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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "You think majority of secondary schools in the country have teams training at 7.00 in the morning?"
Any playing at A level probably do yes

WestmeathGael1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 3 - 31/03/2025 13:18:34    2599696

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "agreed both are very promising players; the poster who took issue with the comment completely ignored what was said; all I suggested was their doesn't seem to be many who will make an early breakthrough in the mould that Baker and Whittaker have in their U20 year; of course this may change. Nice to see a measured repsonse rather than an all out attack as per some posters."
I believe Baker played in his first year out of minor, as I remember him coming on when they beat Longford in Longford that night. As for Whittaker, I don't think he was even on the panel in his first year out of minor.

There haven't been many players recently who featured at the under-20 level in their first year after minor, except for Baker and Darragh Seery.

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 64 - 31/03/2025 14:40:51    2599718

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "You think majority of secondary schools in the country have teams training at 7.00 in the morning?"
Yes Claretandblue. For example down SOUTH of this county I know for fact Moate have been doing morning sessions for the seniors teams over the last 7/8 years after hearing the success Marist had by brining in 7:00am training session about 15 years ago. Marist do it for most age groups. Between both schools they have been in 4 Leinster A finals in the last 10 years. Marist college had 8 players featured in the Westmeath/Roscommon game 2 weeks ago and that doesn't include Roscommon captain Brian Stack who was injured. All schools that take the "A" province competition serious put in a serious effort with training and to be fair Mullingar CBS didn't do that for years and fell behind but have got their act together. It all comes from the teachers involvement.

Athlone Community College another school that has been left behind in this area. They won a Leinster A senior title back in 2008 or 2009 and never really kicked on. They don't even play in the A competition anymore.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 543 - 31/03/2025 14:52:39    2599726

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Replying To loughree:  "I noticed over recent weeks many comments regarding perceived bias within Westmeath Gaa towards Mullingar and north Westmeath. While some of these comments are baseless there are times when some decisions have to be questioned. At present there is need for a major drive in south Westmeath to promote the Gaa particularly in urban areas. The decision of Westmeath Gaa to use Kinnegad as a home venue for the u - 20 game v Meath is crazy. If we want to promote the game in the county then make it easily available. It will be a lot easier for many Meath supporters to attend this game than Westmeath supporters. It is a round trip of 128 KM from Athlone to Kinnegad. The last time we played Meath at a Meath venue the game was in Ashbourne. Its these type of decisions that annoys supporters in south Westmeath."
County board don't care about Athlone! They don't see it as a "GAA" town. Even though if they bother with actually coming down to Athlone they might see GAA is actually more popular in Athlone than Soccer and Rugby . Both Soccer (Athlone Town) and Rugby (Buccaneers) are in bad shape at the moment. If the treatment from the county board continues I believe GAA will be in a bad place on the Westmeath side of Athlone.
To put a centre of excellence on the far side of Mullingar still is the strangest moves ever made by a county board. Take into fact that land would have been cheaper somewhere else where it would have been more suitable for the "Whole" county!

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 543 - 31/03/2025 15:04:15    2599731

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "agreed both are very promising players; the poster who took issue with the comment completely ignored what was said; all I suggested was their doesn't seem to be many who will make an early breakthrough in the mould that Baker and Whittaker have in their U20 year; of course this may change. Nice to see a measured repsonse rather than an all out attack as per some posters."
It's also very hard to predict if a lad who is between the ages of 16-18 will make their senior county panel as a lot of things changes and factors change. If i remember correctly Matthew Whittaker didn't make their minor county panel but look at him a year or two later with the 20s and now with the seniors.

Midlandsman (Westmeath) - Posts: 38 - 31/03/2025 15:31:06    2599739

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Replying To Fighting-Cocks69:  "I believe Baker played in his first year out of minor, as I remember him coming on when they beat Longford in Longford that night. As for Whittaker, I don't think he was even on the panel in his first year out of minor.

There haven't been many players recently who featured at the under-20 level in their first year after minor, except for Baker and Darragh Seery."
Baker, scahill and leech played in 1st year out, whitaker, mc cartan, smyth, geoghan have all played since, a very good return of players from that minor panel. They were beaten by a meath team during covid who went on contest an all ireland final I think.

Upforthegame23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 141 - 31/03/2025 18:42:40    2599790

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Replying To Temple56:  "County board don't care about Athlone! They don't see it as a "GAA" town. Even though if they bother with actually coming down to Athlone they might see GAA is actually more popular in Athlone than Soccer and Rugby . Both Soccer (Athlone Town) and Rugby (Buccaneers) are in bad shape at the moment. If the treatment from the county board continues I believe GAA will be in a bad place on the Westmeath side of Athlone.
To put a centre of excellence on the far side of Mullingar still is the strangest moves ever made by a county board. Take into fact that land would have been cheaper somewhere else where it would have been more suitable for the "Whole" county!"
What about our Clonmellon and Castlepollard brethren Temple or do they not count?

Leftpeg1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 93 - 31/03/2025 21:22:08    2599823

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Replying To Leftpeg1:  "What about our Clonmellon and Castlepollard brethren Temple or do they not count?"
No offense, but do St. Paul's Clonmellon or Delvin even bother competing properly in football anymore? It just seems like a bit of a waste having them out there in Junior 2 for the championship and in the really low divisions for the league, especially since they're both first teams. I get that Delvin is stronger at hurling, but it still feels like it's not really worth putting the COE out. i know they have a handful of footballers on development panels.

Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 64 - 01/04/2025 00:17:11    2599853

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Replying To Leftpeg1:  "What about our Clonmellon and Castlepollard brethren Temple or do they not count?"
Not really

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 344 - 01/04/2025 07:09:45    2599858

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Replying To Fighting-Cocks69:  "No offense, but do St. Paul's Clonmellon or Delvin even bother competing properly in football anymore? It just seems like a bit of a waste having them out there in Junior 2 for the championship and in the really low divisions for the league, especially since they're both first teams. I get that Delvin is stronger at hurling, but it still feels like it's not really worth putting the COE out. i know they have a handful of footballers on development panels."
Well there is the little matter of Castlepollard,Lough Lene Gaels, Brownstown,Ringtown,Ballycomoyle,Finea as well as St Paul's and Delvin.Athlone is very important to Westmeath GAA but it's in the extreme south of the county and the other clubs in the north.Mullingar is in the centre FACT.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1667 - 01/04/2025 07:59:44    2599864

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Replying To jobber:  "Well there is the little matter of Castlepollard,Lough Lene Gaels, Brownstown,Ringtown,Ballycomoyle,Finea as well as St Paul's and Delvin.Athlone is very important to Westmeath GAA but it's in the extreme south of the county and the other clubs in the north.Mullingar is in the centre FACT."
Mullingar is in the center FACT.

Mullingar is not the center of the population FACT.

Its common sense. I wouldn't even mind if they build it in Mullingar if they were getting the land for cheap but because they went with Mullingar its way over priced and wont even own some of the land they will build on.

This isn't a Mullingar VS Athlone view I have. I love Westmeath GAA and I want us to be successful in both codes. I have the opinion that for Westmeath to be successful Athlone needs to be given its fair share.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 543 - 01/04/2025 10:34:07    2599887

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Replying To Temple56:  "Mullingar is in the center FACT.

Mullingar is not the center of the population FACT.

Its common sense. I wouldn't even mind if they build it in Mullingar if they were getting the land for cheap but because they went with Mullingar its way over priced and wont even own some of the land they will build on.

This isn't a Mullingar VS Athlone view I have. I love Westmeath GAA and I want us to be successful in both codes. I have the opinion that for Westmeath to be successful Athlone needs to be given its fair share."
100% agree for Westmeath to be stronger ,Athlone needs to be stronger . One question to you though ,Fair share of what ??

Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 263 - 01/04/2025 12:30:45    2599915

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Replying To Thechick:  "100% agree for Westmeath to be stronger ,Athlone needs to be stronger . One question to you though ,Fair share of what ??"
Fundraisers in Mullingar hotels, all county board meetings in Mullingar, Golf Classic tends to be North Westmeath, Underage county games in North.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 46 - 01/04/2025 13:12:40    2599928

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South Westmeath needs to be stronger

GCCABU (Westmeath) - Posts: 22 - 01/04/2025 14:19:10    2599947

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Replying To Temple56:  "Mullingar is in the center FACT.

Mullingar is not the center of the population FACT.

Its common sense. I wouldn't even mind if they build it in Mullingar if they were getting the land for cheap but because they went with Mullingar its way over priced and wont even own some of the land they will build on.

This isn't a Mullingar VS Athlone view I have. I love Westmeath GAA and I want us to be successful in both codes. I have the opinion that for Westmeath to be successful Athlone needs to be given its fair share."
Totally agree we need to promote Athlone more.We should be working better with Athlone IT and talking to the Athlone GAA clubs about developing a county 2nd facility.But we must also realize the geographic reality of the whole county and the fact is Athlone is not suitable for a county centre of excellence.Could you imagine the expenses the county hurling team would have.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1667 - 01/04/2025 16:09:57    2599978

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Replying To GCCABU:  "South Westmeath needs to be stronger"
From a playing perspective or administration?

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 46 - 01/04/2025 16:09:59    2599979

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Replying To jobber:  "Well there is the little matter of Castlepollard,Lough Lene Gaels, Brownstown,Ringtown,Ballycomoyle,Finea as well as St Paul's and Delvin.Athlone is very important to Westmeath GAA but it's in the extreme south of the county and the other clubs in the north.Mullingar is in the centre FACT."
I know there's a cohort of players on hurling panels from that end of the county, but are you seriously saying that the COE should be located in Mullingar because it would be unfair on all of Ballycomoyles county footballers to travel beyond there. Doesn't really stand up does it.

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 344 - 01/04/2025 16:28:09    2599983

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Replying To Temple56:  "Mullingar is in the center FACT.

Mullingar is not the center of the population FACT.

Its common sense. I wouldn't even mind if they build it in Mullingar if they were getting the land for cheap but because they went with Mullingar its way over priced and wont even own some of the land they will build on.

This isn't a Mullingar VS Athlone view I have. I love Westmeath GAA and I want us to be successful in both codes. I have the opinion that for Westmeath to be successful Athlone needs to be given its fair share."
The recent presentation to the county board delegates by the coaching officer doesn't bear out your claim that GAA is more popular in Athlone than soccer. There is one active soccer club in Mullingar town, Mullingar Athletic, a very successful and well organised club. In Athlone there's St. Joseph's, St. Francis, Monksland, Hodson Bay, Athlone Town and Willow Park, that's six active soccer clubs and possibly there's more. Surely if Gaa was more popular in Athlone than soccer then the likes of Garrycastle, Athlone and Southern Gaels would have more teams at underage level?

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2089 - 01/04/2025 17:52:39    2599999

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "The recent presentation to the county board delegates by the coaching officer doesn't bear out your claim that GAA is more popular in Athlone than soccer. There is one active soccer club in Mullingar town, Mullingar Athletic, a very successful and well organised club. In Athlone there's St. Joseph's, St. Francis, Monksland, Hodson Bay, Athlone Town and Willow Park, that's six active soccer clubs and possibly there's more. Surely if Gaa was more popular in Athlone than soccer then the likes of Garrycastle, Athlone and Southern Gaels would have more teams at underage level?"
St. Joseph's, Hodson Bay and Monksland predominantly Roscommon clubs. Athlone Town underage take very little from the GAA clubs as they are pulling from all Midlands areas. Arguable that the teams on the outskirts of the town have bigger numbers e.g Caulry, Tubberclair.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 46 - 01/04/2025 18:15:40    2600004

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "Fundraisers in Mullingar hotels, all county board meetings in Mullingar, Golf Classic tends to be North Westmeath, Underage county games in North."
I think they should split Mullingar in two….call one team Shsmrocks and the other team Lomans……ooh wait !

ExiledCuCu (Cavan) - Posts: 250 - 01/04/2025 18:26:03    2600007

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