There are good reasons to be optimistic as a Westmeath football supporter.
Having taken over in the Westmeath hotseat in late 2022, Dessie Dolan has built on Jack Cooney's body of work that included the inaugural Tailteann Cup to continue to raise expectations.
Last year's league campaign however was nothing to write home about, a LWWLWLW record that never saw them seriously mount a promotion bid out of the third tier.
That inconsistency, coupled with the subsequent Leinster first-round defeat to Louth, meant suspicions that their guaranteed presence in the All-Ireland series courtesy of the Tailteann Cup had blunted their edge gained more traction.
Pitted in a group with Armagh, Galway and Tyrone, most outside the county had respectability, rather than genuine ambitions to progress, as the primary goal.
As it turned out, had John Heslin’s free deep into injury time against Tyrone in the final group outing snuck inside the upright, they would have advanced to the preliminary quarter-finals at the Red Hands expense.
Regardless, a draw, coupled with a one-point defeat to Armagh indicated that Dolan has a solid foundation with which to build upon.
Another boost arrived in October. The Leinster goals for those outside the capital is to avoid the Dubs, and Dolan's side would only encounter the All-Ireland champions in the final should they go on a provincial run.
A first-round outing with Wicklow – Oisin McConville’s side had to wait until round six for their first win and managed just three points from play against Westmeath last month – will hold little fear, with rudderless Kildare, whose drop to Division 3 was confirmed after a sixth successive defeat last night, awaiting in the last four.
It offers Westmeath a very realistic chance of again competing in the All-Ireland series regardless of promotion, but they have gone about their business in Division 3 like a side intent of leaving no room for error.
Today they welcome the only other side in Division 3 with a 100% record, knowing victory over Down would secure promotion before a trip to Markievicz Park next week.
The joint-leaders were highly fancied to emerge from Division 3, though Clare, who also sit on 10 points after yesterday’s win over Antrim and who face the Mourne men in their last game - can still spoil the party.
Today's contest in Mullingar is likely be a contrast of styles as it pits the highest-scoring side across the four divisions in Down against the second meanest defence - Armagh's measly concession of 52 points is one fewer than the Lake County - among the 32 teams after five rounds.
While swashbuckling Down have run up big numbers, Dolan’s men have been solid if not spectacular.
"This weekend will tell a lot with both sides," says former captain Ger Egan, who bowed out of inter-county football with Tailteann Cup silverware in Croke Park.
"Down are very attack-minded, while Westmeath are winning without setting the world alight.
"Even though they (Westmeath) are unbeaten, a loss would put the pressure back on them. You wouldn’t like to be going to Sligo on the final day needing to win."
Egan’s suspicion is that the Division 3 standard has slipped a little overall, yet a decade on from bowing out of Division 1, his former team-mates look well positioned to make a mark in 2024.
Dolan has made little secret that securing the services of some of the most experienced players at his disposal for another year has been crucial.
The rampaging Kieran Martin remains a firm favourite among the supporters and has made telling contributions off the bench. He plundered a goal against Antrim on his only start, while from four substitute appearances he has picked off five points.
Captain Kevin Maguire made his Westmeath debut back in 2009 and is a key component of a miserly defence, while James Dolan continues to shine whether from the start or off the bench.
Add Jamie Gonoud and Jack Smith to the mix and the manager, having spoken publicly of the need for the senior players to create a positive culture for the younger players to feed off, appears to have the right blend.
Overseas work commitments have enforced talisman John Heslin’s absence to date, but the team's talisman is expected to be back in the fold before the championship clash with the Garden County.
With a core group now in the latter stages of their careers, the obvious building block for Dolan is establishing a path forward with others taking up the slack. The signs so far are positive.
Charlie Drumm is enjoying an extended run in the number three jersey, while Andy McCormack has cemented his place at midfield.
Danny McCartan - pictured above - knocked over three points on his debut in the round-three clash with Wicklow, and has looked a handful in the subsequent two games, while Conor Dillon is getting more and more game time.
After a few years on the panel, Senan Baker is revelling with an extended run, while also taking on board free-taking responsibilities.
"Senan's a very talented player," says Egan. "He’s been in there a few years, but has got some consistent game time and the hard ground in the championship will suit him even better."
Getting the blend right is likely to dictate whether Westmeath push on or not.
"We have group of players that have been the core group over the last decade, but Dessie knows that, if it’s not far from the last hurrah for some of them. He needs to blend in the new lads.
"The more players that get up to that level, it’s great for Westmeath’s future."
Just three weeks out from taking on Wicklow in Portlaoise, aspirations of reaching a provincial decider are well founded.
Egan, the only Westmeath man to captain his county in two Leinster finals (2015 and 2016) believes the performances to date indicate the 2004 provincial champions are heading in the right direction without any fears of peaking too early.
"It’s about timing the run," he says. "The lads may not be playing to the best of their ability, but they are winning games. They could time is exactly right, as last year. There is huge reward there with the potential to reach a Leinster final.
"You are probably playing the juggernaut in Dublin, but I remember playing them and there is a great buzz around with county. It’s a huge prize at stake.
"Getting to a Leinster final this year could set them on their way for the next couple of years."
