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Westmeath Football thread

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The first half against down was a disaster but could be attributedto the weather to a point! Massive positive with how we finished the game and how we finished every game this year! The team have said they feel fitter this year then ever and it definitely shows!

Westmeath25 (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 15/02/2026 15:24:56    2656555

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "The new structure is far from perfect and it seems certain there will be further changes next year if Congress pushes All Ireland finals back, the idea that our previous structure was the envy of counties elsewhere, there were loads of championship matches last few years that were tame affairs, little of the cut and thrust associated with championship football. Shandonagh vs Tubberclair last year was a shocking advertisement for the championship."
Our resident County Board man, will try put a positive spin on things when the reality is they have failed the players and Clubs time and time again. You have highlighted 1 game out of 70 + Championship games but they were not very many games last year that were dead rubber. I seem to remember all 6 teams in Section A of Senior having something to play for going into the last round, plenty of "cut and thrust" actually. If you're going to come up with a new structure, come up with a new structure that's completely fair to a tiered system. It is not as if Senior B teams were making their presence felt in the knockouts. For the last 3 years, the Senior semi finalists were made up of teams competing in Section A, except for The Downs in 2024. The decisions made to change the structures were definitely not evidence based, there is more to this than meets the eye. There was no appetite for change, the meeting at the Park Hotel should have been enough to confirm this but instead they ignore the Clubs and players and use their own votes to push through with it, it's called executive aggrandizement. This scandal further demonstrates the growing disconnect between the Board and the Clubs. It obviously dictated the mood on the team bus going to Newry yesterday going by the first half performance. It was foolish thinking we were going to see a better future for Westmeath football with the change of leadership, going nowhere fast with this Circus.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 303 - 15/02/2026 16:58:47    2656591

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Replying To Bluelake:  "Weird lie. Clubs knew at least two weeks in advance the last two years who they were playing. They also knew the exact days of the weekend they were playing so people could arrange time off work etc. A lot of clubs will be out next Friday and won't know until tomorrow morning. 5 days notice is nowhere near good enough. How hard is it to send out a fixture list? the last few years it's been the same order or been flipped. But that's just a small thing in comparison to the ludicrous structure that's been passed"
Ludicrous is right, the Circus continues into another year. One of the key areas to improve on in the Strategic Plan was Communication. We are in the 4th and final year of the strategic plan and Clubs can't even get a fixture 5 days out. I think Governance might have been another key area!!

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 303 - 15/02/2026 17:07:07    2656594

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "Our resident County Board man, will try put a positive spin on things when the reality is they have failed the players and Clubs time and time again. You have highlighted 1 game out of 70 + Championship games but they were not very many games last year that were dead rubber. I seem to remember all 6 teams in Section A of Senior having something to play for going into the last round, plenty of "cut and thrust" actually. If you're going to come up with a new structure, come up with a new structure that's completely fair to a tiered system. It is not as if Senior B teams were making their presence felt in the knockouts. For the last 3 years, the Senior semi finalists were made up of teams competing in Section A, except for The Downs in 2024. The decisions made to change the structures were definitely not evidence based, there is more to this than meets the eye. There was no appetite for change, the meeting at the Park Hotel should have been enough to confirm this but instead they ignore the Clubs and players and use their own votes to push through with it, it's called executive aggrandizement. This scandal further demonstrates the growing disconnect between the Board and the Clubs. It obviously dictated the mood on the team bus going to Newry yesterday going by the first half performance. It was foolish thinking we were going to see a better future for Westmeath football with the change of leadership, going nowhere fast with this Circus."
I honestly couldn't have said it better myself.

Since the news broke about the format change I've spoken to two players from our inter-county team. Both are seriously frustrated and they've said it's been a major talking point among the players. Last night's performance was obviously very disappointing, but we need to remember that inter-county players are club players first and foremost.

Hopefully the county board recognises the level of outrage this decision has caused and agrees to hold another vote. Every club should also come out and state clearly how they voted.

I also hope the lads on the podcast tomorrow night call out what many see as a disgraceful format.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 620 - 15/02/2026 18:46:00    2656633

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the meeting at the Park Hotel should have been enough to confirm this but instead they ignore the Clubs and players and use their own votes to push through with it, it's called executive aggrandizement. This scandal further demonstrates the growing disconnect between the Board and the Clubs. It obviously dictated the mood on the team bus going to Newry yesterday going by the first half performance. It was foolish thinking we were going to see a better future for Westmeath football with the change of leadership, going nowhere fast with this Circus.

Thats an outrageeous statement, do you seriouly think the decision on the football championship last Thursday night had an impact on the performance in Newry. Please give the players some respect, the 2026 club championship was the last thing on the last thing on their minds.

A lot of clown talk on here about the county board, keyboard warriors if you ask me. At the end of the end of the day the best team in each club championship will win. Like it or not the board are a product of the clubs, these positions are ultimately ratified by the clubs. The them and us argument is a moot point.

People lashing out will that the COE will not get built either, all pub talk if you ask me. We are where we are because as a county we lack the ambition and desire to be better, end of story.

Brendanj (Westmeath) - Posts: 71 - 15/02/2026 21:31:51    2656678

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Replying To Brendanj:  "the meeting at the Park Hotel should have been enough to confirm this but instead they ignore the Clubs and players and use their own votes to push through with it, it's called executive aggrandizement. This scandal further demonstrates the growing disconnect between the Board and the Clubs. It obviously dictated the mood on the team bus going to Newry yesterday going by the first half performance. It was foolish thinking we were going to see a better future for Westmeath football with the change of leadership, going nowhere fast with this Circus.

Thats an outrageeous statement, do you seriouly think the decision on the football championship last Thursday night had an impact on the performance in Newry. Please give the players some respect, the 2026 club championship was the last thing on the last thing on their minds.

A lot of clown talk on here about the county board, keyboard warriors if you ask me. At the end of the end of the day the best team in each club championship will win. Like it or not the board are a product of the clubs, these positions are ultimately ratified by the clubs. The them and us argument is a moot point.

People lashing out will that the COE will not get built either, all pub talk if you ask me. We are where we are because as a county we lack the ambition and desire to be better, end of story."
I think in trying to defend the county board you have actually stated the problem in your last line, westmeath have no ambition or desire to be better. This is lead from the top. The talent is in westmeath, absolutely no doubt about that, but no forward thinking, we are blessed as a county to have 4 brilliant football nursery's in moate, marist, rochfordbridge and cbs mullingar, proof talent is there but still no accountability of underage development panels, minors a joke last 5 years, no s+c programme, no county gym, no coe, no development plan. A bad start has been made in 2026 by allowing the executive decide to change a brilliant championship structure that the club's clearly didn't want to change and not allowing adults in eyes of law play adult games. We now have a situation where a team from group be could win a championship and remain in group but following year, we also could see players play in an all irelanf series with westmeath without ever playing adult for the club.

Upforthegame23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 161 - 15/02/2026 23:12:21    2656694

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "Our resident County Board man, will try put a positive spin on things when the reality is they have failed the players and Clubs time and time again. You have highlighted 1 game out of 70 + Championship games but they were not very many games last year that were dead rubber. I seem to remember all 6 teams in Section A of Senior having something to play for going into the last round, plenty of "cut and thrust" actually. If you're going to come up with a new structure, come up with a new structure that's completely fair to a tiered system. It is not as if Senior B teams were making their presence felt in the knockouts. For the last 3 years, the Senior semi finalists were made up of teams competing in Section A, except for The Downs in 2024. The decisions made to change the structures were definitely not evidence based, there is more to this than meets the eye. There was no appetite for change, the meeting at the Park Hotel should have been enough to confirm this but instead they ignore the Clubs and players and use their own votes to push through with it, it's called executive aggrandizement. This scandal further demonstrates the growing disconnect between the Board and the Clubs. It obviously dictated the mood on the team bus going to Newry yesterday going by the first half performance. It was foolish thinking we were going to see a better future for Westmeath football with the change of leadership, going nowhere fast with this Circus."
I've read a lot of bull written on this forum and not replied , but saying the change in championship format affected the lads yesterday beats all. The lads that played yesterday gave a good account for themselves, I think we could see down again and beat the them in a league final

ManBallAndAll (Westmeath) - Posts: 23 - 15/02/2026 23:34:15    2656698

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Does anyone have the first two rounds of ACFL league fixtures?

westmeathforham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1 - 16/02/2026 08:52:17    2656717

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Replying To westmeathforham:  "Does anyone have the first two rounds of ACFL league fixtures?"
Being guarded tighter than the Epstein files

CleanShoulder (Westmeath) - Posts: 410 - 16/02/2026 13:29:01    2656785

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Replying To westmeathforham:  "Does anyone have the first two rounds of ACFL league fixtures?"
Friday 20th February

ACFL Division 1 Round 1

Coralstown Kinnegad vs Mullingar Shamrocks

Killucan vs Athlone

Garrycastle vs Tubberclair

Na Dunta vs St Lomans Mgr


ACFL Division 2 Round 1

Milltownpass vs Rosemount


ACFL Division 4 Round 1

Moate All Whites vs Caulry


Saturday 21st February

ACFL Division 2 Round 1

Coralstown Kinnegad vs Milltown

Tang vs St Lomans Mgr


ACFL Division 3 Round 1

Shandonagh vs St Malachys

Multyfarnham vs Na Dunta


ACFL Division 4 Round 1

Tyrrellspass vs Athlone

Ballynacargy vs St Marys Rochfortbridge


ACFL Division 5 Round 1

Ballymore vs Kilbeggan Shamrocks


Sunday 22nd February

ACFL Division 1 Round 1

Caulry vs Moate All Whites


ACFL Division 2 Round 1

Shandonagh vs Mullingar Shamrocks


ACFL Division 3 Round 1

Maryland vs St Marys Rochfortbridge

Bunbrosna vs Kilbeggan Shamrocks

Ballinagore vs Ballymore


ACFL Division 4 Round 1

St Josephs vs Tubberclair


Tuesday 24th February

ACFL Division 2 Round 1

Castledaly vs Tyrrellspass


ACFL Division 4 Round 1

Rosemount vs Garrycastle


ACFL Division 5 Round 1

Milltown vs St Lomans Mgr

Multyfarnham vs Milltownpass

Na Dunta vs Mullingar Shamrocks

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 237 - 16/02/2026 14:10:42    2656801

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Replying To Brendanj:  "the meeting at the Park Hotel should have been enough to confirm this but instead they ignore the Clubs and players and use their own votes to push through with it, it's called executive aggrandizement. This scandal further demonstrates the growing disconnect between the Board and the Clubs. It obviously dictated the mood on the team bus going to Newry yesterday going by the first half performance. It was foolish thinking we were going to see a better future for Westmeath football with the change of leadership, going nowhere fast with this Circus.

Thats an outrageeous statement, do you seriouly think the decision on the football championship last Thursday night had an impact on the performance in Newry. Please give the players some respect, the 2026 club championship was the last thing on the last thing on their minds.

A lot of clown talk on here about the county board, keyboard warriors if you ask me. At the end of the end of the day the best team in each club championship will win. Like it or not the board are a product of the clubs, these positions are ultimately ratified by the clubs. The them and us argument is a moot point.

People lashing out will that the COE will not get built either, all pub talk if you ask me. We are where we are because as a county we lack the ambition and desire to be better, end of story."
Hi Brendan, can you confirm whether or not Killucan had 4 votes (Club vote, Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and Minor Board Chairman), as suggested by a contributor here, at the meeting last Thursday night? The Executive Committee is made up of 22 persons, nearly half as many clubs in the entire County. Can you confirm how many were present to cast their vote? Enough to sway the vote anyway. If you think it's clown talk, you have your head in the sand. Clubs, players and supporters alike are absolutely sick to the teeth, the elephant in the room is the long awaited Centre of Excellence - where are we going to get the millions to build it? What progress has been made to date? Have we got planning permission yet or what's the latest story? Are we sitting on the coffers of €480,000 from one fundraiser and hoping some Chinese Tycoon might fancy us? The County Senior team could not get a pitch to train on last week before the Down game, can you believe that. What hope have our County Senior team if they can't get a pitch to train on? The weather is not an acceptable excuse at this level. The County players are representing their Clubs many of which have been shafted with the change of Championship structure. Matters off the pitch can have a profound impact on team morale. Do you understand the concept of a tiered Championship? I had a good laugh at your last sentence, "we are where we are because we lack the ambition and desire to be better" and you are standing up for the County Board? Chat later, Brendan.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 303 - 16/02/2026 15:12:57    2656815

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The negativity on this forum is staggering, far worse than on any other county forum, meant to be a place to discuss and share info on matters relating to Westmeath Gaa in all four codes, that's no longer the case as a few posters, approx 5-6 have decided to use it to vent at all and sundry, the recent posts by some lads wouldn't be uttered in a public forum as they'd be ridiculed and rightly so, pity as quite a few posters put up useful and interesting info and opinions but the few bitter and angry ones are like Trump's supporters, shout loudly and ignore any facts.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2583 - 16/02/2026 16:40:50    2656841

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