Brendan Hackett

[Logan]

This is fun ...

I can't believe they are going on about this ...


What's the betting on the first GAA football manager to get the sack?


Ps. I wonder in the Hurling will McCarthy get it before Mike Mac?

[Maroon Heaven]

Some welcome news off the field of play by Westmeath County Board....

Westmeath County Board unveiled its Strategic Plan 2010-2015 on Wednesday night, February 3.

GAA President Christy Cooney was on hand at the Mullingar Park Hotel to launch the initiative, which will tackle the huge discrepancy between the numbers of underage GAA and soccer teams in large urban areas such as Athlone and Mullingar.

It has emerged that there are 22 underage soccer teams in Athlone, with just two juvenile gaelic football clubs and one club catering for underage hurling.

According to the report - part of a comprehensive strategy across a wide range of areas which the Westmeath County Board hopes to implement before 2015:

"Rather than being negative about the competition, should we not be copying their modus operandi and developing Gaelic teams based on large estates and districts to feed in at a higher level to the established clubs?

"Games can be arranged at U8, U10 and U12 level on greens within estates, while also using town facilities.

"Clubs themselves must decide if they can keep going by only being able to field on an irregular basis. Realistically, if you can only field 10 players at U12 level, how many do you expect to field at U16 and minor level?

"This is a difficulty and, no doubt controversial, issue but it is a topic that must be addressed in the lifetime of this plan."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/westmeath-board-to-tackle-athlone-numbers-game-2047356.html

[Billys Boots]

"Games can be arranged at U8, U10 and U12 level on greens within estates, while also using town facilities.

I wish him luck with that.

[shark]

GAA President Christy Cooney was on hand at the Mullingar Park Hotel to launch the initiative, which will tackle the huge discrepancy between the numbers of underage GAA and soccer teams in large urban areas such as Athlone and Mullingar.

I don't know why Mullingar is even mentioned in this report.  Only one soccer club and most young lads only play with them until 15/16 and then the football/hurling takes over completely.  Essentially 4 football clubs operating from the town when you consider The Downs and Shandonagh would pull from certain estates as well as the rural areas.

[Eoghan Mag]

There might be greater interest in the GAA in Athlone if the club had not engaged in a row that was ongoing for over 20 years and lead directly to the setting up of GarryCastle.

[heffo]

There might be greater interest in the GAA in Athlone if the club had not engaged in a row that was ongoing for over 20 years and lead directly to the setting up of GarryCastle.

Is all that money still resting in the original account?

Dessie Snr - gas man.

[Eoghan Mag]

I'm afraid to even ponder that question for fear of re-igniting the Athlone Civil War!

[heffo]

I'm afraid to even ponder that question for fear of re-igniting the Athlone Civil War!

A friend of mine is married to a girl from a well known family in Garrycastle. I was at a Garrycastle dinner dance a few years ago with him and he jokingly told a few people there that he was transferring from his home club to Athlone and he was nearly killed - cue twenty years of bitterness being told all over again!

[magickingdom]

that report makes for shocking reading, the gaa need to spend money in urban ireland. a town of 20k with 2 juvenile gaelic clubs that could be achieved in Belgium ffs. and anyone who tells me athlone is a soccer town is talking balls, the soccer team draw crowds in the hundreds

[Lone Shark]

Athlone is a soccer town in the sense that it's the main interest of people in the town, however that said, that report is slightly misleading too. It should not be forgotten that Clan na Gael of Roscommon take in all the Connacht side of the town, and while they traditionally didn't get too many players from in there, they are working on it and have playing pitches in the town with a view towards taking in the townie youngsters. That was the biggest problem for years - nobody really went after those on the Connacht side of the town.

Two clubs for the Westmeath side only is actually not that bad. Garrycastle are pretty good at looking after their end of things as well - it's really only the Athlone club itself that is falling short.

[shark]

Two clubs for the Westmeath side only is actually not that bad. Garrycastle are pretty good at looking after their end of things as well - it's really only the Athlone club itself that is falling short.

Garrycastle have an excellent senior team at the moment, based on 2 outstanding minor teams in 96 and 99.  But they are in a very poor state at underage.  It is not an unusual sight to see them failing to field or taking heavy beatings.

[Maroon Heaven]

And the shambles continues....

One of our best Forwards we have (on our panel that is) has not decided to walk...

Denis Glennon has walked folks - http://www.hoganstand.com/Westmeath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=124371

[Bord na Mona man]

Doesn't Glennon do this every so often?

[turk]

Doesn't Glennon do this every so often?

It's no indication that anything is wrong in the camp however the start to the league has not been encouraging for Westmeath. On current form it looks like they will struggle to stay in division 2. As to what Glennon's issues are it is not fully clear

[AZOffaly]

Doesn't Glennon do this every so often?

It's no indication that anything is wrong in the camp however the start to the league has not been encouraging for Westmeath. On current form it looks like they will struggle to stay in division 2. As to what Glennon's issues are it is not fully clear

there's the understatement of the year

Maybe Hackett wanted Glennon to try something different.  Like maybe not soloing around in circles for 15 minutes before losing the ball. Also maybe he asked him to get up off his knees afterwards, rather than staying down flapping his hands in exasperation like an auld wan who realises she's too late to do her weekly €2 Lotto quickpick.