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Westmeath Football thread

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People on this forum look back at 04 like it was today or yesterday. Football in the early 00s and today are two completely different games. In 2004 we had a team of players in their prime managed by one of the best. We have a group of young lads right now but I think we need to avoid being critical as these lads are only finding their way in county football. I believe if we back the team we have right now we will see the results in the near future because there is no doubt the talent is there. I do agree with the talk of the facilities in Westmeath. Our county teams are training in whatever pitch they can get their hands on, and the goodwill of clubs giving up their pitch, rather than having a centre of excellence like most other counties. Even Leitrim have one..

Overthebar85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 06/03/2025 11:31:08    2595019

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Replying To Overthebar85:  "People on this forum look back at 04 like it was today or yesterday. Football in the early 00s and today are two completely different games. In 2004 we had a team of players in their prime managed by one of the best. We have a group of young lads right now but I think we need to avoid being critical as these lads are only finding their way in county football. I believe if we back the team we have right now we will see the results in the near future because there is no doubt the talent is there. I do agree with the talk of the facilities in Westmeath. Our county teams are training in whatever pitch they can get their hands on, and the goodwill of clubs giving up their pitch, rather than having a centre of excellence like most other counties. Even Leitrim have one.."
Well we all know the soloution. In fairness the county board have got the ball rolling with getting land in Mullingar for a training centre. All gaels in Westmeath need to get behind the fundraising drive to get the job done. I do think its hampering our progress in both codes being more or less homeless. When you see the likes of Dunganny in Meath, Kilcormack in Offaly. Underage/ Senior teams need somewhere to inspire them. As for support, I think many turned away a bit from football because it became a very boring watch. Im going to make my return to support the footballers.( from a hurling area). The new rules have definitley made it a better watch Still more tweaks needed.

overdabar (Westmeath) - Posts: 251 - 06/03/2025 19:47:12    2595124

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Replying To overdabar:  "Well we all know the soloution. In fairness the county board have got the ball rolling with getting land in Mullingar for a training centre. All gaels in Westmeath need to get behind the fundraising drive to get the job done. I do think its hampering our progress in both codes being more or less homeless. When you see the likes of Dunganny in Meath, Kilcormack in Offaly. Underage/ Senior teams need somewhere to inspire them. As for support, I think many turned away a bit from football because it became a very boring watch. Im going to make my return to support the footballers.( from a hurling area). The new rules have definitley made it a better watch Still more tweaks needed."
They got the ball rolling over 20 years ago. I think many supporters turned away because they're rightly fed up with decades of poor leadership from the top, not one ounce of progress made off the field in decades. Of course having no Centre of Excellence has hampered our progress on the field. Westmeath teams are at a disadvantage straight away, no training base to enhance preparation like every other county has. There have been situations where Westmeath managers were begging clubs to use their facilities. The last I heard on the under 20 footballers, they were training on a cow field in Loughnavalley. There's no hope for the development of players and coaches in this county if they don't know for definite where they will be training next Tuesday night.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 132 - 06/03/2025 22:55:41    2595142

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Replying To overdabar:  "Well we all know the soloution. In fairness the county board have got the ball rolling with getting land in Mullingar for a training centre. All gaels in Westmeath need to get behind the fundraising drive to get the job done. I do think its hampering our progress in both codes being more or less homeless. When you see the likes of Dunganny in Meath, Kilcormack in Offaly. Underage/ Senior teams need somewhere to inspire them. As for support, I think many turned away a bit from football because it became a very boring watch. Im going to make my return to support the footballers.( from a hurling area). The new rules have definitley made it a better watch Still more tweaks needed."
A lot of people around the county and especially those involved in clubs are finding it hard to row in on this. Firstly, the location of the proposed centre of excellence without massive consultation from the clubs and then the way it was voted through last year has left many people sour. The new centre of excellence nestled between the grounds of both Mullingar town clubs and when completed will practically be an extension of Lomans. The county board launched an initiative recently to promote games in Athlone but I will guarantee that no matter how hard you try, kids and parents from Athlone won't have much interest in going to Mullingar for all training with county teams. The county board is very Mullingar driven and that doesn't sit well with a lot of people in the south of the county. I'm sure a more rural site could have been sourced to suit all and at a lesser price. The way it is been driven and ultimatums to clubs who don't sell certain amounts tickets and threats of future levies on clubs who are doing their best to run their own clubs doesn''t exactly excite people into getting on board. I see clubs promoting the tickets on their social media platforms but get no recognition towards club sales. In this day and age most people will buy online so clubs despite promoting it and helping with ticket sales are still expected to sell more physical tickets.

mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 256 - 07/03/2025 00:23:45    2595147

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "They got the ball rolling over 20 years ago. I think many supporters turned away because they're rightly fed up with decades of poor leadership from the top, not one ounce of progress made off the field in decades. Of course having no Centre of Excellence has hampered our progress on the field. Westmeath teams are at a disadvantage straight away, no training base to enhance preparation like every other county has. There have been situations where Westmeath managers were begging clubs to use their facilities. The last I heard on the under 20 footballers, they were training on a cow field in Loughnavalley. There's no hope for the development of players and coaches in this county if they don't know for definite where they will be training next Tuesday night."
The Board need money to be able to provide a Centre of Excellence and they don't have any because fundraising ventures are not being supported. We are poor supporters, not only at matches but with our pockets too. Look at the Home in Spain fundraiser. It doesn't look good when they had to more or less do a re-launch of it. So the GAA people of Westmeath are to blame really.

On the training at various pitches, I have found over the years that Clubs do not want County teams on their grounds as they have no regard for the condition they leave pitches in. I recall a County team years ago who trained one wet night in on a particular WH pitch and the drill they were doing left a piece of the pitch like cattle had been feeding on it for the winter. 4 months later the ground had still not recovered after that night. The team never trained on that pitch again after that as the Club didn't want them.

Meridian (Westmeath) - Posts: 672 - 07/03/2025 09:16:42    2595167

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Replying To mintyfresh:  "A lot of people around the county and especially those involved in clubs are finding it hard to row in on this. Firstly, the location of the proposed centre of excellence without massive consultation from the clubs and then the way it was voted through last year has left many people sour. The new centre of excellence nestled between the grounds of both Mullingar town clubs and when completed will practically be an extension of Lomans. The county board launched an initiative recently to promote games in Athlone but I will guarantee that no matter how hard you try, kids and parents from Athlone won't have much interest in going to Mullingar for all training with county teams. The county board is very Mullingar driven and that doesn't sit well with a lot of people in the south of the county. I'm sure a more rural site could have been sourced to suit all and at a lesser price. The way it is been driven and ultimatums to clubs who don't sell certain amounts tickets and threats of future levies on clubs who are doing their best to run their own clubs doesn''t exactly excite people into getting on board. I see clubs promoting the tickets on their social media platforms but get no recognition towards club sales. In this day and age most people will buy online so clubs despite promoting it and helping with ticket sales are still expected to sell more physical tickets."
100%... You'd hardly know Westmeath existed once you reach Athlone and surrounding areas.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 28 - 07/03/2025 11:33:12    2595193

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Replying To mintyfresh:  "A lot of people around the county and especially those involved in clubs are finding it hard to row in on this. Firstly, the location of the proposed centre of excellence without massive consultation from the clubs and then the way it was voted through last year has left many people sour. The new centre of excellence nestled between the grounds of both Mullingar town clubs and when completed will practically be an extension of Lomans. The county board launched an initiative recently to promote games in Athlone but I will guarantee that no matter how hard you try, kids and parents from Athlone won't have much interest in going to Mullingar for all training with county teams. The county board is very Mullingar driven and that doesn't sit well with a lot of people in the south of the county. I'm sure a more rural site could have been sourced to suit all and at a lesser price. The way it is been driven and ultimatums to clubs who don't sell certain amounts tickets and threats of future levies on clubs who are doing their best to run their own clubs doesn''t exactly excite people into getting on board. I see clubs promoting the tickets on their social media platforms but get no recognition towards club sales. In this day and age most people will buy online so clubs despite promoting it and helping with ticket sales are still expected to sell more physical tickets."
I do agree with the fact that that these center of excellance ideas are very much Mullingar orientated but I suppose it has to go somewhere and to me Mullingar would be the best option.All clubs -regardless of bias-should get behind this venture and see that it gets done.But we are not the only county struggling for training facilities and it needs to happen.

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 244 - 07/03/2025 11:40:47    2595195

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With the county teams idle this weekend will or should players be allowed to return to their clubs to play league matches this weekend??

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 244 - 07/03/2025 11:43:34    2595196

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Replying To Bruno@1:  "With the county teams idle this weekend will or should players be allowed to return to their clubs to play league matches this weekend??"
Yes they should be. I hope they trained last night Thursday to allow players to play tonight and tomorrow. They can then train Sunday morning with the only player being affected would be Kieran Martin as Maryland play Div 3 Sunday.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 537 - 07/03/2025 12:25:49    2595212

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Replying To Bruno@1:  "I do agree with the fact that that these center of excellance ideas are very much Mullingar orientated but I suppose it has to go somewhere and to me Mullingar would be the best option.All clubs -regardless of bias-should get behind this venture and see that it gets done.But we are not the only county struggling for training facilities and it needs to happen."
And why is Mullingar the best option? There is plenty of life in Westmeath outside Mullingar and plenty of GAA people, clubs and activity outside Mullingar. As I stated in my post, the idea of it being an extension of St. Lomans is what doesn't sit well with people. The only club bias is that the best resourced and supported club in the county will get even more than anybody out of this. What is wrong with a green field blank canvas rural development central to all clubs and GAA people that all clubs can benefit equally from and as I also stated previously I'm sure it could have been got cheaper than the prime urban retail price we paid for the site in Mullingar. Offaly, Kerry, Meath, Leitrim and I'm sure there are more counties I can't think of have their centre of excellence in locations like I am suggesting.

mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 256 - 07/03/2025 13:08:51    2595223

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Am still following this thread with interest. Hope nobody minds!

Would suggest that concerns that Loman's might benefit from a Centre of Excellence on their doorstep might be misplaced.

Here in Wexford, our COE is in Ferns, just a couple of pucks of a ball away from the local Ferns St. Aidans club grounds as the crow flies.

But the club gets no benefit or usage of it, and instead it works the other way around. Even with seven pitches at COE, there are times it can't accommodate everything between development squads and county panels in LGFA and camogie as well as hurling and football. Happens especially at this time of the year, when some pitches at COE might be rested due to bad weather and soft ground.

So instead, the local club is regularly hit with requests for county squads to train there instead. And as somebody said above, clubs don't necessarily want county squads on their grounds.

Am not speaking on behalf of the Ferns club here, but wouldn't be surprised if they thought having the COE so close by was more of a nuisance than a benefit.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2734 - 07/03/2025 14:23:06    2595244

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Reading the various posts on centre of excellence or training centre. No matter where it ended up being located, people would crib about location. Mullingar base is as good as any and it's irrelevant that location is next to both Mullingar based football clubs. Fact is, the only reasonably suitable land bank that came up is where the new facility is planned for.

Greengrass1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 16 - 07/03/2025 14:24:21    2595245

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Replying To mintyfresh:  "And why is Mullingar the best option? There is plenty of life in Westmeath outside Mullingar and plenty of GAA people, clubs and activity outside Mullingar. As I stated in my post, the idea of it being an extension of St. Lomans is what doesn't sit well with people. The only club bias is that the best resourced and supported club in the county will get even more than anybody out of this. What is wrong with a green field blank canvas rural development central to all clubs and GAA people that all clubs can benefit equally from and as I also stated previously I'm sure it could have been got cheaper than the prime urban retail price we paid for the site in Mullingar. Offaly, Kerry, Meath, Leitrim and I'm sure there are more counties I can't think of have their centre of excellence in locations like I am suggesting."
Why don't they sell the grounds beside Dunns stores And put the county pitch in the same place as the field of excellence

Mick1234 (Westmeath) - Posts: 9 - 07/03/2025 14:36:23    2595248

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Replying To mintyfresh:  "And why is Mullingar the best option? There is plenty of life in Westmeath outside Mullingar and plenty of GAA people, clubs and activity outside Mullingar. As I stated in my post, the idea of it being an extension of St. Lomans is what doesn't sit well with people. The only club bias is that the best resourced and supported club in the county will get even more than anybody out of this. What is wrong with a green field blank canvas rural development central to all clubs and GAA people that all clubs can benefit equally from and as I also stated previously I'm sure it could have been got cheaper than the prime urban retail price we paid for the site in Mullingar. Offaly, Kerry, Meath, Leitrim and I'm sure there are more counties I can't think of have their centre of excellence in locations like I am suggesting."
Well with Athlone to the west-Raharney to the east-Kilbeggan to the south and Castlepollard to the north of the county Mullingar seems most central and probably equal distance wise

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 244 - 07/03/2025 14:55:04    2595250

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Replying To Mick1234:  "Why don't they sell the grounds beside Dunns stores And put the county pitch in the same place as the field of excellence"
First thing that springs to mind is simply financial and logistical. If you were relying on the money from that sale to build a new county ground at the COE, then you'd have no county ground at all during the time between the sale of the existing one closing and construction of the new one being finished.

Second thing is that county grounds require all sorts of facilities you don't generally find in a Centre of Excellence, e.g. stands, terracing, turnstiles, umpteen public toilets, etc. And if the COE was to be in a rural location where it's not feasible to park on local roads, you'd need probably thousands of parking spaces too. That all takes away from the room available for pitches to train on, which is surely the main idea of a COE in the first place.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2734 - 07/03/2025 15:03:38    2595254

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Replying To Bruno@1:  "Well with Athlone to the west-Raharney to the east-Kilbeggan to the south and Castlepollard to the north of the county Mullingar seems most central and probably equal distance wise"
Population has to be taken in to consideration?

In the last census Athlone had a population of 22,869 202 more than Mullingar. For Westmeath as a county to thrive in GAA we need a good blend of players from both Athlone, Mullingar and everywhere in between.

Ray Connellen the only player the town of Athlone on either football or hurling squads. This has to be highlighted as a problem. I know of two lads that didn't get involved in a senior panels this year from the south of the county as they felt it was very Mullingar oriented.

COE should have been in Tyrrellspass or rochfortbrigid as it would be between both big towns and near the motorway!!!

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 537 - 07/03/2025 16:33:45    2595277

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Replying To Meridian:  "The Board need money to be able to provide a Centre of Excellence and they don't have any because fundraising ventures are not being supported. We are poor supporters, not only at matches but with our pockets too. Look at the Home in Spain fundraiser. It doesn't look good when they had to more or less do a re-launch of it. So the GAA people of Westmeath are to blame really.

On the training at various pitches, I have found over the years that Clubs do not want County teams on their grounds as they have no regard for the condition they leave pitches in. I recall a County team years ago who trained one wet night in on a particular WH pitch and the drill they were doing left a piece of the pitch like cattle had been feeding on it for the winter. 4 months later the ground had still not recovered after that night. The team never trained on that pitch again after that as the Club didn't want them."
They can't keep on expecting the clubs to do it for them, the clubs can only do so much while trying to look after their own affairs. Coming out and saying the clubs should be doing more, selling more tickets or whatever is deflecting from their own shortcomings. What ever happened to the strategic plan and maximising sponsorship opportunities with the Gold, Silver and Bronze packages?

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 132 - 07/03/2025 17:34:25    2595292

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Replying To Temple56:  "Population has to be taken in to consideration?

In the last census Athlone had a population of 22,869 202 more than Mullingar. For Westmeath as a county to thrive in GAA we need a good blend of players from both Athlone, Mullingar and everywhere in between.

Ray Connellen the only player the town of Athlone on either football or hurling squads. This has to be highlighted as a problem. I know of two lads that didn't get involved in a senior panels this year from the south of the county as they felt it was very Mullingar oriented.

COE should have been in Tyrrellspass or rochfortbrigid as it would be between both big towns and near the motorway!!!"
I know of two lads that didn't get involved in a senior panels this year from the south of the county as they felt it was very Mullingar oriented.

There were 4 players from a Mullingar town club I.e St Lomans against Meath from the League and Championship double winning team….,the rest are from rural or Village teams outside of Mullingar…….geography mustn't be on the curriculum in schools in the south of the county?

ExiledCuCu (Cavan) - Posts: 244 - 07/03/2025 19:27:38    2595311

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Replying To ExiledCuCu:  "I know of two lads that didn't get involved in a senior panels this year from the south of the county as they felt it was very Mullingar oriented.

There were 4 players from a Mullingar town club I.e St Lomans against Meath from the League and Championship double winning team….,the rest are from rural or Village teams outside of Mullingar…….geography mustn't be on the curriculum in schools in the south of the county?"
This is a particularly weak argument. If your two lads are good enough and more importantly interested they'd have put their hand up. The same argument is trotted out on the hurling side on occasion as a biased grumble. It's always when someone comes from a smaller club and doesn't make it because of a "favourite" from Clonkill, Castletown or Raharney.

Lomans have been the dominant force in senior football for many years. It makes sense that they can supply a handful of quality players. I doubt many people were too worried about Garrycastle being "over-represented" during their good years.

Multyfarnham is one of the villages you speak of and was never known for producing top players. It's arguably known as having more livestock than footballers. Yet today they proudly count the Westmeath captain as one of their own. Maybe that's because Ronan Wallace is a top class player rather than his village being 15 minutes from town.

Intercounty is a big commitment and wouldn't be for everyone. It's an easy out to blame a "Mullingar oriented" setup.

gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 177 - 07/03/2025 22:09:24    2595331

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Replying To Temple56:  "Population has to be taken in to consideration?

In the last census Athlone had a population of 22,869 202 more than Mullingar. For Westmeath as a county to thrive in GAA we need a good blend of players from both Athlone, Mullingar and everywhere in between.

Ray Connellen the only player the town of Athlone on either football or hurling squads. This has to be highlighted as a problem. I know of two lads that didn't get involved in a senior panels this year from the south of the county as they felt it was very Mullingar oriented.

COE should have been in Tyrrellspass or rochfortbrigid as it would be between both big towns and near the motorway!!!"
Could you elaborate a bit on ' mullingar oriantated'? They didnt get involved because of mullingar based training? Or do you mean club rivalry. Look at counties lime Donegal or Cork. Lads might have to drive an hour and a half to training. Lads get mileage dont they for training. Its not the 1980s. Excellent road from Athlone to Tyrellspass. You would be 15 mins max from Tyrellspass to COE. Poor attitude. As another poster said there are always people going to be cribbing no matter where it is.

overdabar (Westmeath) - Posts: 251 - 07/03/2025 23:05:25    2595334

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