The Sam Maguire

**bennocelt** · 11/05/2008, 8:39 AM

Thing is starting today, ao might as well get the ball rolling

W meath V Longford
Westmeath should win this game easy enough, even if its in Longford. They have a newish team and are at last trying to play in a more attacking style than the usual hand passing rubbish they have been doing for years. Which is funny since they are playing the master of the hand pass back to the goalie tactic - Luke Dempsey. Good manager but his teams are so easy to read and obvious styler of (boring) football

Leitrim V New York
Wouldnt it be great if NY could win. they came close the last time they played Leitrim, but doubtful

Maybe Derry could do it this year?
Wexford for Leinster?

**sullanefc** · 11/05/2008, 8:42 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

(boring) football

I agree with this.

**Rovers fan** · 11/05/2008, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Maybe Derry could do it this year?
Wexford for Leinster?

no to both. Westmeath will win leinster,galway will winn connacht and kerry will probably lift sam in the end

**Maz** · 11/05/2008, 1:13 PM

I'm hoping to God we give Westmeath a good game of it in Pearse Park, great day for a game, massive crowd expected. Anything can happen!

**beautifulrock** · 11/05/2008, 2:04 PM

Originally Posted by sullanefc

I agree with this.

Go to another thread then and dont waste yours or anyone else time here

**Maz** · 11/05/2008, 5:38 PM

Originally Posted by Maz

I'm hoping to God we give Westmeath a good game of it in Pearse Park, great day for a game, massive crowd expected. Anything can happen!

Well we didnt do it, or deserve anything from the game. Terrible marking, and jesus the passing but Good atmosphere in Pearse Park though, great weather. Few bevvies now and the championship has begun!

**theworm2345** · 11/05/2008, 8:58 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Leitrim V New York
Wouldnt it be great if NY could win. they came close the last time they played Leitrim, but doubtful

Correct me if I'm wrong but last time they couldn't have afforded to keep playing

By the way, was Chicago in this tournament?

**Poor Student** · 11/05/2008, 9:01 PM

I'll be interested to see how Mayo do this season. MacDonald seems to be gone which has its positives and negatives. He slowed play down and drifted deep but he was an excellent player. Perhaps the other individuals will raise their game without him? Also there won't be the nonsense of the manager being in the middle of an election campaign this time.

**geysir** · 11/05/2008, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Maz

I'm hoping to God we give Westmeath a good game of it in Pearse Park, great day for a game, massive crowd expected. Anything can happen!

Poor enough game.
Still, it was a lot better than the EPL shype on Sky.
There looked to be a very good crowd (there is a parallel universe).
Unfortunately for Longford their goalkeeper had a dreadful performance and it's rare that I would ever ascribe that to an amateur. For the next 10 years he will be screaming out in his sleep, if not, he should be.
Also unfortunate for Longford, that the 2 goals were gifted to Westmeath.
The first due the goalkeeper doing his level best to get out of the way of the second worst penalty in GAA history.
The second goal happened when the ref fell into a temporary state of unconciousness while counting the steps made by the Westmeath forward , was it 10 or 12? before an audacious throw up in air, then neatly striking the ball under the goalkeeper who had helpfully jumped up to allow plenty of space. So after violating the 2 most basic rules in the GAA rule book with embarrassing ease, an impossible goal was scored from an impossible angle.
Longford came back with some good scores and got close enough at the end but
it's no use looking for some points in injury time against a cynical Westmeath, they will roll around the floor in mock agony at the merest touch.

**sullanefc** · 12/05/2008, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by beautifulrock

Go to another thread then and dont waste yours or anyone else time here

Meeow!! Saucer of milk for that man!!

**Maz** · 12/05/2008, 7:38 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Poor enough game.
Still, it was a lot better than the EPL shype on Sky.
There looked to be a very good crowd (there is a parallel universe).
Unfortunately for Longford their goalkeeper had a dreadful performance and it's rare that I would ever ascribe that to an amateur. For the next 10 years he will be screaming out in his sleep, if not, he should be.
Also unfortunate for Longford, that the 2 goals were gifted to Westmeath.
The first due the goalkeeper doing his level best to get out of the way of the second worst penalty in GAA history.
The second goal happened when the ref fell into a temporary state of unconciousness while counting the steps made by the Westmeath forward , was it 10 or 12? before an audacious throw up in air, then neatly striking the ball under the goalkeeper who had helpfully jumped up to allow plenty of space. So after violating the 2 most basic rules in the GAA rule book with embarrassing ease, an impossible goal was scored from an impossible angle.
Longford came back with some good scores and got close enough at the end but
it's no use looking for some points in injury time against a cynical Westmeath, they will roll around the floor in mock agony at the merest touch.

Yeah Dennis Glennon it was, he took 10 steps before the 2nd goal. They scored some magnificent points yesterday, they made it look easy. Our boys tried to walk each ball into the square instead of taking their points. In the last 5 mins Peter Foy (25) was hanging inside on his own and no one looked up and gave it to him, one ballooned wide and the other went over the bar. I'd rather them to go wide than in to the keepers hands which happened quite alot yesterday. what is it 10 weeks now til the qualifiers....god only knows what will happen between then and now.

**geysir** · 12/05/2008, 11:25 AM

Next up for Westmeath is another toughish away game against Offaly.
You could have a Westmeath Dublin semi final. As it stands now Dublin would have to be firing on all their football cylinders to get past Westmeath.

Now that it has been scientifically proved that ice baths do not make better footballers,
the Dubs are back to the drawing board

**superfrank** · 12/05/2008, 11:33 AM

As long as the Dubs don't win Leinster again, I'll be happy.

We still haven't come on far enough to challenge for Leinster yet. I just hope we can get through the first rund this year.

In the grand scheme, I'm going for Kerry again (good thing my dad's a Kerryman

). It's still very early but I haven't seen any other team that can rival them or even contain them.

**Kingdom** · 13/05/2008, 8:03 AM

Nice to see this thread back.
A relatively poor start to the championship, but good to see the games being played in the provincial grounds rather than being lost in Croker. This should be the case for all games in a province up to the final.
Kavanagh is supposedly lost to New York now, as the wait for Longford's next match is so long, which is a shame as he's a fine footballer, and would give Longford the edge over a lot of the counties of their standing. Also the Longford keeper was brutal.

Hoping for the 3 in-a-row this year, but I'd be worried about Munster, as O'S� in his column 'its time for the cork players to shyte or get off the pot'.
Challengers? Tyrone, pure and simple. McGuigan is massive for them. A couple of tough Ulster championship games to ease them back in and then they can hit the ground running.
Can't say much about other counties, but I'm fairly happy with the Kerry squad. Solid backs and very good competition in the forwards, hopefully a winning combination.

**Hibernian** · 13/05/2008, 1:09 PM

I think Carlow will win the double this year!!!!!

**deecay** · 13/05/2008, 3:47 PM

Great time of year for the straw hat and dungarees manufacturers

**bennocelt** · 13/05/2008, 6:40 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

it's no use looking for some points in injury time against a cynical Westmeath, they will roll around the floor in mock agony at the merest touch.

well only one player really. Glennon. Most people in westmeath know he is a bit of a fool (i mean he is a cop FFs), but he will get a few nice scores
Flanagan is the main man of the team, and is a joy to watch

**Rocky77** · 14/05/2008, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Luke Dempsey. Good manager

Ah now here...

**Maz** · 14/05/2008, 1:57 PM

Originally Posted by Rocky77

Ah now here...

While I think there are better than Luke, take time to have a look with what any manager that comes in here has to work with...

**Kingdom** · 14/05/2008, 2:35 PM

Luke dempsey is a decent manager as far as I'm concerned. I feel sorry for him as he's widely expected to lose his best player to the $$$$ in NY, as their next game isn't till mid June if I'm right. As Maz says he doesn't have that much to work with

Off topic - The expectations of some counties are poor enough, some counties have completely unjustified expectations. Gaelic is odd as success is measured in different ways, success to waterford would be to make the provincial semi and maybe win a qualifier game