Leinster final or bust. That was the message on the dressing-room wall for Westmeath footballers this season, according to star midfielder Ray Connellan.
The Lakemen came out just about on the right side of an extra-time thriller in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon when they outlasted Kildare in a provincial semi-final masterpiece.
Alex Beirne forced the extra innings with a late Kildare score in normal time but it was Brandon Kelly's goal that powered Westmeath into Leinster decider match-up with Dublin in a fortnight’s time.
The breathless nature game itself was typical of what we’ve come to expect from the new, improved modern game of Gaelic football – and Connellan, scorer of two points on the day, wouldn’t have it any other way.
"Everyone that comes up to you after games these days is saying that they're bloody having heart attacks," Connellan told RTÉ Sport.
"But look, we set this goal. We knew, the potential we probably had, and it has been something that has built over the last couple of years.
"And it was just about, building a game plan that suited us, and I think we've kind of found that in the last few weeks.
"Getting into a Leinster final... that was kind of pinned up on the wall starting the year. That's what our goal is. So, hook or by crook, you get there, it doesn't really matter. We're there."
After beating Meath in their quarter-final tie, Westmeath were dealt a crushing blow when one of their chief marksmen, Luke Loughlin, was ruled out for the remainder of 2026 due to a hamstring tear and tendon rupture.
His team-mates didn’t have time to feel sorry for themselves, however. Despite the massive loss, Connellan insisted they squad hardly missed a beat – they couldn’t afford to.
"Confidence that the people who come in can do the job," Connellan said. "As much as you're missing Luke – if we had Luke there, we'd potentially win that game in normal time.
"You still think you're going to win the game even without him, because the guys who are coming in, they know what they're supposed to do.
"They have the ability, they have skills, they have pros and cons – pros that maybe Luke doesn't have.
"They have all different attributes, so we can just swap them in and out, and I think we're just so well-drilled in what we need to do as a team.
"I know it's a cliché, but it is just that next man goes in. Next man does their job. And I think when you build that kind of culture, it can make disappointments like that and bad news like that just a little bit easier to manage."
Matty Whittaker also succumbed to injury just 15 minutes into the semi-final – but re-emerged in extra-time to help set up a crucial late score. As with Loughlin’s absence, the Lakesiders carried on regardless when the speedy wing-back was called ashore barely a quarter of the way into the game.
"Same with Matty Whittaker. Matty Whittaker's an all-star level footballer, one of the best footballers in the country. He drops out," Connellan remarked.
"It can be quite a seamless transition. We would prefer to have the two boys obviously, but you just play it as you have it."
" Matty is just a phenomenal athlete. I don't know what extent his injury is, but on one leg he can probably still burn most lads out there with pace.
"For those last five minutes, getting that legs, that pace coming in, just to break a line and get us out of a bit of trouble and kind of break out through their press.
"It's when everyone else is dead around him that it is worth its weight in gold. It was massive for him to come in and do a job, and that's the sacrifice you were looking for."
Kildare boss Brian Flanagan (above) admitted this was one that got away for his Lilywhites side.
They looked the team with more juice as the added 20 minutes began – but it didn’t fall their way in the end.
" Coming into this game, both teams probably felt there's an opportunity here and who could step up and take it, and you have to give credit to Westmeath. They deserved it. It's fine margins," Flanagan told RTÉ Sport.
"It was only one or two things here or there that were going to tilt the balance. They've come out the right side of that – we haven't. It does feel like an opportunity missed."
Lee Keegan feels Westmeath will pose 'different questions' for Dublin in the Leinster SFC final #rtegaa #sundaygame pic.twitter.com/4o98NujShR
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 3, 2026
