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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "The year after St Brigid's won the All Ireland, something that eluded Garrycastle. Do you not think Loman's have had an easy ride in Leinster this year, winning their 2 games to date by a combination of 26 points?"
The problem is Lomans are rarely tested in Westmeath

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1900 - 20/11/2024 18:38:59    2580489

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Replying To valley84:  "The problem is Lomans are rarely tested in Westmeath"
That's not true!

Lost 2018 final
Lost 2019 final
Won 2020 final After ET
Won 2021 final After Replay and ET
Lost 2022 final
Won 2023 final by 2 points
Won 2024 final After Replay, ET and Penalties

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 517 - 20/11/2024 19:23:26    2580493

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Replying To valley84:  "The problem is Lomans are rarely tested in Westmeath"
St Loman's had the second worst defence if I remember correctly in the group, conceding calamitous goals to average teams. The difference was they had a set of county forwards to bail them out in every game. Paddy Dowdall has clearly been working hard to improve their defensive structure. The Downs severely tested St Loman's twice, pound for pound they are as good as them.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 21/11/2024 12:44:23    2580563

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I would agree the downs and St Lomans are of a similar standard. 2 quality teams. It's great to have 2 teams of that quality in the county at the moment.

Lakecounty94 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 21/11/2024 13:58:19    2580575

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Lomans gets an awful bad wrap, They will more than likely win a good few more westmeath senior championships before the tide changes, where does it change to? thats the problem nowhere visible at the minute. So therefore they will go down as one of Westmeath Greatest teams winning more championships than the strong Athlone Team, Shamrocks and Garrycastle. People saying there defense is no good, a forward line sells admission tickets, a defense wins championships, Maybe there defense is underrated greatly?

In all Honesty whos going to stop Lomans winning 5 out of the next 6 Championships, The Downs might win 1-2, Kinnegad not by the looks of it, Shamrocks i cannot see it although underage is back strong again, Tyrllesspass seem to be hanging on and hanging on well to be fair to them, Shandonagh too hit and miss and turnover of players is high. From south Westmeath, Athlone will be intermediate before winning senior again, Garrycastle might never win one for decades, Moate could challenge in a few years but again could go the other way. Caulry might think they can challenge but 1 semi final here and there probably not enough to warrant a real case. Tubberclare underage booming but havent been able to put it together at intermediate level, Tang had there couple of years but just dont have the player pool. The hurling influenced teams like Killucan and Malachys once in a blue moon might get it together and make a semi final.
There might be one team to come out of nowhere and win one, seems to happen in other countys but when was the last time it happened in senior championship in Westmeath ??? Castledaly 2006 but were in 3 finals before that, Kinnegad in 1996 or Rosemount in the 80s.

PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 62 - 21/11/2024 14:29:05    2580583

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "Lomans gets an awful bad wrap, They will more than likely win a good few more westmeath senior championships before the tide changes, where does it change to? thats the problem nowhere visible at the minute. So therefore they will go down as one of Westmeath Greatest teams winning more championships than the strong Athlone Team, Shamrocks and Garrycastle. People saying there defense is no good, a forward line sells admission tickets, a defense wins championships, Maybe there defense is underrated greatly?

In all Honesty whos going to stop Lomans winning 5 out of the next 6 Championships, The Downs might win 1-2, Kinnegad not by the looks of it, Shamrocks i cannot see it although underage is back strong again, Tyrllesspass seem to be hanging on and hanging on well to be fair to them, Shandonagh too hit and miss and turnover of players is high. From south Westmeath, Athlone will be intermediate before winning senior again, Garrycastle might never win one for decades, Moate could challenge in a few years but again could go the other way. Caulry might think they can challenge but 1 semi final here and there probably not enough to warrant a real case. Tubberclare underage booming but havent been able to put it together at intermediate level, Tang had there couple of years but just dont have the player pool. The hurling influenced teams like Killucan and Malachys once in a blue moon might get it together and make a semi final.
There might be one team to come out of nowhere and win one, seems to happen in other countys but when was the last time it happened in senior championship in Westmeath ??? Castledaly 2006 but were in 3 finals before that, Kinnegad in 1996 or Rosemount in the 80s."
Realistically Lomans will be automatic contenders for the next 5-10 years but things can change very very quickly. I think Kinnegad's time has passed. The Downs will be around for a while. Shamrocks will be back eventually and Athlone are starting to look good enough. Championship's are always hard won though. The only title Lomans coasted to was 2015

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 182 - 21/11/2024 14:41:08    2580592

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Replying To Bluelake:  "Realistically Lomans will be automatic contenders for the next 5-10 years but things can change very very quickly. I think Kinnegad's time has passed. The Downs will be around for a while. Shamrocks will be back eventually and Athlone are starting to look good enough. Championship's are always hard won though. The only title Lomans coasted to was 2015"
And even in 2015 , in the semi final Shamrocks missed 3 open goals in the first half before Lomans won well in the second. But they absolutely sail to the semi final every year. Nobody else can do that. They'll win at least 3 of the next 5. The other question above about when a team last came from nowhere. I'd say it was The Downs 2003. They hadn't even made a semi final in ages prior to that.

jamsie (Westmeath) - Posts: 463 - 21/11/2024 15:03:06    2580598

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "Lomans gets an awful bad wrap, They will more than likely win a good few more westmeath senior championships before the tide changes, where does it change to? thats the problem nowhere visible at the minute. So therefore they will go down as one of Westmeath Greatest teams winning more championships than the strong Athlone Team, Shamrocks and Garrycastle. People saying there defense is no good, a forward line sells admission tickets, a defense wins championships, Maybe there defense is underrated greatly?

In all Honesty whos going to stop Lomans winning 5 out of the next 6 Championships, The Downs might win 1-2, Kinnegad not by the looks of it, Shamrocks i cannot see it although underage is back strong again, Tyrllesspass seem to be hanging on and hanging on well to be fair to them, Shandonagh too hit and miss and turnover of players is high. From south Westmeath, Athlone will be intermediate before winning senior again, Garrycastle might never win one for decades, Moate could challenge in a few years but again could go the other way. Caulry might think they can challenge but 1 semi final here and there probably not enough to warrant a real case. Tubberclare underage booming but havent been able to put it together at intermediate level, Tang had there couple of years but just dont have the player pool. The hurling influenced teams like Killucan and Malachys once in a blue moon might get it together and make a semi final.
There might be one team to come out of nowhere and win one, seems to happen in other countys but when was the last time it happened in senior championship in Westmeath ??? Castledaly 2006 but were in 3 finals before that, Kinnegad in 1996 or Rosemount in the 80s."
St Loman's are going nowhere by the look of things, their only serious challengers next year again are The Downs and potentially Kinnegad. I'm not saying the St Loman's defence is no good but they needed to brush up big time after conceding 7 goals to Athlone, Caulry, Tang and Tyrrellspass. Ultimately St Loman's have been better in attack. I'm not sure if Sir Alex Ferguson's defence wins championships quote applies to gaelic football, Kinnegad's defence was outrageously good this year although they could have won it last year. Teams need to be strong at both ends of the pitch.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 21/11/2024 16:16:27    2580610

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "St Loman's had the second worst defence if I remember correctly in the group, conceding calamitous goals to average teams. The difference was they had a set of county forwards to bail them out in every game. Paddy Dowdall has clearly been working hard to improve their defensive structure. The Downs severely tested St Loman's twice, pound for pound they are as good as them."
The difference is that Loman's have multiple championships won in the past ten years, The Downs have won one championship since 2005, to suggest they're at similar levels is not borne out by that ultimate criteria.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1927 - 21/11/2024 17:16:19    2580626

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Replying To Bluelake:  "Realistically Lomans will be automatic contenders for the next 5-10 years but things can change very very quickly. I think Kinnegad's time has passed. The Downs will be around for a while. Shamrocks will be back eventually and Athlone are starting to look good enough. Championship's are always hard won though. The only title Lomans coasted to was 2015"
Athlone's issue is the conveyor belt of talent coming through to challenge their senior side, they're not competing at Div 1 level at underage. Loman's are likely to win the under 20 championship and not one of those players is in contention to start on Saturday. They have a young senior side with one or two exceptions

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1927 - 21/11/2024 17:20:46    2580627

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "The difference is that Loman's have multiple championships won in the past ten years, The Downs have won one championship since 2005, to suggest they're at similar levels is not borne out by that ultimate criteria."
I'm not talking about the last 10 years though. My comments are in response to a poster saying St Loman's haven't really been tested in Westmeath, he must have forgotten about the manner in which they won the county title.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 21/11/2024 21:20:45    2580654

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Athlone's issue is the conveyor belt of talent coming through to challenge their senior side, they're not competing at Div 1 level at underage. Loman's are likely to win the under 20 championship and not one of those players is in contention to start on Saturday. They have a young senior side with one or two exceptions"
Careful now, St Loman's were likely to win the Junior championship too!!

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 21/11/2024 21:22:20    2580655

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St lomans summary of this forum has gone from there shocking defensively only they've an inter county forward line to get them out of jail , they are a defensive team yet top scorers in Westmeath and winning both Leinster games by a aggregate of 27 points 14 point victory in navan and a 13 point victory last week so that explains the defensive football they play and now there very good defensively , thank god none of us posters are pundits or have a managerial job.

But on a serious note the very best of luck to players management coaches and supports of St Lomans Garrycastle and of course Castletown/Geohegan let's hope we've 3 lake county teams in Leinster finals next weekend.

TheGaaMan77 (Westmeath) - Posts: 69 - 21/11/2024 23:19:22    2580663

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Athlone's issue is the conveyor belt of talent coming through to challenge their senior side, they're not competing at Div 1 level at underage. Loman's are likely to win the under 20 championship and not one of those players is in contention to start on Saturday. They have a young senior side with one or two exceptions"
Moate will win.

PowellJohn3 (Westmeath) - Posts: 62 - 22/11/2024 10:46:05    2580689

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Have a a feelings all 3 Westmeath clubs will reach Leinster finals.

If all 3 win this weekend we could have an all timer next weekend with both Senior finals being played in Croke Park we could have Lomans and C/G playing there on the Saturday.

Then for Garrycastle if they win they get a home Leinster final which I presume they will pick Cusack Park. That will be plays on Sunday.

Let's hope all 3 get it done this weekend !!

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 517 - 22/11/2024 12:28:28    2580705

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Replying To TheGaaMan77:  "St lomans summary of this forum has gone from there shocking defensively only they've an inter county forward line to get them out of jail , they are a defensive team yet top scorers in Westmeath and winning both Leinster games by a aggregate of 27 points 14 point victory in navan and a 13 point victory last week so that explains the defensive football they play and now there very good defensively , thank god none of us posters are pundits or have a managerial job.

But on a serious note the very best of luck to players management coaches and supports of St Lomans Garrycastle and of course Castletown/Geohegan let's hope we've 3 lake county teams in Leinster finals next weekend."
It's not healthy to be going to bed worrying about what some bloke on a forum said. For what reason do you think Paddy Dowdall plays a full time sweeper in front of the full back in every game? Not for the craic I'm sure. Any manager worth their salt will be able to recognise their team's strengths and work on their weaknesses. It has been the defence which has cost St Loman's a couple more county titles and the game against Naas last year. Paddy Dowdall has gone about rectifying this weakness by introducing a sweeper. It's about getting the balance right between a well structured defence and your attacking options, St Loman's utilise theirs very well indeed. Like Sam McCartan coming forward to break the lines, make support runs etc. St Loman's have set the standard in the county for years and hopefully they get a Leinster title out of it this year.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 22/11/2024 13:04:24    2580707

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Replying To PowellJohn3:  "Moate will win."
Saw Moate and Tubberclair at the weekend and Moate are strong up the middle. Lowry, Toby , Bracken, Niall. Taylor Slevin for Tubberclair is an exciting prospect ( scored a brilliant goal for Tubberclair in the minor final. Most of the Tubberclair lads eligible next year. Moate beat Kinnegad before that and you would think Kinnegad would have been the best team in Div 1 after winning U19 comfortably last year.

A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 247 - 22/11/2024 15:31:07    2580738

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Any news on NFL fixtures for next year . Weve a home game against Cavan in Feb which should be interesting for McCabe and away to Cork.

A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 247 - 22/11/2024 15:34:06    2580739

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Replying To A_Chairde:  "Any news on NFL fixtures for next year . Weve a home game against Cavan in Feb which should be interesting for McCabe and away to Cork."
A little unusual that no local selectors appointed yet? League is starting at the end of January!

Matthew (None) - Posts: 1038 - 22/11/2024 16:30:37    2580748

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Cracking game in Lakepoint, Loman's just on wrong end of scoreboard, Ardee had homework done on Loman's, TJ was excellent, Ardee coped well with 14 men, their long range shooting was the key, 4-5 superb scores.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1927 - 23/11/2024 15:47:04    2580826

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