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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "St Mary's earned their right to play in Section A this year which turned out to be a write off for them, losing all 5 games just as comfortable. Make them earn their right to stay in Intermediate by actually winning a game, a relegation play off with the bottom team in Section B. If they win, they stay in Intermediate but in Section B, lose and they go down to Junior."
Wouldn't agree with this suggestion under the current format. A return to the old format of 2 even groups of 6 in each championship would be the only way this would be feasible. Can't have a team from a stronger section playing a team from a weaker section in a relegation playoff, just doesnt make sense. Even though I do agree that relegation is a problem in current format, whereby a team can have a terrible year and still not be in any danger of relegation.

TheLineKing (Westmeath) - Posts: 29 - 09/10/2025 13:26:02    2639070

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Kinnegad v Lomans forwards will do the business here Lomans by 4
The Downs v Shamrocks , The Downs by 8 Shamrocks were lucky to get over Garrycastle
Shandonagh v Milltown, Shandonagh will have enough , that loss to Tubberclair will focus them , Conor Dillon a huge loss, Shandonagh by 3
Tubberclair v Milltownpass, Tubberclair a cut above the rest in the intermediate and coming up against a Milltownpass team who were in section B, Tubberclair by 8

coffey (Westmeath) - Posts: 30 - 09/10/2025 13:33:24    2639074

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Why does it not apply so to senior? Why are Athlone not playing Malachy's next week to decide which side goes to intermediate?

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2386 - 09/10/2025 14:13:30    2639086

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Replying To TheLineKing:  "Wouldn't agree with this suggestion under the current format. A return to the old format of 2 even groups of 6 in each championship would be the only way this would be feasible. Can't have a team from a stronger section playing a team from a weaker section in a relegation playoff, just doesnt make sense. Even though I do agree that relegation is a problem in current format, whereby a team can have a terrible year and still not be in any danger of relegation."
But we can have a team from a stronger section playing a team from a weaker section in a quarter final.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 239 - 09/10/2025 15:20:59    2639093

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Why does it not apply so to senior? Why are Athlone not playing Malachy's next week to decide which side goes to intermediate?"
We are talking about Intermediate. Do keep up.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 239 - 09/10/2025 15:57:12    2639098

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Why does it not apply so to senior? Why are Athlone not playing Malachy's next week to decide which side goes to intermediate?"
Couldn't have applying intermediate then not to senior that would cause uproar

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1023 - 09/10/2025 16:26:58    2639103

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A lot of chat here about changing championship structures. I'd be very reluctant to change what is working well.
As a comparison I've attached a link below with the Donegal football championship (page 20) introduced in 2023, its an interesting one with clubs playing fixtures home and away.

https://donegalgaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Adult-Match-Regulations-Leagues-and-Championships-2023-1.pdf

FrMick (Westmeath) - Posts: 18 - 09/10/2025 16:41:01    2639104

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "We are talking about Intermediate. Do keep up."
No need to be insulting. It's a fair question but if you're incapable of answering it that's ok.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2386 - 09/10/2025 16:41:53    2639106

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Why does it not apply so to senior? Why are Athlone not playing Malachy's next week to decide which side goes to intermediate?"
So I agree with you leave it alone

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1023 - 09/10/2025 16:46:53    2639107

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Replying To Gaaforlife2023:  "Couldn't have applying intermediate then not to senior that would cause uproar"
Be interesting to see would that proposal he made re relegation make it to the floor of Convention!!! Imagine being the club delegate sent to make a case for relegating a team from Section A in senior to section A in intermediate in one fell swoop!!! Would it get one vote among delegates?

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2386 - 09/10/2025 16:47:31    2639108

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "No need to be insulting. It's a fair question but if you're incapable of answering it that's ok."
Apologies for the offensive message. Answer what exactly? Oh this trivial question... Why are Athlone not playing Malachy's next week to decide which side goes to intermediate? Well, it would be extremely unfair to tweak the structure and change regulations mid stream, wouldn't it? I don't see any problem with a relegation play off in Intermediate which, as I said yesterday, has 2 Sections closer in standard than Senior. It's not as difficult for Intermediate teams from Section B to make inroads in the knockout stages, for example St Malachy's in 2023. Junior is seen as 2 even groups, we have a relegation play off to decide who goes down to junior 2. Make it happen for Intermediate.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 239 - 09/10/2025 17:07:02    2639112

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Be interesting to see would that proposal he made re relegation make it to the floor of Convention!!! Imagine being the club delegate sent to make a case for relegating a team from Section A in senior to section A in intermediate in one fell swoop!!! Would it get one vote among delegates?"
I don't think should happen but I was pointing out issue of happening one grade nit other on the space of no notice it would have to go congress

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1023 - 09/10/2025 17:12:31    2639116

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "Apologies for the offensive message. Answer what exactly? Oh this trivial question... Why are Athlone not playing Malachy's next week to decide which side goes to intermediate? Well, it would be extremely unfair to tweak the structure and change regulations mid stream, wouldn't it? I don't see any problem with a relegation play off in Intermediate which, as I said yesterday, has 2 Sections closer in standard than Senior. It's not as difficult for Intermediate teams from Section B to make inroads in the knockout stages, for example St Malachy's in 2023. Junior is seen as 2 even groups, we have a relegation play off to decide who goes down to junior 2. Make it happen for Intermediate."
What absolute drivel you are talking most pointless messages ever on a thread

Dazzler30 (Westmeath) - Posts: 66 - 10/10/2025 09:07:26    2639174

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Replying To iarmhiabu:  "St Mary's earned their right to play in Section A this year which turned out to be a write off for them, losing all 5 games just as comfortable. Make them earn their right to stay in Intermediate by actually winning a game, a relegation play off with the bottom team in Section B. If they win, they stay in Intermediate but in Section B, lose and they go down to Junior."
I think the point that I (and most people) are trying to make, is that we currently have a "stronger" and "weaker" group in both senior and intermediate.
Now you may not agree with that, but the fact of the matter is that the section A in both championships contains all of the teams that reached the knockout stages last year, hence the standard is clearly higher.
If you want to have a relegation playoff then fair enough, but this would mean a return to the old system of having the previous years' 2 semi-finalists and 1 beaten quarter finalist in each group - this is the only way it could possibly make sense.
I think a majority of people (as seen by the replies on here) are enjoying the current format over the old one.

Back to the matter at hand - this weekend I can see Milltown sneaking a win over Shandonagh by a point or 2, and Tubberclair winning the other semi by 4-5 points.
Hard to see past both Lomans and The Downs in the senior, which would set up an intriguing final.

iarmhi_an_mhaith (Westmeath) - Posts: 286 - 10/10/2025 11:11:37    2639196

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