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Westmeath blitzed the Biffos for the last 20 minutes but were woeful for the other 50, everyone stuck in reverse. Offaly were better than expected but what were they doing taking off Anton O'Sullivan? Need to get Kevin Maguire back into the full back line asap. Good to see Corroon back but it was Luke who made the difference when he came on. Should get a more committed display Saturday against Carlow.

Not sure about that we've 4 away games again  Put up a poll there catch & kick and see what the gaaboard thinks.

Why is the O'Byrne Cup final in a home venue for Dublin?

Its always a coin toss for one of finalists home venues

It was fixed before the semi finals were played though. 

If indeed Kimmage was the parent then it does call into question his impartiality and also his motives for making this case known nationally. I still maintain that the question of a third party settling legal fee's to the tune of €20k is the only item of any interest. The rest of it is just local squabbling he said she said stuff that happens in plenty of clubs up and down the country.

Kimmage is a fine journalist but he should really be concentrating on cycling, athletics and other international sport rather than reduce himself to these petty local squabbles.

Nothing he said she said about announcing to all in sundry at a parent committee meeting that the previous coach was dismissed by the committee because he inappropriately laid his hands on a child. Now with all the implications and connotations that accusation invokes I don't believe there's a man here who wouldn't take the actions the coach had to take. If that's the kind of leadership the chairman is setting God knows what's going on in the rest of the club. I know if I lived in Balbriggan I'd be delighted to see this in the Sunday paper.

Can't imagine Kimmage leaving a meeting like the Parent did.

Don't have an issue with him detailing what shysters like Howley get up to in the national media either, can take 10 years to undo the damage egotistical heads like him cause.

Thanks illdecide, augers well when the hand wringing starts before the match. Heslin won't be playing, can't even train.

Who's Boidu Sayeh or what's his heritage? Good to see some new blood in the GAA

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/monrovia-to-moate-boidu-sayeh-s-extraordinary-journey-to-play-for-westmeath-1.3508433?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fgaelic-games%2Fgaelic-football%2Fmonrovia-to-moate-boidu-sayeh-s-extraordinary-journey-to-play-for-westmeath-1.3508433

Saturday went as expected, predicted a 10 point defeat and was one out. Patched up side was never realistically going to trouble Armagh. Only for the opportunistic goal in the first half the game would have been over at half time. We put on a bit of a spurt in the second half, led by Ger Egan, and got to within 4 points of Armagh but in fairness to them they showed good game management to slow the game down and nick a point the other end. They got a goal courtesy of a post next and that was surely that. Least the day ended with the good news that Kelly won't be there next year and that we'll be spared a drawn out Bealin saga, never a good sign when the manager resigns on the full time whistle. Hopefully we won't have to worry about a manager not showing up for training the week of championship next year. Time to jump on the hurlers bandwagon now.

You've been reading this I see Dinny  http://changingthegameproject.com/developing-warriors-not-winners-path-excellence/

I'd be on the same page as yourself, although I'm coaching u7 girls so they're not as competitive as boys. Trying to stay away from blitz style matches for this year, more game based. Although played some 2v2 matches a couple of weeks ago based on this http://www.icoachkids.eu/dribbling-football-how-a-children-centred-approach-led-belgian-youth-football-from-11v-1-into-2v2.html and they went down a bomb (mainly due to the fact there was no keepers and everyone was scoring).

Thanks illdecide, augers well when the hand wringing starts before the match. Heslin won't be playing, can't even train.

Won't be anyone stopping Shamrock Shore running onto the pitch if Longford win...

Ha - I am sure some fecker in a yellow bib will rugby-tackle me as Plan B swings into action.

If you're worth your salt it'll take 10 of them to put you down. 

Has the team been named yet?

Irish News has plenty about Westmeath in today's paper but not much about Armagh

What are ye saying about us up there? Plenty to say about where it's all gone wrong this year alright...

Sure you only have yours a wet week

Long enough

Was actually thinking of going to the Meath game on Sat but no confident i'd get to Mullingar for 7...Would be tight, think it's about 45 mins but match traffic would make it worse...What you reckon?

Traffic never an issue in mullingar
Park your car at St Finians school or Tesco and walk in. It's about 10 mins

Westmeath people are looking forward to 'welcoming' Armagh after the last game in Cusack park

Or leave it in Springfield and be there in 2 minutes.

Armagh posters and supporters were much more prevalent, and seem to have completely tailed off

Still always log in every day to check what's happening, and still hate Tyrone
Have been here for a fair while and genuinely for first time ever am ambivalent if Armagh win or not on Saturday.
We need a change of manager .

We'll swap ya

I've never witnessed worse behaviour on the sideline than what Poacher brought to Cusack Park in the league last year so he certainly has form.

Wicklow 2-20 Westmeath 2-4?

Whats going on there... is Tommy Carr back managing a Westmeath team again?

When he was Westmeath minor manager they made their first Leinster minor final in 13 years. Usually it's the case of the talent not being there. However there were expectations around this group after St.Mary's Mullingar won the all-Ireland u16 A. Also, Wicklow are clearly no bad team.

Reason that group made the first Leinster minor final in 13 years was because there was good work done with them up to u16 level where they won the Gerry Reilly and the Fr Manning Cup.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/sport/gaa/articles/2011/09/22/4006822-westmeath-down-the-dubs-to-retain-gerry-reilly-crown

Carr saw an opportunity to get involved with a decent team and had the county board eating out of his hands. The management who had done all the heavy lifting were jettisoned and Tommy Tom Tom was parachuted in to the young fellows horror (there was talk amongst themselves of not playing). They had an easy run to that Leinster Final where a Brendan Hackett managed Kildare team absolutely took them apart in the final while Tommy Tom Tom looked on with his hands stuck in the pockets of his shorts.

Not sure what the reason for 3 defeats from 3 is for this group but it certainly doesn't augur well. Least the u20s beat Wexford, no thanks to Kelly bringing Coyne on for the seniors. We'll see how they get on against the Dubs in Parnell Park next Monday.

Not too well I suspect. I don't think it's a particularly strong group. But if a few of them step up to senior that's all that really matters. I expect Carr's son to be one of them 

The Dubs will be formidable no doubt, how we fare will indicate where this group are at. Good to see a Westmeath man of solid stock in charge, time we implemented the same structure at senior level.

Wicklow 2-20 Westmeath 2-4?

Whats going on there... is Tommy Carr back managing a Westmeath team again?

When he was Westmeath minor manager they made their first Leinster minor final in 13 years. Usually it's the case of the talent not being there. However there were expectations around this group after St.Mary's Mullingar won the all-Ireland u16 A. Also, Wicklow are clearly no bad team.

Reason that group made the first Leinster minor final in 13 years was because there was good work done with them up to u16 level where they won the Gerry Reilly and the Fr Manning Cup.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/sport/gaa/articles/2011/09/22/4006822-westmeath-down-the-dubs-to-retain-gerry-reilly-crown

Carr saw an opportunity to get involved with a decent team and had the county board eating out of his hands. The management who had done all the heavy lifting were jettisoned and Tommy Tom Tom was parachuted in to the young fellows horror (there was talk amongst themselves of not playing). They had an easy run to that Leinster Final where a Brendan Hackett managed Kildare team absolutely took them apart in the final while Tommy Tom Tom looked on with his hands stuck in the pockets of his shorts.

Not sure what the reason for 3 defeats from 3 is for this group but it certainly doesn't augur well. Least the u20s beat Wexford, no thanks to Kelly bringing Coyne on for the seniors. We'll see how they get on against the Dubs in Parnell Park next Monday.