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Westmeath Hurling thread

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Why do our older hurlers need a big name manager?"
Why do you think? 3 or 4 didn't come back this year, was that down to an underwhelming appointment? I'm only asking the question.

stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 617 - 14/06/2025 19:41:15    2617444

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Players surely play for the county? Who didn't come back? Aonghus had been lukewarm about inter county in recent years.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2207 - 14/06/2025 20:43:12    2617476

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Players surely play for the county? Who didn't come back? Aonghus had been lukewarm about inter county in recent years."
Cormac Boyle, Shane McGovern, Kevin Regan was travelling until end of February.
Who in your opinion, or what type of a manager should we appoint to get the best out of what we have? Or do you just respond to other people's posts & comments? Any ideas out of your own mind, you're surely running for a job at County convention, seeing as you know it all...

stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 617 - 14/06/2025 22:03:35    2617521

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Cormac Boyle announced his retirement last year, Kevin Regan went travelling for a few months, nothing to do with new manager.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2207 - 14/06/2025 22:27:30    2617539

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Cormac Boyle announced his retirement last year, Kevin Regan went travelling for a few months, nothing to do with new manager."
Maybe not but do you think new manager deserved no questioning ffs acting like big nation can't question the leader. He clearly didn't get westmeath going until too late just didn't say .

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 731 - 14/06/2025 22:29:17    2617541

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Replying To stonemadbeany:  "Cormac Boyle, Shane McGovern, Kevin Regan was travelling until end of February.
Who in your opinion, or what type of a manager should we appoint to get the best out of what we have? Or do you just respond to other people's posts & comments? Any ideas out of your own mind, you're surely running for a job at County convention, seeing as you know it all..."
Seemingly can't question anything or you sre naysayers or hate county board .

Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 731 - 14/06/2025 22:30:03    2617542

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Replying To stonemadbeany:  "Cormac Boyle, Shane McGovern, Kevin Regan was travelling until end of February.
Who in your opinion, or what type of a manager should we appoint to get the best out of what we have? Or do you just respond to other people's posts & comments? Any ideas out of your own mind, you're surely running for a job at County convention, seeing as you know it all..."
I find the constant questioning of managers a bit tiresome, it's very rare that we question our players, especially our hurlers, the hurlers were nowhere fit enough this year and that's a regular occurrence with our senior hurlers. It's never an issue with the footballers, Bulfin obviously was a wrong appt but it's not entirely on him, why are we not fit enough? That's more of a personal responsibility re gym work, nutrition etc. Kevin Regan was four months travelling in Australia and when he came back looked one of our fittest players. As regards a new manager I'd be looking to give him minimum three years with the aim of reaching a McDonagh final in year three with a revamped panel of players. There are doubts about Johnny Kelly being kept in Offaly, he's worth a shout, has done well there, Jeffrey Lynskey managed Galway to three or four All Ireland minors, another man worth asking, Brendan Bugler from Clare has good experience playing and coaching at school level. If Castletown win another championship then Alan Mangan deserves to be interviewed but it's doubtful they'll wait until October to appoint a new manager.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2207 - 15/06/2025 00:02:36    2617583

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Why do our older hurlers need a big name manager?"
Because it is a serious time commitment and as you get older there is more going on. Your time becomes more valuable so are ye going to do anything for the year is relevant

Dote (Westmeath) - Posts: 227 - 15/06/2025 02:12:46    2617592

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Why do our older hurlers need a big name manager?"
They don't. They need a manager willing to commit long term and develop our players under 25 and bring them to a level inter county demands. A big name, money drain like Davy is only going to push us further down and set us back years.
Right now we greatly lack in S&C. We have fantastically skillful young hurlers like Cunneen, O'Reilly, Williams, Hickey but they will be blown away physically by top counties.

Get the basics right and build from there. I would prefer to see an internal appointment. Someone who is passionate about Westmeath hurling and not just here to add to the resume. Someone who'll be at club games scouting talent.

Brian Dowling has done fantastic work for Kildare but no one would have picked him out before this years success. Hindsight and all.

Bottom line is this is a rebuilding job.

dakid (Australia) - Posts: 316 - 15/06/2025 15:24:45    2617731

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Genuine question, who or what type do we go for? Greville staying with Meath I'd imagine. Who internally for the rebuild, who externally?

stonemadbeany (USA) - Posts: 617 - 15/06/2025 21:04:45    2617892

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I don't think it matters who we get in place unfortunately. We've no S&C coach in place for our minor-senior Squads. We've no gym for our players, no pitches , no base. We are a small county with very little going in our favour. Until that's rectified we will fall behind Laois, Offaly , Kildare.

The seniors have been fit over the years. I'd disagree strongly with that comment, but they were less fit than club teams this year.

The county has no structure, no plan and the players can't cover those cracks anymore.

We need a revamp like Offaly because there is plenty of good hurlers in Westmeath.

Gaawestmeath (Westmeath) - Posts: 102 - 15/06/2025 22:36:39    2617946

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Replying To stonemadbeany:  "Genuine question, who or what type do we go for? Greville staying with Meath I'd imagine. Who internally for the rebuild, who externally?"
Same question here. It will be tough to attract a top outside manager given we're at a somewhat lower level than previous campaigns.

Internally if the two main names are not going forward, are there any others besides Buddha that could step in?

gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 183 - 16/06/2025 07:54:41    2618026

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Replying To stonemadbeany:  "Genuine question, who or what type do we go for? Greville staying with Meath I'd imagine. Who internally for the rebuild, who externally?"
Internally I'd say O'Brien, Greville or Mangan.

Externally maybe Johnny Kelly if he becomes free, Darren Gleeson really got the best out of Antrim when manager. Pat Hoban has a great record with Ballyhale and Kilkenny teams.

We have to wait and see who puts their hand up also.

dakid (Australia) - Posts: 316 - 16/06/2025 08:54:49    2618037

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Replying To dakid:  "Internally I'd say O'Brien, Greville or Mangan.

Externally maybe Johnny Kelly if he becomes free, Darren Gleeson really got the best out of Antrim when manager. Pat Hoban has a great record with Ballyhale and Kilkenny teams.

We have to wait and see who puts their hand up also."
Darren Gleeson is Ill at the minute. Think Offaly will stick with Kelly another year. I'd say this job is Mangan's if he wants it

Bluelake (Westmeath) - Posts: 272 - 16/06/2025 09:18:07    2618055

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Replying To Bluelake:  "Darren Gleeson is Ill at the minute. Think Offaly will stick with Kelly another year. I'd say this job is Mangan's if he wants it"
If you look at Castletown over the last couple of years they have been very fit and physical, you could see that in the games against Thomastown and KK. Fitness and physicality is poor with the county team, Mangan could help drive improvement in that area alone. We have plenty of good stickmen but in this day and age it doesn't cut it if your not up to the pace of the game. Look at Kildare, they were the fittest team in the Joe Mcdonagh by far. It makes a huge difference.
I'd say whoever comes in has to use the winter months to just completely focus on that area as we do have the hurlers. I believe Bulfin predominantly worked on ball work which led to our downfall as there's no point being good on the ball if you cant get to it first.
Hopefully the county board make the right appointment this time around.

Dheen (Westmeath) - Posts: 1042 - 16/06/2025 11:03:12    2618137

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Replying To Dheen:  "If you look at Castletown over the last couple of years they have been very fit and physical, you could see that in the games against Thomastown and KK. Fitness and physicality is poor with the county team, Mangan could help drive improvement in that area alone. We have plenty of good stickmen but in this day and age it doesn't cut it if your not up to the pace of the game. Look at Kildare, they were the fittest team in the Joe Mcdonagh by far. It makes a huge difference.
I'd say whoever comes in has to use the winter months to just completely focus on that area as we do have the hurlers. I believe Bulfin predominantly worked on ball work which led to our downfall as there's no point being good on the ball if you cant get to it first.
Hopefully the county board make the right appointment this time around."
There will and always should be a focus on "ball work". However, a minimum standard of fitness is required at intercounty, or you get blown away. That's a very high standard tbf. As we all know, it's something we can control as opposed to finding more players from a very small pool.

It's not about doing laps and hill sprints or running-based skill work. S&C is such a multi faceted approach. It's quite advanced these days, even in clubs. Individuals have different goals from the collective. Completely dependent on age, load, injury profile, weight, body fat, position, strength, speed etc. Load management and recovery are critical to getting the best results while avoiding injury/fatigue..

I can't point fingers at players or coaches on this topic as I don't have knowledge of the setup. However, it seems to be a recurring theme over the years rather than a single campaign. We have some very well conditioned athletes, no doubt, just not enough of them. The big ball brigade doesn't seem to have the same issue but they have a much bigger pool to begin with.

gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 183 - 16/06/2025 16:14:36    2618406

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Replying To gedupoutofit:  "There will and always should be a focus on "ball work". However, a minimum standard of fitness is required at intercounty, or you get blown away. That's a very high standard tbf. As we all know, it's something we can control as opposed to finding more players from a very small pool.

It's not about doing laps and hill sprints or running-based skill work. S&C is such a multi faceted approach. It's quite advanced these days, even in clubs. Individuals have different goals from the collective. Completely dependent on age, load, injury profile, weight, body fat, position, strength, speed etc. Load management and recovery are critical to getting the best results while avoiding injury/fatigue..

I can't point fingers at players or coaches on this topic as I don't have knowledge of the setup. However, it seems to be a recurring theme over the years rather than a single campaign. We have some very well conditioned athletes, no doubt, just not enough of them. The big ball brigade doesn't seem to have the same issue but they have a much bigger pool to begin with."
The big ball brigade might be physically fit but their mental side needs as much work as the hurlers physical side.Ok S&C are hugely important but we have super skilled players who aren't even reasonably fit.This has to be cut out even if it means losing those individuals.The new manager needs to take that ok n first thing.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1733 - 16/06/2025 22:02:17    2618517

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Replying To jobber:  "The big ball brigade might be physically fit but their mental side needs as much work as the hurlers physical side.Ok S&C are hugely important but we have super skilled players who aren't even reasonably fit.This has to be cut out even if it means losing those individuals.The new manager needs to take that ok n first thing."
Couldn't agree more. The mental side of the game is often overlooked entirely. You won't significantly change S&C results or culture towards S&C over one campaign, but there may well be some low-hanging fruit as you suggest. It has to be a top priority for the incoming manager.

My only hope is that we don't rush or delay the appointment. By all means, go through the process properly and carefully, but the board needs to appoint someone early to give them a chance. The sooner the process starts, the better.

Maybe S&C needs to be brought up a level from the manager as a strategic appointment attached to GDA. It could be a bit too lofty of an idea for the moment.

In the last strategic plan, there is a reference to a high-performance committee being established to review and make recommendations for senior county teams. Safe to assume S&C falls into this category. I can't find any other references to it online besides the plan. Perhaps they sat and made recommendations at some point. Perhaps there is some committee in the background that's just not publicly mentioned. Anyone know about it?

gedupoutofit (Westmeath) - Posts: 183 - 17/06/2025 11:47:05    2618657

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All 15 hurling clubs invited to meeting next week to discuss senior hurling manager's job and hurling in the county. Important that club delegates have their members views

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2207 - 20/06/2025 23:41:05    2619550

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