Leinster under 21 championship

[mattockranger]

Well lads didn't get a chance to comment on the game till now....

Dublin's energy and work-rate in the first half was outstanding
the tackles going in and overall pressure put on Westmeath players especially by their forwards pinned them back into their own half
They could never maintain the intensity combined with the emergence of John Heslin in the game who i disagree coughlan was just antagonising him throughout the first half and Heslin kept getting involved Second half he got more clued into the game and every kickout going his direction.... he was outstanding an absolute superb fielder of the ball naturally the best I've seen....
in regards to him making it in Australia he may lack the athleticism seemed abit lazy in getting round the park...maybe at 17/18 its coming to easy to him...but watch this space!

My view on Dublin having seen them a couple of times that Nicky devereux is an outstanding prospect with the size and ability to do it  at a higher level Cian mullins to come back should shore up their midfield and give them some physicality in that area against roscommon really think James McCarthy is over-rated and don't see what the fuss is....
This dublin team is epitomised by J cooper not a great footballer but tremendously determined and does the right thing at the right time and can handle the pressure especially in tight games.

that combined with the dublins experience will stand them to good stead and could see them win the competition

[Croí na hÉireann]

A game left behind by Westmeath, gutted for the lads, that team was well capable of going all the way.

Dublin had their homework done on us. They knew our backline was weak and sent early ball into the corners. Barry O'Rourke was doing some damage on us early on. Coughlan was sent out with only one job in mind, to curb Heslin. He was niggling at him the whole time and as soon as the ref looked in their direction he had the hands out protesting his innocence, cute as a fox. Linesman must have had a great kip in the first half. Then to top it off the ref books Heslin for a nothing challenge, which was one of a series of ridiculous decisions he gave against us in the first half, two of which lead directly to points. Good thing for him it wasn't Portlaoise he gave them decisions against...

Second half we really upped our game. Heslin pulled some amount of balls out of the sky and we really took the game to Dublin. Smyth made some difference when he came in, should have been on earlier. There were other decisions that didn't help us either. We should have dragged out the blood sub when Durkan went off, McDaniels made an instant impact and should have been given a few more minutes as well as giving Durkan a rest. Do what Dublin did onto us with Shane Ryan in 08, not good enough from the sideline. Also (and this is a chestnut of mine) Lynam should be playing in the corner from the start. Durkan has never put up enough scores to justify starting in there and all Lynams scores came from the no. 15 position.

All that being said, the loosing of the game came when we got to within one and couldn't find the equaliser. Durkan going for goal when coming in on the endline, Dolan shooting under massive pressure, MaDaniels shooting from out beside the corner, silly decisions that come from lads out on their feet. 6 points to make up at half time is a massive ask and with the effort required to pull it back you're always likely to get caught by a sucker punch. The goal killed us and it was all too easy then for the Dubs to pick off another couple of points.

Best for Westmeath were Heslin, McCormack (who did really well on who I think is the full back the Dublin senior team have been looking for), Lynam, Egan and Sharry. Would like to see the last three in action for the seniors on Sun, must win if we're to do anything this summer...