Replying To Dheen:  "Was also a very good crowd in, were you even at it? some of your takes are ridiculous?"

Replying To Gaaforlife2023:  "Sounds like u thought ctg were lucky to win they were better team overall .
Sour grapes? first half close but ctg wer much better second half.
O'reillt had good championship. He is young and doesn't lack physical presence in terms height maybe can fill out more but he is still young a lot clearly forget that.

Daly big loss but don't llg would have won either with him on for all it.

Noel conaty was good but no mention threat by ctg forwards if he didn't save it would be fair beaten.

Thomastown are going win leinster no Shame loosing to them they hammered o loughlins of kk so nobody is expecting much but to write off as if they are bad forwards ridiculous.

This is extremely harsh as if you forget 2 17 is good scoring but more so 1 27

There was good crowd"

Replying To Iveagh:  "From half time it wasn't really in doubt. CTG seemed to be going through the gears and while they played well and clearly to a plan, a faster opposition with an alternative to the long ball which LLG stuck to could have been closer.

I felt that LLG suffered on first touch, and got caught in possession more than CTG while the space that CTG created for their fast young forwards gave them time on the ball.

LLG wasted a lot of ball, wides as well as long ball cleared down the middle which was too predictable after a while went stalemate and lot of which was cleared from the CTG HB and FB lines.

O Reilly was good but in my opinion lacks physical presence and his advantage today was space and speed over a slow LLG FB and HB lines where only Shane Williams excelled.

CTG were in luck that Eoin Daly had to be substituted. Himself and Tommy Doyle were central to the long ball plan. Without him LLG were under pressure to win and distribute ball and David Williams (who tried really hard) was living on slow scraps while trying to get through the CTG 'wall defence' as they retreated quickly.

Barry Kelly has a curious style. He would do well to remember that it's not inter county hurling and also reread the rule book on advantage rule. He seemed to signal advantage for both teams at times but not always recall the play to give a free.

Shout out to Noel Conaty. I'm my opinion the man of the match. We might want to applaud the CTG forwards but different forwards who left LLG backs trailing and went 1-1 on Conaty many times and he got the better of them. You don't see that often. It left me wondering what will those lighter CTG forwards achieve against faster stronger defences in Leinster.

Good entertaining game overall and enjoyable to watch. Seemed like LLG support was larger than CTG though I felt overall the crowd was small. What would a final be like on fast dry ground on a nice sunny day in early September?"

Replying To Iveagh:  "No CTG were the far better team, I'm not sure why you said sour grapes.

I never suggested CTG didn't deserve their win. I gave them full credit, sure I stated it was over at HT and they were just going through the gears. To be honest my point is they could and should have won by more only for Noel Conaty and I agree Daly staying in would not have saved LLG, but because they seemed to me to be playing 1 dimensionally launching long to him and Jogger his loss was probably most acute for LLG.

I tried to point out aspects of the game that I felt were good for them and LLG and what both could have improved. I agree OReilly played well maybe I should have said that but I assumed that is widely agreed. But I was thinking of the next level. Someone mentioned his physical presence and I agree he is young but he will need more power. While it didn't affect his performance yesterday I also think that no matter how good anyone is, scoring 1-5 and not asking if the opposition (especially in terms of level of marking) were a factor is not presenting the whole case (and you all have being pointing out for weeks hIs threat) so that in mind that is a post mortem that LLG will and should do especially as you would think they would have man marked him. On the CTG forwards there was a lot they did apart from scoring that was super. They found lots of space and the diagonal balls from HBL to HFL and FFL was super, no one mentioned that. I also never said they had bad forwards. I made the point that they was only 1 LLG back who managed to contain CTG. But… My point on their forwards return was 5 goal opportunities 2 in the first and 3 more in the second were all very very clear goal chances, and I'm fairly sure when they do their review before the next game if they are honest they will not at all be happy with 1 goal no matter how many points they did scored, or how much ye have praised them especially if other posters here are to be believed as some seem to be suggesting that LLG were still in the game until the end and those missed goals if that is to be believed could have haunted CTG. IMHO CTG had extra gears all day. Everyone seemed happy to laud CTG but not ask did LLG play well or to full potential or was their level of performance a factor in the final score line and a 7 point win which being fair includes 2-3 goals left behind. The score line as it was was good for both teams. I did ask could it have been even better on good dry day and firm ground because one might expect it could be.

The only other comment I'll make is that posters here need to be more analytical and fair in response. I gave an analysis of what I saw. Calling someone's opinion ridiculous which a few did is just being adverse. You weren't the only one and you made the point in context which is not so bad so I won't be taking it personally but a few other posters could all take a step back and allow people to give a point of view. You all might not like it but you don't have to be belligerent.

Anyway I'll leave ye all to it. Everyone here clearly knows more that I don't see any point giving a different point of view or perspective if posters just get disparaging.

Oh and for the record for a few others who asked I was at the game."

Replying To jobber:  "I think your view on O Reilly is correct and should be commended.Why? Simply because this young man has the potential to be among the best forwards in the country not to mind Westmeath and to achieve this he will need to be physically stronger.
We will see this soon when he will contend with Kilkenny defenders.

The reality is to be highly competitive CTG will have to up their game a lot before next weekend amid celebrations.

Dont be getting up on your high horse and running off.WH hurling needs constructive criticism and we all get flak on here."

Replying To jobber:  "I think your view on O Reilly is correct and should be commended.Why? Simply because this young man has the potential to be among the best forwards in the country not to mind Westmeath and to achieve this he will need to be physically stronger.
We will see this soon when he will contend with Kilkenny defenders.

The reality is to be highly competitive CTG will have to up their game a lot before next weekend amid celebrations.

Dont be getting up on your high horse and running off.WH hurling needs constructive criticism and we all get flak on here."

Replying To Claretandblue:  "From half time it wasn't in doubt!!! There were two points in it at half time and O' Brien's save from Jogger would have made it a two point game with five mins left. Any poster not fully acknowledging David O' Reilly's talent, attitude and accuracy is disappointed that CTG won. As for the crowd, there was a huge attendance"

Replying To A_Chairde:  "O Reilly is a smashing young player. Give him time and he will be doing that for Westmeath at senior level"

Replying To A_Chairde:  "O Reilly is a smashing young player. Give him time and he will be doing that for Westmeath at senior level"

Replying To preddan:  "Unfortunately I can't see father Dalton's going far in Leinster, playing v strong team from laois who won a senior not long ago and were in senior finals"