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Westmeath Football thread

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Replying To daboru:  "Should Dessie have dropped Maguire, Heslin, O'Toole?? They won Div 3 and ran the All Ireland finalists close in the All Ireland series. If the 2 late goals against Galway and Derry hadn't gone in, they could've got to the Qtr Final. That's on the back of a really competitive showing the previous year. It's not Dessie's or McCabe's fault, it's just bad timing"
Obviously nobody's saying he should've dropped the best 3 players in the county during his tenure but there was a balance he could've struck during his time which he failed to do. Don't be intentionally obtuse

Iakecounty90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 15 - 06/06/2025 11:42:35    2615295

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Replying To daboru:  "Should Dessie have dropped Maguire, Heslin, O'Toole?? They won Div 3 and ran the All Ireland finalists close in the All Ireland series. If the 2 late goals against Galway and Derry hadn't gone in, they could've got to the Qtr Final. That's on the back of a really competitive showing the previous year. It's not Dessie's or McCabe's fault, it's just bad timing"
Once again someone incapable of having an actual conversation without getting defensive. No he shouldn't have dropped those three; but there were times when they didn't need to play. We fielded a complete B team against Longford in the O Byrne Cup in 2024, players were brought in who wouldn't have made the U20s team, we won, then a week later they were all discarded and we went full strength against Louth in Kinnegad, a Louth team with 5/6 regulars in their team. Surely that was the time to be trying lads out and seeing where they were at, players who didn't perform against Longford weren't seen again. What was the purpose of playing lads who wouldn't make the 20s panel one week and then discarding the whole lot of them and playing a full strength outfit the following week. So the long term planning didn't seem to be in the thinking, which is completely their choice, but a raft of retirements later and we are back in Division 3 and struggling in the Tailteann Cup yet for some reason a lot of supporters are up in arms because we didn't beat a Limerick team who arguably should have beaten us 12 months ago in the league when we had a much stronger panel.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 80 - 06/06/2025 13:17:50    2615319

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Replying To Tailteannchamps:  "Let's look at it from Dolan's perspective. He knew he was only going to be in the job for 2 years so he used the best players available to try succeed in his time as Westmeath manager, something he did to a point, Div 3 winners and within an inch of getting through to all Ireland qf. Should he have just downed tools and dropped the old reliable and played new younger lads so that the next manager could succeed while he failed? I don't think so"
Yes I agree. When you compare the team that started against Derry in All Ireland Group stage match last year against the team that's down to start tomorrow I cant find any player that Dessie should have started last year. Whittaker the only player I seen this year that if Dessie had stayed on and the players didn't leave the panel that would maybe get into the starting 15. Only 5 lads that started last June down to start tomorrow (Gonoud, Wallace, Connellan, McCartan, Loughlin). Lynam would also be starting tomorrow if he was fit and im not sure whats up with Baker this year. That leaves J Daly, Drumm, Maguire, Dolan, Lynch, A. McCormack, O Toole and Heslin who have left the panel.

McCormack in goal wouldnt start before J Daly
Smyth at full back wouldnt start before Maguire
Scahill wouldnt start before Drumm
J Moran wouldnt start before J Dolan
Harte might if fully fit start before Lynch
McCabe wouldnt start before A. McCormack
K O Sullivan wouldnt start before Lynam
B Kelly wouldnt start before R O Toole
S Smith wouldnt start before Heslin
Whittkar might have started before Baker

I cant understand how Robbie Forde or Danny McCartan were not used last week or aren't starting tomorrow, both these players are players that Dessie broke into the team. B Kelly was dropped off the panel last year and has getting game time before them this year. Every manager has different opinions about players.

Temple56 (Westmeath) - Posts: 553 - 06/06/2025 16:48:51    2615389

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Replying To Tailteannchamps:  "Let's look at it from Dolan's perspective. He knew he was only going to be in the job for 2 years so he used the best players available to try succeed in his time as Westmeath manager, something he did to a point, Div 3 winners and within an inch of getting through to all Ireland qf. Should he have just downed tools and dropped the old reliable and played new younger lads so that the next manager could succeed while he failed? I don't think so"
I can see where you're coming from. We went hell for leather to win the League last year and ran out of legs to stay the course of 70 minutes with Division 1 teams in the Championship. If Dessie had put more trust in more of the younger players to do a job perhaps we could have won a Championship game under him. He didn't improve the team. Jack Cooney clearly put a lot of work into developing a squad.

iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 154 - 06/06/2025 23:33:12    2615439

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Replying To Temple56:  "Yes I agree. When you compare the team that started against Derry in All Ireland Group stage match last year against the team that's down to start tomorrow I cant find any player that Dessie should have started last year. Whittaker the only player I seen this year that if Dessie had stayed on and the players didn't leave the panel that would maybe get into the starting 15. Only 5 lads that started last June down to start tomorrow (Gonoud, Wallace, Connellan, McCartan, Loughlin). Lynam would also be starting tomorrow if he was fit and im not sure whats up with Baker this year. That leaves J Daly, Drumm, Maguire, Dolan, Lynch, A. McCormack, O Toole and Heslin who have left the panel.

McCormack in goal wouldnt start before J Daly
Smyth at full back wouldnt start before Maguire
Scahill wouldnt start before Drumm
J Moran wouldnt start before J Dolan
Harte might if fully fit start before Lynch
McCabe wouldnt start before A. McCormack
K O Sullivan wouldnt start before Lynam
B Kelly wouldnt start before R O Toole
S Smith wouldnt start before Heslin
Whittkar might have started before Baker

I cant understand how Robbie Forde or Danny McCartan were not used last week or aren't starting tomorrow, both these players are players that Dessie broke into the team. B Kelly was dropped off the panel last year and has getting game time before them this year. Every manager has different opinions about players."
Seems like the plan is leave Luke in by himself . Last game Robbie played , he was out around the middle third. Imo he's wasted there . He's a shooter put him inside with Luke.

Gaawestmeath (Westmeath) - Posts: 101 - 07/06/2025 00:04:29    2615443

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Danny Mc Cartan's lack of game time recently is one of the more puzzling aspects of our manager's decisions. He was first man taken off in Newbridge early in 2nd half after scoring three points from play. Hes seen very little action since then and if I was a defender I'd rather not mark him than some of our other inside forwards.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2183 - 07/06/2025 10:28:50    2615457

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Danny Mc Cartan's lack of game time recently is one of the more puzzling aspects of our manager's decisions. He was first man taken off in Newbridge early in 2nd half after scoring three points from play. Hes seen very little action since then and if I was a defender I'd rather not mark him than some of our other inside forwards."
I'm glad somebody else said it. I'm obviously naturally biased but I really don't understand this it at all

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 264 - 07/06/2025 12:56:41    2615484

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It would be great to see a big crowd in Mullingar this evening and really get behind the team just like the good crowd that travelled to Newbridge. Laois have a Joe McDonagh final tomorrow in Croke Park and I can't see them bringing a big crowd this evening.

Last week wasn't ideal but hopefully it was a good learning curve for the group and now they know this is a lose and your out situation it will tell a lot where they are.

We probably got the the worst draw we could have gotten with Laois buoyed after a good win over Offaly last week and they won't fear us.

mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 258 - 07/06/2025 14:38:08    2615502

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I felt the draw was the best one to get a reaction after last week's performance and that's what happened today. Our best display of the year and we made Laois look a very average side. Great displays all round but Sam McCartan and Ronan Wallace led by example, two half backs scoring close to 1-9 between them from play is superb, Kevin O' Sullivan, Matthew Whittaker, Luke, Shane Allen who is a huge addition to the squad and Jack Geoghegan were also excellent but hard to find fault. Laois are not far behind us in league rankings but they were just waiting for the final whistle.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2183 - 07/06/2025 18:55:27    2615583

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Great result to get back on track but my goodness were Laois poor, nice to see a decent turnout. I think on today's showing it'll be ourselves or Kildare that win it out. Maybe a kick in the backside last week was just what was needed.

OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 80 - 07/06/2025 18:56:56    2615584

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Replying To OverTheHill85:  "Great result to get back on track but my goodness were Laois poor, nice to see a decent turnout. I think on today's showing it'll be ourselves or Kildare that win it out. Maybe a kick in the backside last week was just what was needed."
Shane Allen looks to be some difference maker around the middle of the pitch thought he was outstanding today along with mccartan and Wallace last weeks result could turn out to be the making of this team

Gcastle1213 (Westmeath) - Posts: 3 - 07/06/2025 19:50:25    2615590

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Sam and Wally outstanding today among others. Really impressed by Shane Allen as well. Good team performance but Laois were atrocious. Us and Kildare in Newbridge next weekend is a certainty!

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 264 - 07/06/2025 20:53:04    2615601

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