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Westmeath Football thread

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I can see Garrycastle as the darkhorse and going far this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with a Garrycastle vs. The Downs final. They've been consistent all season and reaching the league final was a huge statement for a club that only just came up from intermediate. That said, I know some people on this forum don't put much weight on the league. For me, it's between St. Loman's and Garrycastle for the other final spot. Loman's are really feeling the loss of Sam McCartan he was the engine that drove the ball forward to their forwards, while also being a huge defensive asset. Without him, they've looked wide open at times and have been run through on multiple occasions. I know they're missing T.J. Cox, Gaffney, O'Toole, and Danny McCartan who just returned back, but they still have a big hill to climb. The Shamrocks game will tell us a lot about where they stand. At the moment though, I think The Downs and Garrycastle look like the two strongest teams in the county. but this wasn't a good weekend for the county we saw a number of heavy defeats-something nobody likes to witness midway through the competition. Bal, Kilbeggan, Ballycomoyle, Shamrocks, and Multy all suffered tough losses that will be difficult to bounce back from. Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 83 - 26/08/2025 17:58:28 2633692 Link
Replying To Captainfantastic: "Lomans were beaten but not dispossessed yet. They'll be in a SF or final for sure and probably could well play Downs again in a real championship match in the final. Different game then. Yesterday's game was just a bit of shadow boxing. Look at Kerry in the league phase of the AI series versus the real championship knockout. League championship lacks the full bloodiness of knockout." They're definitely not a spent force, but do they still have the same power and depth as in recent years? At halftime they made three changes, yet the game barely shiftedThe Downs still saw it out with ease. In previous seasons, Lomans could bring on subs just as strong as the players already on the pitch, but that no longer seems to be the case. Fighting-Cocks69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 83 - 26/08/2025 18:04:02 2633694 Link
Replying To Fighting-Cocks69: "I can see Garrycastle as the darkhorse and going far this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with a Garrycastle vs. The Downs final. They've been consistent all season and reaching the league final was a huge statement for a club that only just came up from intermediate. That said, I know some people on this forum don't put much weight on the league. For me, it's between St. Loman's and Garrycastle for the other final spot. Loman's are really feeling the loss of Sam McCartan he was the engine that drove the ball forward to their forwards, while also being a huge defensive asset. Without him, they've looked wide open at times and have been run through on multiple occasions. I know they're missing T.J. Cox, Gaffney, O'Toole, and Danny McCartan who just returned back, but they still have a big hill to climb. The Shamrocks game will tell us a lot about where they stand. At the moment though, I think The Downs and Garrycastle look like the two strongest teams in the county. but this wasn't a good weekend for the county we saw a number of heavy defeats-something nobody likes to witness midway through the competition. Bal, Kilbeggan, Ballycomoyle, Shamrocks, and Multy all suffered tough losses that will be difficult to bounce back from." Garrycastle dropped down to intermediate for one year, came straight back up having consistently been a top senior team for well over two decades. It wasn't like a new team on the block when they won the intermediate last year. Right now, Garrycastle are miles off St Loman's, let alone The Downs. They have a good chance of getting out of Group B and making a quarter final but I'm amused how you've put them as one of the two strongest teams in the County, on top of the reigning County champions. How can you put much weight on the League when most Clubs don't bother with it or don't field their best team. Garrycastle were one of the small number of teams able to put a full team out. The League run clearly stood to them but saying it was a huge statement reaching the final is a bit much. They didn't even win it. iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 202 - 26/08/2025 23:28:05 2633734 Link
Senior Football ratings after round 3. 1 The Downs 2 St Lomans 3 Kinnegad 4 Moate (very unlucky not to beat GC) 5 Garrycastle 6 Athlone 7 Shamrocks 8 Tyrellspass 9 Calury 10 Kilucan 11 St Malachys 12 Tang Predictions Q/F Kinnegad v Moate Garrycastle v Athlone S/F The Downs v Garrycastle St Lomans v Kinnegad Final The Downs v St Lomans Winner The Downs CHAMPS (Westmeath) - Posts: 46 - 27/08/2025 10:51:29 2633760 Link
Replying To Captainfantastic: "Lomans were beaten but not dispossessed yet. They'll be in a SF or final for sure and probably could well play Downs again in a real championship match in the final. Different game then. Yesterday's game was just a bit of shadow boxing. Look at Kerry in the league phase of the AI series versus the real championship knockout. League championship lacks the full bloodiness of knockout." This is good example Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 954 - 27/08/2025 12:42:58 2633777 Link
Have any candidates be earmarked yet for the senior job? Could Gary Dolan be a possible dark horse if they decide to go for an internal candidate? Matthew (None) - Posts: 1091 - 27/08/2025 13:00:32 2633781 Link
Replying To Matthew: "Have any candidates be earmarked yet for the senior job? Could Gary Dolan be a possible dark horse if they decide to go for an internal candidate?" Rumour has it Dessie himself is back in for the job. I'd be shocked myself if that turned out to be the case . Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 303 - 27/08/2025 18:09:25 2633834 Link
Replying To Matthew: "Have any candidates be earmarked yet for the senior job? Could Gary Dolan be a possible dark horse if they decide to go for an internal candidate?" What is this based on? Meridian (Westmeath) - Posts: 690 - 27/08/2025 20:41:38 2633845 Link
Replying To Meridian: "What is this based on?" His record in garrycastle isn't bad in fairness. He is in his second stint with them now, the first stint I believe was 4 years where he won 1 championship and 2 division 1 leagues, they also should've beaten lomans in another county final. He went back last year and won intermediate and division 2 league, got to division 1 league final this year and now are moving very well in championship, although it be in group b, they are playing good stuff. If being honest, he is more deserving of a shot at the Westmeath management than his brother Dessie ever was considering he never managed a team before he got the Westmeath job. So why not give Gary Dolan a shot? Tailteannchamps (Westmeath) - Posts: 44 - 27/08/2025 22:39:20 2633862 Link
It seems Mark McHugh not involved with McCabe in Cavan so has to be a contender if interested. Scullion who was also involved with Westmeath too has followed McCabe to Cavan so McHugh would have an opportunity to bring in his own lads. BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1187 - 27/08/2025 23:25:23 2633868 Link
See Hoganstand saying Mark McHugh is being tipped for the job. That would be a very shrewd appointment if you ask me. Would bring continuity from last year and hopefully he could keep a lot of last years backroom team. He is on the coaching circuit a while and more that deserves a management job. mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 268 - 28/08/2025 09:08:03 2633886 Link
Mark McHugh in contension for senior football managers job.-this could be a good appointment-he knows the young players who came into the panel last year so is not really starting from scratch. Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 275 - 28/08/2025 09:22:49 2633888 Link
Who has he managed? Hes a coach, a decent one but his managerial career at any level has been about coaching players. Managing 40-50 people at inter county level is a totally different role than organising drills for 25-30 players. He seems to be favourite and I hope I'm wrong but doubtful if other counties would appoint a manager who hasn't managed a team at a high level. Gary Dolan, Lar Wall, Damien Gavin or Paddy Dowdall alll have better management credentials Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2333 - 28/08/2025 14:22:25 2633937 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Who has he managed? Hes a coach, a decent one but his managerial career at any level has been about coaching players. Managing 40-50 people at inter county level is a totally different role than organising drills for 25-30 players. He seems to be favourite and I hope I'm wrong but doubtful if other counties would appoint a manager who hasn't managed a team at a high level. Gary Dolan, Lar Wall, Damien Gavin or Paddy Dowdall alll have better management credentials" Who did Dessie Dolan manage before he had Westmeath job? Mark McHugh has a hell of a lot more coaching experience in his short few years since he stopped playing than Dessie ever had too. mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 268 - 28/08/2025 15:05:43 2633950 Link
I thought McHugh had joined Corduff in Monaghan as a coach. If he's to come in as Westmeath manager you would want him to be attending games and casting the net as wide as possible for potential new players. Hard to see this happening if he is coaching another team. Hard to see where the new manager will come from. I would hold judgement on Paddy Dowdall until later in this championship, now that he no longer has the strongest squad in the county (in my opinion). Ditto for Gary Dolan. Recent U20 managers have not pulled up any trees either. iarmhi_an_mhaith (Westmeath) - Posts: 283 - 28/08/2025 16:03:23 2633958 Link
Replying To iarmhi_an_mhaith: "I thought McHugh had joined Corduff in Monaghan as a coach. If he's to come in as Westmeath manager you would want him to be attending games and casting the net as wide as possible for potential new players. Hard to see this happening if he is coaching another team. Hard to see where the new manager will come from. I would hold judgement on Paddy Dowdall until later in this championship, now that he no longer has the strongest squad in the county (in my opinion). Ditto for Gary Dolan. Recent U20 managers have not pulled up any trees either." They could do worse than interview some of the coaching experts on this Forum Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 273 - 28/08/2025 16:47:04 2633969 Link
What about Pat Flanagan? Has experience, knows the teams and players and has had some successes over the years. Now I'm not advocating for him, I'm just posing the question to see what people's perspective would be on it, but let's face it, there doesn't seem to be standout candidates anywhere. I'm not sure about Mc Hugh as a manager. Managing people, is a complex business and is very different to coaching as a previous post alluded to. But, I don't know him enough to see could he step up to this. Definitely no to Davy Burke from what I have seen. We see with the hurlers that the team put together seems to be a good group of people. I think we need that 4/5 people that will be a good management team rather than putting our faith in one voice, though obviously there is always a boss. But what if Flanagan, say brought K. Maguire, plus a couple of good other coaches or people of good stature with him, would it inspire some confidence? Having been part of a county minor management team some years ago, and managing people in the day job, I think the dynamic in the management team is very important to success, and it's not easy to get right. Iarmhisamhi (Westmeath) - Posts: 7 - 28/08/2025 21:19:48 2634010 Link
Replying To iarmhi_an_mhaith: "I thought McHugh had joined Corduff in Monaghan as a coach. If he's to come in as Westmeath manager you would want him to be attending games and casting the net as wide as possible for potential new players. Hard to see this happening if he is coaching another team. Hard to see where the new manager will come from. I would hold judgement on Paddy Dowdall until later in this championship, now that he no longer has the strongest squad in the county (in my opinion). Ditto for Gary Dolan. Recent U20 managers have not pulled up any trees either." One of our main rivals in Division Three for 2026 have beefed up their management team by bringing in a Senior Inter County manager for the last five years as coach. They are about to get two of the best S&C coaches in the country, right from under Meath's nose. They will have almost 5 full months preparation behind them. Meanwhile top of the agenda in Westmeath is tackling the issue of photographers attending matches and clubs sharing videos. iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 202 - 28/08/2025 22:10:46 2634014 Link