Áth Cliath vs Iarmhí

[AN other]

It might be seen as a bit early to start this thread but I for one can't wait for this game, there's a fair few mentions of the game on other threads already and I don't think there's a better way to start it than with this from Connaughton which pretty much sums up the situation from a Westmeath point of view.

League win irrelevant, Connaughton insists
11 June 2008

Gary Connaughton claims Westmeath's victory over Dublin in this year's NFL Division 2 final will count for nothing when the sides renew their rivalry in the Leinster SFC semi-final on June 29.

The Tubberclair goalkeeper captained the Lake County to a 0-15 to 0-10 win in Dessie Dolan's absence at Navan in late April but significantly, the Dubs were missing a host of key players through suspension.

"What happened in the league final was nothing," Connaughton insisted.

"Dublin at Croke Park are a serious outfit. They have the extra man with the support nearly, the 16th man which is always an advantage to them. It's definitely for other teams in Leinster now to stand up to them and try to wrestle it (the provincial title) away from Dublin."

After beating midland rivals Longford and Offaly to get this far, Connaughton believes the pressure is now off Westmeath to a certain extent.

"After getting over the first few rounds and the two teams that were put in front of us, we'll probably be underdogs against Dublin but that's the challenge we have to face on the day.

"The main part of the year so far was about staying in Division 2 and getting into a Leinster semi-final then. Now we're there we don't want to rest, it's only a semi-final, something we were at a couple of years ago."

He added: "We want to be up lifting the Delaney Cup again. But that's for another day again. The Leinster semi-final was definitely a realistic target at the start of the year and we've made it now."

As Connaughton alludes to, the pressure was on to beat Longford and Offaly as there was a slight bit of expectation on Westmeath for both games. Nobody's expecting anything more than a decent performance against the Dubs and from a Westmeath point of view I'm hopeful this will have a positive impact on our performance.

[Tankie]

I expect another poor game with WestMeath.... Dublin to win tho!

[his holiness nb]

I would agree that the league final cant be an indication as to how it will go as it was a seriously depleted Dublin side.
That said, this is a very decent Westmeath team and Dublin will need to be on top of their game to win.
A repeat of the weekends first half performance and they could be in serious trouble.

I predict a tight battle with the Dubs squeezing through by one or two points, but wouldnt be at all suprised to see Westmeath win it.

[Hound]

Be very interesting to see what Dublin team is picked.

Grifin doesnt seem to be ready so Shocko should retain the 4 jersey. I'd have Moran back at 7, Cahill at 6 and drop Cullen.

Bernard Brogan will certainly come in for Paddy Andrews, but if he does push Moran back, then it gives the opportunity to bring in either Whelan or Flynn. I'd love to see Whelan and Keaney alternating between third midfielder (wing forward) and full forward.

[heffo]

I would agree that the league final cant be an indication as to how it will go as it was a seriously depleted Dublin side.
That said, this is a very decent Westmeath team and Dublin will need to be on top of their game to win.
A repeat of the weekends first half performance and they could be in serious trouble.

I predict a tight battle with the Dubs squeezing through by one or two points, but wouldnt be at all suprised to see Westmeath win it.

Agree with  most of that. It's going to be very tight either way. Westmeath play with 13 men behind the ball and have a very effective system.

Going for Dubs by 2/3, but like you wouldn't be surprised if Westmeath won..

[AN other]

I would agree that the league final cant be an indication as to how it will go as it was a seriously depleted Dublin side.
That said, this is a very decent Westmeath team and Dublin will need to be on top of their game to win.
A repeat of the weekends first half performance and they could be in serious trouble.

I predict a tight battle with the Dubs squeezing through by one or two points, but wouldnt be at all suprised to see Westmeath win it.

Agree with  most of that. It's going to be very tight either way. Westmeath play with 13 men behind the ball and have a very effective system.

Going for Dubs by 2/3, but like you wouldn't be surprised if Westmeath won..

Westmeath must have impressed you in the last couple of matches Heffo, or else you aren't rating Dublin as highly as you were, either way I recall you scoffing at the notion that Westmeath could match Dublin at full strength this year....

That aside I think most synopsis above are fair and would be what people are expecting at this stage. Dublin will of course be the favourites but an upset should not be entirely unexpected.

[heffo]

I would agree that the league final cant be an indication as to how it will go as it was a seriously depleted Dublin side.
That said, this is a very decent Westmeath team and Dublin will need to be on top of their game to win.
A repeat of the weekends first half performance and they could be in serious trouble.

I predict a tight battle with the Dubs squeezing through by one or two points, but wouldnt be at all suprised to see Westmeath win it.

Agree with  most of that. It's going to be very tight either way. Westmeath play with 13 men behind the ball and have a very effective system.

Going for Dubs by 2/3, but like you wouldn't be surprised if Westmeath won..

Westmeath must have impressed you in the last couple of matches Heffo, or else you aren't rating Dublin as highly as you were, either way I recall you scoffing at the notion that Westmeath could match Dublin at full strength this year....

That aside I think most synopsis above are fair and would be what people are expecting at this stage. Dublin will of course be the favourites but an upset should not be entirely unexpected.

Westmeath have impressed me and have improved hugely from the first league game in Parnell. I still think Dublin will win, but they won't racking up cricket scores in doing so, because of Westmeath's system.

We learnt nothing about Dublin last Sunday, so it's impossible to gauge what their form will be like Sunday two weeks.

[Jinxy]

Westmeath are very good defensively but they won't rack up enough scores at the other end to seriously trouble Dublin. I think there will be at least 4 points in it at the end.

[dubsnsubs]

OK.......League form might not count for much but if it did.........the most important match results in Division 2 included.........

Westmeath beat Dublin in league final.
Westmeath beat Armagh by 5......Dublin got hammered by 9.
Westmeath beat Monaghan by 2 in Clones in a decider......Dublin drew at home.
Westmeath beat Meath by 5....Dubs win by 1.

No reason for us to be too confident. Should be interesting.......

[Tankie]

OK.......League form might not count for much but if it did.........the most important match results in Division 2 included.........

Westmeath beat Dublin in league final.
Westmeath beat Armagh by 5......Dublin got hammered by 9.
Westmeath beat Monaghan by 2 in Clones in a decider......Dublin drew at home.
Westmeath beat Meath by 5....Dubs win by 1.

No reason for us to be too confident. Should be interesting.......

If we are not confident of beating WestMeath we shouldnt think must further than the Q/F this year

[his holiness nb]

OK.......League form might not count for much but if it did.........the most important match results in Division 2 included.........

Westmeath beat Dublin in league final.
Westmeath beat Armagh by 5......Dublin got hammered by 9.
Westmeath beat Monaghan by 2 in Clones in a decider......Dublin drew at home.
Westmeath beat Meath by 5....Dubs win by 1.

No reason for us to be too confident. Should be interesting.......

Whatever about picking out certain league games it should also be remembered that Dublin finished ahead of Westmeath in the league table, so its not all doom and gloom 

[AN other]

OK.......League form might not count for much but if it did.........the most important match results in Division 2 included.........

Westmeath beat Dublin in league final.
Westmeath beat Armagh by 5......Dublin got hammered by 9.
Westmeath beat Monaghan by 2 in Clones in a decider......Dublin drew at home.
Westmeath beat Meath by 5....Dubs win by 1.

No reason for us to be too confident. Should be interesting.......

Whatever about picking out certain league games it should also be remembered that Dublin finished ahead of Westmeath in the league table, so its not all doom and gloom 

Let's not be forgetting about the two handy league points Dublin picked up against Cork!!!
Not that I want to be talking up our chances at all....

[his holiness nb]

OK.......League form might not count for much but if it did.........the most important match results in Division 2 included.........

Westmeath beat Dublin in league final.
Westmeath beat Armagh by 5......Dublin got hammered by 9.
Westmeath beat Monaghan by 2 in Clones in a decider......Dublin drew at home.
Westmeath beat Meath by 5....Dubs win by 1.

No reason for us to be too confident. Should be interesting.......

Whatever about picking out certain league games it should also be remembered that Dublin finished ahead of Westmeath in the league table, so its not all doom and gloom 

Let's not be forgetting about the three handy league points Dublin picked up against Cork!!!
Not that I want to be talking up our chances at all....

Would have bate them anyway, gang of posers! 

[Donagh]

Should that not be Áth Cliath vs An Iarmhí? 

[his holiness nb]

Should that not be Áth Cliath vs An Iarmhí? 

well spotted Donagh, as a North County boy thats a bit insulting