Meanwhile those in football club championship have been told to train away with their clubs until their Leinster championship is over… double standards and overbearing stance by mgt. Nobody standing up for players/club."
Which players will this affect?

BadgerDog (Westmeath) - Posts: 166 - 06/11/2026 11:29:27    2699590

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Lots of issues in 2026, lack of professionalism is what I'm told. Issues with gear, no video analysis etc

westmeathgaa11 (Westmeath) - Posts: 400 - 06/11/2026 11:39:56    2699595

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Replying To deelsider:  "You've actually made the strongest argument for a review yourself. If the gap in players coming through was obvious for four or five years, what was done about it? Who took responsibility? Where was the intervention? An obvious problem left unresolved for years demands answers.

You ask, "A review into what exactly?" Into the county's hurling development plan, schools coaching, support for clubs, development squads, coaching standards, player retention, funding and the pathway into senior inter-county hurling. Into who was responsible for delivering in those areas and whether they delivered.

A shortage of developed players cannot simply be used to excuse those responsible for overseeing player development. That is precisely where scrutiny should begin. In my view, the picture you describe is a damning indictment of how hurling has been planned for and supported over a sustained period.

As for "the players deserve exactly what they get", that is a disgracefully dismissive way to speak about lads who give enormous time and effort to represent their county. Players have responsibilities and should face fair scrutiny. So should the people making decisions above them. Accountability does not stop at the dressing-room door.

Saying brighter days will come because another talented group is emerging offers no answer to any of this. Those young players deserve proper structures, sustained investment and competent leadership. They should not have to carry the consequences of problems adults in positions of responsibility failed to address.

There must be a full, independent, root-and-branch review, with published findings, named responsibilities and deadlines for action. Where that review establishes serious failures of leadership, there must be consequences, including changes in personnel.

Westmeath hurling cannot keep demanding higher standards from players while treating scrutiny of county board leadership as somehow unreasonable."
I agree with everything said here. There are no winners in this situation, and ultimately it is Westmeath hurling and its players who lose out. The warning signs were there, and the obvious shortcomings with the last two appointments were highlighted from day one. We cannot keep repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different outcome.

A full review is needed, but more importantly, a new approach, fresh thinking and proper accountability are required. We owe it to the current players, the clubs and the next generation coming through to get this right. The same old approach clearly isn't working. Time for change.

Loughlenegale (Westmeath) - Posts: 77 - 06/11/2026 11:45:13    2699596

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Anybody even surprised anymore? Another mess courtesy of the CB.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 439 - 06/11/2026 12:03:01    2699599

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I'd say Ormsby brothers

Baldy1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 97 - 06/11/2026 12:13:55    2699600

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Replying To BadgerDog:  "Which players will this affect?"
Young Geoghegan from Lomans/Turin maybe? Or the Ormbsys from Shamrocks/Plunketts

WestmeathGael1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 16 - 06/11/2026 13:03:22    2699605

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Replying To gameman:  "To add to the respect not given to hurling here currently, it seems some dual players preparing for Leinster club hurling championship this weekend have been told by county football mgmt that the have to train (thought there was no country training until Nov 20th as per GAA rules) with county on morning of their hurling championship match or it will impact on their selection for the football panel.
Meanwhile those in football club championship have been told to train away with their clubs until their Leinster championship is over… double standards and overbearing stance by mgt. Nobody standing up for players/club."
It's true if that's what's happening. It's very disrespectful to club hurling if players are being told they can't train or play with their clubs and must attend U20 or senior county sessions or risk their place on the panel.
If Kevin O'Brien told hurlers they couldn't train with their football clubs, he'd get serious abuse for it. It's becoming a joke. What's going on with Gonoud and McHugh? Clubs need space to breathe.

TheWagonWheel-N91Y529 (Westmeath) - Posts: 62 - 06/11/2026 13:14:30    2699607

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