An Iarmhí v Loch Garman

[Croí na hÉireann]

Westmeath team named for Sunday is:

                   Darren Quinn
Killian Daly, Kevin Maguire, Paddy Holloway
   Paul Sharry, John Gilligan, James Dolan
          Ger Egan (Capt), Daragh Daly
Ronan Foley, Ray Connellan, Denis Corroon
Kieran Martin, John Heslin, Shane Dempsey

Couple of surprises in there with Foley and Corroon starting. Corroon especially as he's only back from abroad 3 weeks ago. They must be going well in training. Lots of possibilities as to how that team could take to the pitch but if they line up like that there are too many changes from the game against Louth and a lot of that team wouldn't have league game time under their belt in their selected position.

Wexford are an unknown quantity this year. They got relegated, which is unusual under an incoming manager (who has a bit of pedigree, albeit at underage), and the dual players are concentrating on hurling this year. But they will have no fear of us after trouncing us in championship in Wexford Park in 2011 and they still have the likes of Ciarán Lyng, Ben Brosnan, Brian Malone, Shane Roche, Anthony Masterson and Adrian Flynn. We will miss Callum McCormack for this game no doubt but on the positive for Westmeath Kieran Gavin should be involved at some stage on Sunday and great news that Paul Greville is back involved on the panel. Overall optimistic about our chances but a lot will depend on what team takes to the pitch and more importantly the mentality of the group. We have to go back 7 years to 2008 to find two winning championship victories put back to back so all to do.

Iarmhí Abú.

[twohands!!!]

Wexford Team

[shark]

Westmeath team named for Sunday is:

                   Darren Quinn
Killian Daly, Kevin Maguire, Paddy Holloway
   Paul Sharry, John Gilligan, James Dolan
          Ger Egan (Capt), Daragh Daly
Ronan Foley, Ray Connellan, Denis Corroon
Kieran Martin, John Heslin, Shane Dempsey

Couple of surprises in there with Foley and Corroon starting. Corroon especially as he's only back from abroad 3 weeks ago. They must be going well in training. Lots of possibilities as to how that team could take to the pitch but if they line up like that there are too many changes from the game against Louth and a lot of that team wouldn't have league game time under their belt in their selected position.

Wexford are an unknown quantity this year. They got relegated, which is unusual under an incoming manager (who has a bit of pedigree, albeit at underage), and the dual players are concentrating on hurling this year. But they will have no fear of us after trouncing us in championship in Wexford Park in 2011 and they still have the likes of Ciarán Lyng, Ben Brosnan, Brian Malone, Shane Roche, Anthony Masterson and Adrian Flynn. We will miss Callum McCormack for this game no doubt but on the positive for Westmeath Kieran Gavin should be involved at some stage on Sunday and great news that Paul Greville is back involved on the panel. Overall optimistic about our chances but a lot will depend on what team takes to the pitch and more importantly the mentality of the group. We have to go back 7 years to 2008 to find two winning championship victories put back to back so all to do.

Iarmhí Abú.

Think it's pretty certain the team won't line out like that, but it's very hard to know how it will.  I expect Martin could start in the backs, with Sharry in the forwards.  Will almost certainly be two men inside (Heslin and Dempsey), with probably Foley in a free role.  Surprising to see Corroon go straight in to the team, but he was only in London and was still coming home for league games with Shamrocks, so he's had plenty of football.  Some good options from the bench too, with Gavin being the obvious one. I think they were right to resist the temptation to start him.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Westmeath team named for Sunday is:

                   Darren Quinn
Killian Daly, Kevin Maguire, Paddy Holloway
   Paul Sharry, John Gilligan, James Dolan
          Ger Egan (Capt), Daragh Daly
Ronan Foley, Ray Connellan, Denis Corroon
Kieran Martin, John Heslin, Shane Dempsey

Couple of surprises in there with Foley and Corroon starting. Corroon especially as he's only back from abroad 3 weeks ago. They must be going well in training. Lots of possibilities as to how that team could take to the pitch but if they line up like that there are too many changes from the game against Louth and a lot of that team wouldn't have league game time under their belt in their selected position.

Wexford are an unknown quantity this year. They got relegated, which is unusual under an incoming manager (who has a bit of pedigree, albeit at underage), and the dual players are concentrating on hurling this year. But they will have no fear of us after trouncing us in championship in Wexford Park in 2011 and they still have the likes of Ciarán Lyng, Ben Brosnan, Brian Malone, Shane Roche, Anthony Masterson and Adrian Flynn. We will miss Callum McCormack for this game no doubt but on the positive for Westmeath Kieran Gavin should be involved at some stage on Sunday and great news that Paul Greville is back involved on the panel. Overall optimistic about our chances but a lot will depend on what team takes to the pitch and more importantly the mentality of the group. We have to go back 7 years to 2008 to find two winning championship victories put back to back so all to do.

Iarmhí Abú.

Think it's pretty certain the team won't line out like that, but it's very hard to know how it will.  I expect Martin could start in the backs, with Sharry in the forwards.  Will almost certainly be two men inside (Heslin and Dempsey), with probably Foley in a free role.  Surprising to see Corroon go straight in to the team, but he was only in London and was still coming home for league games with Shamrocks, so he's had plenty of football.  Some good options from the bench too, with Gavin being the obvious one. I think they were right to resist the temptation to start him.

And yet they more or less did. Don't think Cribbin is one for dummy teams anyway. He was right about Corroon as well, I thought he had an excellent game and fully justified the faith shown in him. Westmeath fully deserved their victory and were probably deserved nine point victors overall but found themselves 2 points down with 10 mins to play before hitting the purplest of purple spots. The score taking in the final 10 minutes was something we haven't witnessed in Cusack Park in quite a while. That 10 minutes is the potential in this group, getting it for longer and on a more consistent basis is the challenge. The goal was the turning point of the match, extremely well worked and decisively put away. If we were as clinical with the 3 goal chances in the first half the game could have been nearly secured at half time.

Shane Dempsey showed his potential and was the star of the show in the first half. So much so that his man was called ashore after 20 mins. Kieran Martin was very good as well at the head of the triangle. Heslin was poor from play I thought and didn't get in to the game until they brought him out onto the 40 and he played some lovely balls inside to Dempsey. Daly, Connellan and Corroon were winning some lovely ball in the air in the middle although Ray was taking too much out of the ball at time. Ger Egan led from start to finish and is back to his workhorse self after a wobbly league. Half back line were solid enough and took some exquisite points in those final 10 minutes. Full back line weren't bad either and got forward when tey could. Maguire did a good job on Lyng and I thought we were done for when he got the black card and we were 2 points behind. Was shocked when Kieran Gavin wasn't his replacement but, again, to be fair to Cribbin, Jack Donoghue did a great job when he came on and must be in contention for starting the next day. Glennon also did well when he came on and scored 2 points, one from a very acute angle. Impact sub though had to be John Connellan, scored 2, assisted 4, showed really well and made every possession count. All of a sudden we have options.

The league is now only a distant memory and thoughts will turn to the aul enemy soon but need t savour this first. Not often we win a home championship game by 9 points. Summer is looking good.

[shark]

Westmeath team named for Sunday is:

                   Darren Quinn
Killian Daly, Kevin Maguire, Paddy Holloway
   Paul Sharry, John Gilligan, James Dolan
          Ger Egan (Capt), Daragh Daly
Ronan Foley, Ray Connellan, Denis Corroon
Kieran Martin, John Heslin, Shane Dempsey

Couple of surprises in there with Foley and Corroon starting. Corroon especially as he's only back from abroad 3 weeks ago. They must be going well in training. Lots of possibilities as to how that team could take to the pitch but if they line up like that there are too many changes from the game against Louth and a lot of that team wouldn't have league game time under their belt in their selected position.

Wexford are an unknown quantity this year. They got relegated, which is unusual under an incoming manager (who has a bit of pedigree, albeit at underage), and the dual players are concentrating on hurling this year. But they will have no fear of us after trouncing us in championship in Wexford Park in 2011 and they still have the likes of Ciarán Lyng, Ben Brosnan, Brian Malone, Shane Roche, Anthony Masterson and Adrian Flynn. We will miss Callum McCormack for this game no doubt but on the positive for Westmeath Kieran Gavin should be involved at some stage on Sunday and great news that Paul Greville is back involved on the panel. Overall optimistic about our chances but a lot will depend on what team takes to the pitch and more importantly the mentality of the group. We have to go back 7 years to 2008 to find two winning championship victories put back to back so all to do.

Iarmhí Abú.

Think it's pretty certain the team won't line out like that, but it's very hard to know how it will.  I expect Martin could start in the backs, with Sharry in the forwards.  Will almost certainly be two men inside (Heslin and Dempsey), with probably Foley in a free role.  Surprising to see Corroon go straight in to the team, but he was only in London and was still coming home for league games with Shamrocks, so he's had plenty of football.  Some good options from the bench too, with Gavin being the obvious one. I think they were right to resist the temptation to start him.

And yet they more or less did. Don't think Cribbin is one for dummy teams anyway. He was right about Corroon as well, I thought he had an excellent game and fully justified the faith shown in him. Westmeath fully deserved their victory and were probably deserved nine point victors overall but found themselves 2 points down with 10 mins to play before hitting the purplest of purple spots. The score taking in the final 10 minutes was something we haven't witnessed in Cusack Park in quite a while. That 10 minutes is the potential in this group, getting it for longer and on a more consistent basis is the challenge. The goal was the turning point of the match, extremely well worked and decisively put away. If we were as clinical with the 3 goal chances in the first half the game could have been nearly secured at half time.

Shane Dempsey showed his potential and was the star of the show in the first half. So much so that his man was called ashore after 20 mins. Kieran Martin was very good as well at the head of the triangle. Heslin was poor from play I thought and didn't get in to the game until they brought him out onto the 40 and he played some lovely balls inside to Dempsey. Daly, Connellan and Corroon were winning some lovely ball in the air in the middle although Ray was taking too much out of the ball at time. Ger Egan led from start to finish and is back to his workhorse self after a wobbly league. Half back line were solid enough and took some exquisite points in those final 10 minutes. Full back line weren't bad either and got forward when tey could. Maguire did a good job on Lyng and I thought we were done for when he got the black card and we were 2 points behind. Was shocked when Kieran Gavin wasn't his replacement but, again, to be fair to Cribbin, Jack Donoghue did a great job when he came on and must be in contention for starting the next day. Glennon also did well when he came on and scored 2 points, one from a very acute angle. Impact sub though had to be John Connellan, scored 2, assisted 4, showed really well and made every possession count. All of a sudden we have options.

The league is now only a distant memory and thoughts will turn to the aul enemy soon but need t savour this first. Not often we win a home championship game by 9 points. Summer is looking good.

It has to be said, Cribben got all his contentious calls correct. Martin moving to the forwards worked a treat. Corroon was very good, and the management really left themselves open to criticism if that didn't work out, especially with Corroon's uncle being a selector.  The subs made a huge impact too. Plenty of decisions to be made before Meath game. A nice problem to have. I expect a few changes again.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Absolutely. Connellan, Donoghue, Glennon, Gavin and Greville will be pushing hard for a starting spot.

[Lone Shark]

Absolutely. Connellan, Donoghue, Glennon, Gavin and Greville will be pushing hard for a starting spot.

Donoghue did well but I couldn't see him displacing any of the starters - though Killian Daly struggled a bit with O'Grady, admittedly in a lot of one on one situations in open country.

Glennon got two points when the game was already won - hardly the type of thing that would change your mind about him.

I'm intrigued as to how Greville would be pushing for a starting place - if he didn't even come off the bench at the end, how would he be likely to jump the queue into the first fifteen?

John Connellan certainly made a strong case for inclusion, and Kieran Gavin is an outstanding player so of course he'd have to come into contention if fit - that much I'd certainly agree with.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Absolutely. Connellan, Donoghue, Glennon, Gavin and Greville will be pushing hard for a starting spot.

Donoghue did well but I couldn't see him displacing any of the starters - though Killian Daly struggled a bit with O'Grady, admittedly in a lot of one on one situations in open country.

Glennon got two points when the game was already won - hardly the type of thing that would change your mind about him.

I'm intrigued as to how Greville would be pushing for a starting place - if he didn't even come off the bench at the end, how would he be likely to jump the queue into the first fifteen?

John Connellan certainly made a strong case for inclusion, and Kieran Gavin is an outstanding player so of course he'd have to come into contention if fit - that much I'd certainly agree with.

Killian Daly has been doing well in the corner all year so safe enough I reckon. Paddy Halloway is more a half back than a corner back and although did well there on Sunday Donoghue will push hard there I reckon.

Like it or lump it Glennon is a senior player and did well when he came on. I can't see him displacing either Heslin or Dempsey to be fair (unless you pull Heslin out to the 40 where he was more effective at the end) and you couldn't play him anywhere else but will be in Cribbin's thoughts no doubt.

Greville is one of the top forwards in the county and if Cribbin is willing to throw Corroon into the starting 15 only 3 weeks back with the county then surely Greville will be given every chance over the next week and a bit. Callum McCormack returning to fitness could hamper his chances here though.

[Lone Shark]

I've no feelings for or against Glennon so there's no liking or lumping, but I'm just saying that a couple of garbage time scores is hardly enough to displace either Dempsey or Heslin. If you gave me 4/1 about him starting now I wouldn't take it, put it that way.

Would take your point about Holloway all right - I like him as a player a lot, the standout player on ye're under-21s last year, but the corner is a bit restrictive for a lad who likes to be in the thick of things.

Greville hasn't proven himself in a county jersey yet at all and to parachute him in now might make some sense if ye were struggling and needed to try something different - not into a team that scored 1-21, albeit with nine points coming in the last ten minutes. Wouldn't back him at 10/1 to start, frankly.

[shark]

I've no feelings for or against Glennon so there's no liking or lumping, but I'm just saying that a couple of garbage time scores is hardly enough to displace either Dempsey or Heslin. If you gave me 4/1 about him starting now I wouldn't take it, put it that way.

Would take your point about Holloway all right - I like him as a player a lot, the standout player on ye're under-21s last year, but the corner is a bit restrictive for a lad who likes to be in the thick of things.

Greville hasn't proven himself in a county jersey yet at all and to parachute him in now might make some sense if ye were struggling and needed to try something different - not into a team that scored 1-21, albeit with nine points coming in the last ten minutes. Wouldn't back him at 10/1 to start, frankly.

I can't see Greville coming in to it. You can add Lorcan Smyth to the list of those pushing hard. I think both Holloway and K Daly are more comfortable in the half back line. But if there is any change in the full back line it'll be because Gavin is ready to rock. Don't hold out massive hope for McCormack, he's had problems with his hamstrings before.  Think the Meath team will be very different from the Wicklow game with injured players coming back, so there will be a lot of permutations for the management to consider. Hopefully they learned something from the league game and don't leave the full back line so exposed.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Garbage time or not the one Glennon put over from the 14 was quality, only bettered by Andy Moran's at the weekend (if he meant it). Although he did miss a similar one from the other side. I can't see him making the cut myself but like I said, will be in Cribbin's thoughts no doubt.

Greville did well in 2010 in a year in which we were all over the shop and is doing it consistently for Killucan. He is a good long range shooter, which outside of Heslin and McCormack is something we don't really have. A lot will depend on how training goes in the next two weeks but the fact he wasn't on the bench the last day probably counts against him.

Strongly agree shark that we need to protect the full back line.