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This evening in Mullingar will be very interesting.  The bandwagon is fully stocked and 'mad for road'.

Westmeath enter very unfamiliar territory - Leinster champions attempting to progress towards the latter part of the All Ireland championship.  Our sole attempt previously ended in a disappointing affair against Derry.  Once again it's an Ulster team blocking our path.  We're slight favourites with the bookies and the fans are anticipating a big performance.

I'm intrigued to see the players' mindset and how McHugh manages to get them back on track.  The team played with unrelenting hunger in the Leinster campaign.  The holy grail for Westmeath football over the last 20 years has been to repeat the feat of 2004.  These lads achieved this, and probably ahead of any schedule that may have been outlined.  They have reached the summit.  The euphoria that enveloped the county for the last two weeks confirms this. 

Now McHugh effectively starts again.  Everything has changed.  The energy is different.  The psychology has shifted, whether they realise or accept it.  The question is whether that can summon the same levels of endeavour so quickly again.  Subconsciously, are they fatigued, or is the hunger blunted?

The experience of Kerry and Roscommon doesn't inspire us. Roscommon are probably the better comparison as they too had an outpouring of emotion.  They didn't reach their previous level with any consistency last week.  Donegal and Tyrone spent weeks waiting and preparing.  Cavan will have done the same.  We're seeking to buck the trend.

The team is similar to the Dublin game.  McHugh trying to replicate the occasion.  Senan Baker can count himself unlucky not to start.  Heslin's role will be interesting.  Will he arrive earlier this time, or at all?
Danny Scahill appears to have recovered which is a boost.  The condition of Matthew Whitaker's ankle is anybody's guess.  If he can keep going for most of the game, he'll be really important.  The comforting fact is that the bench looks strong.

I expect the crowd will be predominantly local and the atmosphere should be electric.  That could be important as Cavan will ask real questions.  They will have their moments and deep down they will not fear Westmeath.  McCabe will have his homework done.  I'd have preferred another week to get them into the right frame of mind.

I'm hoping that they will burst out and put in a big performance in front of the home crowd.  They are in bonus territory now and hopefully that will help.  Their legacy is secure, despite how fanciful that sounds.  They now need to push on and extend the adventure into another chapter.

That's the task facing Mark McHugh.  Wonderful times for Westmeath supporters.  The anticipation is palpable.

Best of luck and enjoy it (unless ye meet Armagh down the line)

Armagh team named, same as Ulster final except Gareth Murphy in for Paddy Burns presumably to do a man marking job on McGuigan. Decent looking bench with O'Neill, McQuillan and Grugan. Hoping the rain is cleared up by throw in and it should be a cracker.

Looks like we're in for another drenching. I'm not sure if that gives either team an edge.

Armagh wans while worried about the weather for this game.

PTSD from Clones. Only just dried out during the week there!

Armagh team named, same as Ulster final except Gareth Murphy in for Paddy Burns presumably to do a man marking job on McGuigan. Decent looking bench with O'Neill, McQuillan and Grugan. Hoping the rain is cleared up by throw in and it should be a cracker.

Is ross mcquillan injured and just returning to fitness or just not made the starting team ? I thought he had nailed down a starting position in that armagh half back line

Had a slight knock before Down and was rested as a precaution, possibly being eased back, partly very hard to justify dropping anyone for him and his pace late on is an unbelievable weapon to have, the lad also had a close personal bereavement I think the day of the Ulster final.

Would personally be starting him somewhere, probably my player of the year up until injury for us along with Burns and McCabe. 

He's a video up there about how great of a fella he is...

[But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.]

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

.

This format is effectively the final nail in  the provincials coffin

Hmmmmm....
C120k attended the 4 Finals.
Lid not closed yet....

3 of the 4 games were tight hard fought games with winners where it meant the world to the team and supporters, if Cork weren't so flaky it would have been 4 brilliant games. Not to mention dramatic games/upsets e.g Down vs Donegal, Derry vs Monaghan, Meath vs Westmeath, Armagh vs Tyrone.

 Life in the provincials yet.

Those things would be under serious scrutiny you'd have imagined. A mate had convinced himself that there was loads of the same people winning

The home online bingo's will be next

There was one being run out of Armagh I recall they messed up the draw and v obviously had it fixed.

Prey on dummies like the bookies

Was it one of the agricultural ones a few years ago, some laugh

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

And for the 4 years previous Galway won Connacht and got royally screwed in the next round with the toughest option available. Including the farcical situation last year whereby they knew going into the final with Mayo that winning would put them into the group of death. Maybe there's a hex over the winners of connacht? Albiet Roscommon didnt get the worst draw available to them this year. Perhaps the third worst

The draw being done in advance is at the request of county boards for planning purposes, thats been mentioned on a few podcasts. I wouldn't agree with it but we can hardly complain when its the participants rather than the GAA that are requesting it

I'd agree that the provincial finalist loser in this format probably seems unfairly rewarded in comparison to everyone else. The fix would be to go back to last years seeding arrangement, which was to seed: winner - 1, runner up - 2, top 4 non finalist from league - 3, rest - 4. Then play 1 v 4 and 2 v 3. Perhaps they thought that having 1 v 4 seeds would lead to very one sided matches, as it would've led to Cavan playing Kerry in Killarney or the likes

Was just coming to reply something similar, wouldn't begrudge Galway a handy draw this year given they've ended up in the group of death the previous 3. (Most fecking likely we' draw them if we beat Derry)

Groups of death?

Firstly 3 teams got out of each group which should be more than manageable for any established Division 1 team.

Last year Galway had Derry who didn't win a league or championship game all year and played Armagh in round 3 when it was a dead rubber game for Armagh.

2024,23  Westmeath was in Galways group who was always going to finish 4th.

Look at the groups the other provincial winners got for the previous 3 seasons. Start with Kerry 

"Awck sure westmeath were always finishing last there". Yep cos the other teams in the group were always strong. The Connacht winners (1 seed) got the Ulster runnersup (2 seed) every year. Which always ended up being Armagh and Galway. Other illustrious no.2 seeds options were Clare, Sligo, Louth. 4th seed options along with Westmeath were the likes of Cavan and Kildare

All of those teams bar Sligo actually got out of their groups at different points. Poor westmeath got punished because they did indeed draw into the group of death twice

Yeah don't think Galway could have got a tougher group in any of those years.

Hope to feck we don't draw Galway for another few years anyway!

A well known facebook competitions page is currently being raided by the PSNI and all assets being seized! Looks like they are searching the surrounding fields as well.
Always wondered how these crowds made money from giving away a car every week.

Which one? One I know of heavily rumoured to be at stuff he shouldn't be lol

If seeding was in this year
1 - Kerry, Ros, Westmeath, Armagh
2- Cork, Galway, Dublin,Monaghan
3- Donegal, Mayowestros, Meath,Derry?.
4 Tyrone?, Louth, Cavan, Kildare.

Feckit we'd still have got Tyrone🫤

Fair difference there for provincial winners vs losers for potential opponents

As opposed to 2 weeks.
But there is no perk for winning the Provincial Final in the current system.
Galway bet Leitrim, lost CF but are in the same pot as Ros who bet Galway (and Mayowestros)or Armagh who had to win 3 games to get to UF.
Then Galway get a home game v the weakest team of the 16!!

This system was voted in while Dublin were on a run of 23 out of 24 Leinsters and Kerry on a run of 14 out of 15 Munsters so maybe that worked against any special perks for Provincial winners?

And for the 4 years previous Galway won Connacht and got royally screwed in the next round with the toughest option available. Including the farcical situation last year whereby they knew going into the final with Mayo that winning would put them into the group of death. Maybe there's a hex over the winners of connacht? Albiet Roscommon didnt get the worst draw available to them this year. Perhaps the third worst

The draw being done in advance is at the request of county boards for planning purposes, thats been mentioned on a few podcasts. I wouldn't agree with it but we can hardly complain when its the participants rather than the GAA that are requesting it

I'd agree that the provincial finalist loser in this format probably seems unfairly rewarded in comparison to everyone else. The fix would be to go back to last years seeding arrangement, which was to seed: winner - 1, runner up - 2, top 4 non finalist from league - 3, rest - 4. Then play 1 v 4 and 2 v 3. Perhaps they thought that having 1 v 4 seeds would lead to very one sided matches, as it would've led to Cavan playing Kerry in Killarney or the likes

Was just coming to reply something similar, wouldn't begrudge Galway a handy draw this year given they've ended up in the group of death the previous 3. (Most fecking likely we' draw them if we beat Derry)

I see "cash-strapped" Barcelona are forking out 70m for Anthony Gordon. Forgive me as I didn't watch any of Barcelona last season but surely Gordon plays in the same position as Rashford (or did I hear they played Rashford on the right?

Contesting paying 26m for Rashford but happy to pay 70m for Gordon (in my view an inferior player).

What am I missing?

Is this the same Rashford on extortionate wages who the vast majority of United fans can't wait to see the back of?

Yep. Rashford probably a better footballer but in terms of attitude and workrate I know who I'd rather have and it's not even close.

I think the draw is crucial for Kerry. I get the sense they'll be vulnerable in the next round but probably ok after that. The loser of Armagh/Derry is definitely the one to avoid for them.

Even at that, a trip to Clones, Croker, the Hyde or even Castlebar doesn't sound too appealing in a do or die game. Depends on how far away men are

at least dont do the draws until after the provincial finals have been played?

I'd say that will definitely be looked at for next year.

But what real difference would that make??

It absolutely would have helped Tyrone massively having those 3 weeks or whatever it was since the draw to focus solely on Roscommon

Barca paying big bucks for Anthony Gordon while crying about the 30m it would take to buy Rashford.