By Rory Houston
A prize of a Croke Park clash with Dublin awaits the winner of Westmeath and Louth as the first round of the Leinster Football Championship gets underway on Sunday.
The Wee County have won the last four meetings between the sides and go into this game as favourites, having finished the league in style against Meath after a disastrous Championship last year.
Peter Fitzpatrick’s men never got going after defeats to Carlow and Meath so this game has been a long time coming.
Westmeath had a difficult beginning to the year with some pressure on Pat Flanagan but they finished with a flourish and also avoided the drop, despite the absence of Dessie Dolan.
The versatile Dolan has opted to take a break from football but has left the door open to returning later in the summer.
Brian Donnelly and Brian White have departed the Louth panel after moving to America while Dessie Finnegan and Shane Lennon are also missing for the visit of Flanagan’s side. Paddy Keenan will likely star in the midfield along with the free-scoring Darren Clarke.
Half-back Dessie Byrne has admitted the prospect of a match-up with the Dubs adds to the occasion in Páirc Tailteann.
He told the Dundalk Democrat: “I suppose it’s everyone dream to play in front of 50 or 60,000 in Croke Park, especially against the likes of the Dubs.
“But as I said, we’re not looking past Westmeath, it’s a massive challenge for ourselves and there’s not much between the two teams. It’s winner takes all next Sunday.”
The Lake County were afforded a hammering by Meath in a recent challenge match even though they were without the likes of Kieran Gavin, Paul Sharry, Denis Glennon, John Heslin and Paul Bannon.
It will be close but there is still experience in the Westmeath side despite the loss and Dolan and that could be telling factor.
The Glennon brothers, if Denis is fit, Gary Connaughton and the return of young star Heslin who arrived back in the middle of the league season is where Westmeath will excel. They are young but ready to end that run of defeats to the Wee County and the first minor shock of the Championship will come on Sunday evening.
Verdict: Westmeath
