Venue confirmed for Westmeath v Dublin clash

The venue for the Leinster SFC quarter-final between Westmeath and Dublin has been confirmed as O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

The reason for the Portlaoise venue is because the game has been listed for a 6.15pm throw-in to suit TV coverage and therefore floodlights are required.

Sky Sports will be showing live coverage of Westmeath's clash with the reigning All-Ireland champions, which will take place on Saturday, November 7.

The Westmeath GAA fraternity would naturally prefer if the game would be played at TEG Cusack Park. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, it's likely that the game will be played behind closed doors - or with a significantly curtailed attendance - and therefore capacity issues at the Mullingar venue don't come into the equation.

Westmeath face an almighty task against a Dublin team which hasn't lost a championship game since 2014 - and familiarity with the Mullingar venue would surely be of some benefit even if fans are not allowed to attend.

With no All-Ireland qualifiers in place this year, the losing team's championship campaign will be over after one match.

The game would have to be played at an earlier time on November 7 or the following day, if Westmeath GAA HQ was to host the game.

For quite a while it appeared that the match would take place in Tullamore, but the later throw-in time means Portlaoise has been given the nod.

TEG Cusack Park has been chosen to host the Longford v Louth clash on Sunday, November 1 - yet many Westmeath fans will feel the same venue should host the Dublin match the following weekend, even though they're unlikely to be able to attend.

The venues for all Leinster senior football and hurling fixtures were confirmed by Leinster GAA today and are listed below.

Leinster SFC 2020

Round 1

Wexford v Wicklow (November 1st, Wexford, 1.30pm)

Carlow v Offaly (November 1st, Tullamore, 1.30)

Louth v Longford (November 1st, Mullingar, 1.30

Quarter-finals

Westmeath v Dublin (November 7th, Portlaoise 6.15, SKY)

Wexford or Wicklow v Meath (November 8th, Wexford or Aughrim, 1.30)

Carlow or Offaly v Kildare (November 8th, Portlaoise 5.30)

Louth or Longford v Laois (November 8th, Tullamore or Longford, 1.30)

Semi-finals

Wexford/Wicklow/Meath v Carlow/Offaly/Kildare (November 15th, Croke Park)

Louth/Longford/Laois v Westmeath/Dublin (November 15th, Croke Park)

SFC final

November 21st (Croke Park, RTE).

Leinster SHC 2020

Quarter-finals

Laois v Dublin (October 24th, Croke Park, 6pm SKY).

Semi-finals

Laois/Dublin v Kilkenny (October 31st, Croke Park, 3.45)

Wexford v Galway (October 31st, Croke Park, 6.15 RTE)

SHC final

November 14th (Croke Park, 6.15, RTE).