Westmeath v Louth Qualifier R1

[Onlooker]

Fitzer gone. May be announced at training tonight, but he definitely wont be back.

What are they training for tonight.

[Louth Exile]

For what its worth at this stage I'm going to put in my spake about the game!

Louth went into this on the back of five narrow wins in a row against Iarmhi, having lost 11 players to injury/emigration from their last outing, a crushing defeat and a manager in his sick bed (although some would argue this was a good thing), Westmeath eventually having home advantage in this tie, showing the last day that they were the better team, but beating themselves, Derek Fahy (Longford's finest since John Bannon!!) being appointed as ref. It was about time the Maroon and white got over the line and they ultimately deserved it on the night and I wish them well against the Kingdom, can they pull off a Longford or Sligo performance with the final punch?

The start to the game was awful, as low scoring as the earlier game in Ulster, except there was no blanket defences! The better of the football in this half was played by Louth but were guilty of kicking a few too many wides. I didn't see the incident with Brennan, but his act of taking the gloves of and walking to line showed that the bad judgement of his early days is still there! He basically gave the ref no option but to send him off. As for the other sending off, a disgraceful decision. You are old enough Croi to remember a time when corner backs were real men and that if they got up to that kind of play acting they wouldn't need an opponent to lift them from the ground, as their own man would have already done it! Sad behaviour, that we would all be criticising the soccer crowd for if they got up to it and cowardly into the bargain. But ultimately a good referee would have given nothing more than a yellow. For what it's worth, I thought he gave Louth a load of soft frees in the first quarter of the match, but is performance overall was terrible.

The Louth team deserve great credit for their courage and fight in the second half in the face of adversity. It took the home side no time to turn a two point deficit into a two point lead, but the only time that they effectively used the two man advantage was on the counterattack, when they broke at speed and in numbers that Louth simply couldn't cope with. It looked like Louth were going to pull it off until ironically Westmeath starting playing when they went down to 14! The move for the goal was clinical and a real killer, but the end scoreline is complete flattery.

With all the lads gone it was interesting to note that Cumiskey and his two All Ireland winning assistants plumbed for experience very much over youth! What does this say?

You might call Fitzer lucky, but like Banty he has an innate ability to self preserve! I do believe that both men have some sense (internally) of their own failings and compensate for this by putting in place what must be acknowledged as good back room teams. When you come under pressure you flip the team! Maybe I am giving more credit than is deserved, particularly if reports that Keenan was questioning him are true!

Best of Luck to Iarmhi against the Kingdom I hope we never see sight of Derek Fahy again, lets get on with the club football now.

[Croí na hÉireann]

As for the other sending off, a disgraceful decision. You are old enough Croi to remember a time when corner backs were real men and that if they got up to that kind of play acting they wouldn't need an opponent to lift them from the ground, as their own man would have already done it! Sad behaviour, that we would all be criticising the soccer crowd for if they got up to it and cowardly into the bargain. But ultimately a good referee would have given nothing more than a yellow.

LE, I hate play acting as much as the next man and while it may have looked innocuous his hand was in close proximity to his face and it only takes a graze around the eye to cause severe pain, remember the Gooch and McConnell in 05 (I think). That said the aul man beside me (a Westmeath man) said that Doran is always lying down at club games in the Park. It's not a trait I've noticed him at before in Westmeath games though, and I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.

I think a red for hauling someone up off the ground is justified though as there was an issue recently (think Monaghan were involved) where someone tried to haul an opposing player up when that player was actually injured. Not only does it look awful but it is usually an instigator for melees and there is the potential for inflicting serious injury on a player. It seems Louth are the first county to be caught out by this new directive (I presume there was a directive issued recently that hauling someone up is a straight red as I don't remember it getting that punishment before) and that is unfortunate for you. However I think it is a positive development.

I was impressed with the fight ye showed in the second half, especially Ray Finnegan, but I thought the physical bullying attitude ye came with was your undoing. If ye concentrated on the football ye probably would have sneaked it.

Anyways I'm sure we'll take up where we left off in the league again next year and hopefully ye (and us) are in a healthier state then.

[Louth Exile]

As for the other sending off, a disgraceful decision. You are old enough Croi to remember a time when corner backs were real men and that if they got up to that kind of play acting they wouldn't need an opponent to lift them from the ground, as their own man would have already done it! Sad behaviour, that we would all be criticising the soccer crowd for if they got up to it and cowardly into the bargain. But ultimately a good referee would have given nothing more than a yellow.

LE, I hate play acting as much as the next man and while it may have looked innocuous his hand was in close proximity to his face and it only takes a graze around the eye to cause severe pain, remember the Gooch and McConnell in 05 (I think). That said the aul man beside me (a Westmeath man) said that Doran is always lying down at club games in the Park. It's not a trait I've noticed him at before in Westmeath games though, and I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.

I think a red for hauling someone up off the ground is justified though as there was an issue recently (think Monaghan were involved) where someone tried to haul an opposing player up when that player was actually injured. Not only does it look awful but it is usually an instigator for melees and there is the potential for inflicting serious injury on a player. It seems Louth are the first county to be caught out by this new directive (I presume there was a directive issued recently that hauling someone up is a straight red as I don't remember it getting that punishment before) and that is unfortunate for you. However I think it is a positive development.

I was impressed with the fight ye showed in the second half, especially Ray Finnegan, but I thought the physical bullying attitude ye came with was your undoing. If ye concentrated on the football ye probably would have sneaked it.

Anyways I'm sure we'll take up where we left off in the league again next year and hopefully ye (and us) are in a healthier state then.

I think that it's Clarke who should have got the benefit of the doubt here myself, I never had him down as a dirty player and can't remember him ever being one (ML would be more authorative about his former clubman). The bottom line here is Doran feigned injury and our man got gate!

I have seen plenty of physical and over physical Louth sides and maybe I wasn't paying attention but I didn't notice any excessive bullying from our lads on Saturday. There is so little between the two sides it was about time the balance tilted the other way

Both our counties league performances dramatically over exceeded our expectations this year, lets worry about doing it all over again in a few months, for now I'll enjoy the club and you can enjoy the visit of a half decent team 

[AZOffaly]

As for the other sending off, a disgraceful decision. You are old enough Croi to remember a time when corner backs were real men and that if they got up to that kind of play acting they wouldn't need an opponent to lift them from the ground, as their own man would have already done it! Sad behaviour, that we would all be criticising the soccer crowd for if they got up to it and cowardly into the bargain. But ultimately a good referee would have given nothing more than a yellow.

LE, I hate play acting as much as the next man and while it may have looked innocuous his hand was in close proximity to his face and it only takes a graze around the eye to cause severe pain, remember the Gooch and McConnell in 05 (I think). That said the aul man beside me (a Westmeath man) said that Doran is always lying down at club games in the Park. It's not a trait I've noticed him at before in Westmeath games though, and I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.

I think a red for hauling someone up off the ground is justified though as there was an issue recently (think Monaghan were involved) where someone tried to haul an opposing player up when that player was actually injured. Not only does it look awful but it is usually an instigator for melees and there is the potential for inflicting serious injury on a player. It seems Louth are the first county to be caught out by this new directive (I presume there was a directive issued recently that hauling someone up is a straight red as I don't remember it getting that punishment before) and that is unfortunate for you. However I think it is a positive development.

I was impressed with the fight ye showed in the second half, especially Ray Finnegan, but I thought the physical bullying attitude ye came with was your undoing. If ye concentrated on the football ye probably would have sneaked it.

Anyways I'm sure we'll take up where we left off in the league again next year and hopefully ye (and us) are in a healthier state then.

Wasn't it Doran that got sent off against Tyrone for punching Dooher in the stomach up in Omagh in a qualifier? I wonder did he learn a harsh lesson that day, and decide to teach some other buck the same thing?

[Bill Haven]

having watched a lot of Garrycastle matches in the last couple of years I can safely say that Doron Harte has plenty of previous when it comes to the Busquets-style theatrics.

[Muchachos]

having watched a lot of Garrycastle matches in the last couple of years I can safely say that Doron Harte has plenty of previous when it comes to the Busquets-style theatrics.

I have yet to see him win a ball, come out with it and deliver a pass. He's forever on his f**kin knees, his arse, dragging a leg on the ground. I wouldnt have him within an asses roar of a westmeath Jersey.

[Croí na hÉireann]

I think that it's Clarke who should have got the benefit of the doubt here myself, I never had him down as a dirty player and can't remember him ever being one (ML would be more authorative about his former clubman). The bottom line here is Doran feigned injury and our man got gate!

I have seen plenty of physical and over physical Louth sides and maybe I wasn't paying attention but I didn't notice any excessive bullying from our lads on Saturday. There is so little between the two sides it was about time the balance tilted the other way

Both our counties league performances dramatically over exceeded our expectations this year, lets worry about doing it all over again in a few months, for now I'll enjoy the club and you can enjoy the visit of a half decent team 

I never said he was dirty, but he seriously erred in picking him up off the ground. He was unfortunate to fall foul of what appears to be a new directive that no one seems to know about.

Wasn't it Doran that got sent off against Tyrone for punching Dooher in the stomach up in Omagh in a qualifier? I wonder did he learn a harsh lesson that day, and decide to teach some other buck the same thing?

It sure was, in 2008. That thought did cross my mind all-right and Bill and the aul codger sitting beside me would seem to confirm it. He hasn't had as good a season since 08 either when he put his body on the line. Any time he was left on the ground that year he had good reason to be lying there as he really threw himself at the breaking ball. He has been mostly played out of position though at half back since and while he can do a job there he's nowhere near as effective as a half forward dropping back.