Westmeath vs Louth - previous championship meetings

Gerry Buckley gives the rundown on how Westmeath have progressed against their next opponents in Championship fare over the yearsNext Sunday is the 15th senior football championship meeting of Westmeath and Louth, the fourth at GAA headquarters and only the second in the Leinster semi-final. To date, the Wee County have won ten and the Lake County have been victorious on four occasions. The results to date are as follows:1902 (Jones's Road): Louth 2-10, Westmeath 0-2.1920 (Navan): Westmeath 0-6, Louth 0-3.1921 (Drogheda): Louth 4-4, Westmeath 0-1.1933 (Navan): Louth 4-7, Westmeath 1-6.1938 (Navan): Louth 2-4, Westmeath 0-3.1953 (Navan): Louth 2-11, Westmeath 0-5.1958 (Navan): Louth 2-9, Westmeath 3-4.1960 (Navan): Louth 1-8, Westmeath 1-1.1965 (Navan): Westmeath 2-11, Louth 0-9.1969 (Croke Park): Westmeath 1-7, Louth 1-6.1977 (Navan): Louth 2-9, Westmeath 0-12.1983 (Croke Park): Louth 2-11, Westmeath 2-5.1994 (Athlone): Louth 0-13, Westmeath 1-9.2001 (Navan): Westmeath 1-13, Louth 0-13.The last eight clashes betweenthe counties195811 May 1958, Navan:Louth 2-9, Westmeath 3-4.Westmeath faced a daunting task in the Leinster Championship first round in 1958, with Louth defending their provincial and All-Ireland titles. As it transpired, the underdogs performed very creditably, going down by just two points in a game that marked the debut of minor star Mick Carley, still regarded by many as the finest player ever to don the maroon and white jersey. Dublin went on to succeed Louth as Leinster and All-Ireland champions.Westmeath: S. Quinn, B. Kavanagh, M. Carley, M. Conlon, F. Colclough, P. Cooney, T. J. Finneran, B. Moran, B. Rabbitte, C. McGrath, T. Monaghan (0-2), J. Dunne (1-0), C. Maguire (0-1), M. Scanlon (2-1), J. Nugent. Sub: P. Ledwith (for Finneran).Louth: S. Flood, O. Reilly, P. Curran, J. Meehan, P. Coleman, J. McArdle, S. White, S. O'Donnell, J. Gough, K. Behan (0-5), D. O'Brien, F. Lynch (0-1), A. Monks (0-2), J. McDonnell (1-0), J. Roe (1-1).19603 July 1960, Navan:Louth 1-8, Westmeath 1-1.This game, a half-century ago, was the only time the teams met in a Leinster semi-final. Westmeath, on the back of a rare two-in-a-row championship victories over Laois and Kildare, were well beaten on the day, with the aforementioned Mick Carley being the losers' only scorer. Louth lost the Leinster final (their last appearance therein) by a point to an emerging Offaly side, with Down making history two months later by bringing the Sam Maguire Cup across the border for the first time.Westmeath: B. McCann, M. Conlon, B. Kavanagh, T. J. Finneran, F. Colclough, M. Moran, P. Cooney, M. Carley (1-1), N. Bruer, J. Lestrange, T. Gunn, B. Rabbitte, G. Keane, K. Ryan, J. Long. Subs: L. Donnelly (for Gunn), J. Dunne (for Carley), M. Scanlon (for Donnelly).Louth: S. Flood, O. Reilly, G. Carroll, J. Meehan, F. Lynch (0-1), Jim McArdle, S. White, P. Coleman, John McArdle, P. Geraghty (0-1), D. O'Brien, K. Behan (0-4), J. Gough, J. Reynolds (0-1), J. Roe (0-1). Subs: J. Woods (for O'Brien), K. Lynch (1-0) (for Woods), J. Mulroy (for John McArdle).19659 May 1965, Navan:Westmeath 2-11, Louth 0-9.A terrific Westmeath performance resulted in a first championship win over the men in red and white in 45 years. The winners had a mixture of experience and youth, with four of the minor team which contested the All-Ireland final two years earlier featuring in Navan. Westmeath went on to lose by three points to Meath in Croke Park (the first of four successive championship losses to the Royals). Later in the summer, Dublin defeated Longford in the latter's first appearance in a provincial decider.Westmeath: K. Higgins, P. Cooney, T. J. Finneran, P. Lennon, M. Murphy, M. Carley, D. Nolan, F. Costelloe, T. Cleary, P. Bradley (0-2), M. Kenny (1-2), G. Keane (0-2), P. Buckley (0-3), J. Moran (1-0), J. Bradley (0-2). Subs: R. Cornally (for Keane), G. Keane (for Cornally).Louth: A. Kieran, L. Toal, J. Butterly, M. Sherlock, J. Doyle (0-1), F. Lynch, F. Clarke, J. Woods, J. Mulroy, M. Gartland, M. McKeown, L. Leech (0-2), S. Mahon, H. Donnelly (0-2), T. Savage (0-3). Subs: P. Lambe (for McKeown), J. Daly (0-1) (for Woods), P. Leech (for Gartland).19691 June 1969, Croke Park:Westmeath 1-7, Louth 1-6.A matter of weeks before Neil Armstrong took a giant step for mankind, National League semi-finalists Westmeath took their own giant step by winning their first championship game in Croke Park with a hard-fought win over Louth, Tommy Dolan scoring the crucial goal, after taking a pass from his unrelated namesake Dessie Dolan (father of current star, Des Jnr). Offaly knocked the wind out of Westmeath's sails with a comprehensive win in Croke Park four weeks later, en route to their third provincial crown and, ultimately, a narrow defeat to Kerry in the All-Ireland final.Westmeath: C. Conlon, T. J. Finneran, J. N. Galvin, C. Corroon, M. Murphy, S. Mulligan, E. Dunne, M. Carley, D. Murtagh, P. Moran (0-1), M. Fagan, P. Buckley (0-5), T. Dolan (1-1), P. Bradley, G. Keane. Subs: D. Dolan (for Galvin), P. Cole (for Carley), M. Carley (for Moran).Louth: G. Morgan, J. Maguire, J. Thornton, J. Carroll, M. Rice, F. Lynch, F. Clarke, L. Toal, J. Kirk, B. Gaughran, L. Leech (0-1), H. McCarthy, J. Judge (1-3), M. McKeown (0-2), J. Mulroy. Sub: P. Judge (for Mulroy).197715 May 1977, Navan:Louth 2-9 Westmeath 0-12.While not a lot was expected of Westmeath in 1977, their only National League win had come in a one-point win over the Wee County seven months earlier in Ardee. However, in a game when Westmeath made a rare television appearance in that night's RTÉ's highlights programme, a brace of Louth goals proved crucial in their three-point win.Westmeath: A. Cunningham, S. Heavin, S. Conroy, E. Doyle, D. Claffey, T. Lowry, T. Doyle, M. Galvin, B. Murtagh, A. O'Halloran (0-1), W. Lowry (0-1), C. McNevin (0-1), E. Scally (0-3), L. Gillivan (0-4), T. Maguire (0-2). Subs: L. McDaniel (for Maguire).Louth: G. Farrell, P. McCarthy, L. Toal, D. Murray, M.White, T. Lennon, D. Culligan, E. Marmion, J. P. O'Kane (0-1), P. Gallagher, E. Sheelin (0-2), B. Gaughran, D. Reid (1-4), M. McKeown (1-1), A. McGrath (0-1). Subs: A. Hoey (for Gallagher), J. McLoughlin (for Lennon).198315 May 1983, Croke Park:Louth 2-11, Westmeath 2-5.Exactly six years to the day since their last championship meeting, Louth had little difficulty in disposing of Westmeath's challenge in Croke Park, despite a heroic display by midfielder Tommy McCormack (father of current under-21 star, Callum). The defeat was a major disappointment for success-starved Westmeath fans, as the team had won all nine National League games, including a divisional final win over Louth, just three weeks before the championship.Westmeath: M. Scally, M. McEnroe, P. McGowan, P. Murray, E. Tynan, M. Lowry, M. Fagan, T. McCormack (1-0), C. Flanagan, S. Coyne, W. Lowry (0-2), R. Fahy (1-3), M. Clarke, F. Tone, N. Lynch. Subs: M. Greene (for McEnroe), P. Brady (for Lynch).Louth: J. Brady, P. Matthews, M. McDermott, F. Taaffe, D. Callaghan, A. Wiseman, M. McCabe, E. Judge, P. Reneghan, R. Culhane (0-2), Jim McDonnell (1-7), P. Fitzpatrick, R. Quinn, J. P. O'Kane, D. Kelleher (1-2). Subs: P. Mulligan (for Reneghan), John McDonnell (for Quinn).199429 May 1994, Athlone:Louth 0-13, Westmeath 1-9This result was a massive disappointment for Westmeath fans who flocked to Páirc Chiaráin (with Cusack Park being renovated), a few weeks after a memorable run to the National League semi-final. However, in a reversal of the game 25 years earlier with a similar build-up, it was Louth (with current manager Peter Fitzpatrick lining out at right corner back) who emerged as one-point winners over Mattie Kerrigan's charges. The winners were powered by an outstanding display from corner-forward Stefan White.Westmeath: D. Ryan, M. Broder, T. Darcy, J. Conlon, O. Keating, J. O'Brien, M. Fagan, J. Cooney (0-1). A. Collins (0-1), D. Burke, N. Lynch, J. Fleming (0-2), L. Giles (0-2), T. Ormsby, G. Heavin (1-1). Subs: M. Staunton (0-2) (for Burke), R. O'Connell (for Darcy), J. Healy (for Lynch).Louth: N. O'Donnell, P. Fitzpatrick, B. O'Connor, D. Reilly, D. McDonnell, S. Melia, K. Rooney, K. Reilly, G. Curran, P. Butterly, C. Kelly (0-3), O. McDonnell (0-1), S. White (0-8), F. Murphy, E. Judge. Sub: A. Doherty (0-1) (for McDonnell).20017 July 2001, Navan:Westmeath 1-13, Louth 0-13.This was a memorable game in a memorable year for Westmeath football, in the first year of the All-Ireland Qualifiers. After a one-point defeat to Meath in the Leinster Championship, Westmeath regrouped with wins over Wexford (after a replay) and Limerick to set up a clash with Louth in Navan. A toe-poked goal from Martin Flanagan decided the contest in favour of Luke Dempsey's troops. Flanagan remains an integral part of the Westmeath side, as do John Keane, Fergal Wilson (who had an outstanding game that day) Derek Heavin, Michael Ennis (this year's captain), Des Dolan and Damien Healy, with Paul Conway and David Mitchell now acting as selectors to Pat Flanagan. Another fantastic 'back door' win followed over Mayo, but Leinster champions Meath defeated Westmeath after a replay in the newly-instituted All-Ireland quarter finals, en route to a final defeat by Galway.Westmeath: C. Mullin, J. Keane, D. Mitchell, F. Murray, B. Morley, D. Murphy, D. Heavin, R. O'Connell, D. O'Shaughnessy, F. Wilson (0-6), P. Conway, M. Ennis, D. Dolan (0-3), M. Flanagan (1-1), G. Heavin (0-3). Subs: J. Brennan (for O'Shaughnessy), D. Healy (for Murphy), J. Fallon (for Dolan), D. Hughes (for Conway).Louth: C. Nally, B. Phillips, A. Hoey, Denis Reilly, J. Neary, S. Melia, S. Gerard, S. O'Hanlon (0-2), M. Farrelly (0-2), C. Grimes (0-1), David Reilly (0-1), M. Stanfield (0-2), C. O'Hanlon, O. McDonnell (0-1), C. Kelly (0-3). Subs: N. Flynn (for Denis Reilly), J.P. Rooney (for C.O'Hanlon), D. Kirwan (0-1) (for Grimes), C. O'Hanlon (for Kelly), B. Keenan (for McDonnell).