Westmeath learn championship fate as league campaign begins

Westmeath have been pitted with Longford, Wexford and Sligo in Group A of the 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Football Championship.

The Lake County ladies had an emphatic win over midland rivals Longford in last year's group stages en route to the All-Ireland final, in which they were defeated by Meath.

The draws for the 2021 championships at senior, intermediate and junior level were conducted at Ceannáras TG4 in Baile na hAbhann, Co. Galway last night (Thursday).

Group B of the intermediate championship contains Clare, 2020 All-Ireland junior champions Fermanagh and Leitrim.

In Group C, Roscommon have been drawn with Leinster neighbours Kildare and Laois. Group D contains Offaly, Down and Louth.

Two teams from each group will progress to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Westmeath, along with 2020 semi-finalists Roscommon and Clare, were seeded for the 2021 draw.

Meanwhile, Westmeath begin their 2021 Lidl NFL campaign this Sunday, when they travel to Ballybofey to take on Donegal (1pm).

Westmeath are operating in Division 1A of the league which also contains Galway and Mayo. Two of Westmeath’s three games are away from home which adds to the formidable challenge they are facing.

Five new players have been drafted into this year’s Westmeath squad - Aine Lynn, Danielle Madden (both Garrycastle), Aine Gaynor (Caulry), Aoife Brady (Rochfortbridge) and Aoife O’Malley (Killucan).

Westmeath manager Sean Finnegan said the panel contains 38 players at present which, allowing for injuries and other enforced absences, allows for 15-a-side training matches.

Incredibly, the panel contains three players who have suffered the dreaded cruciate ligament injury twice - Garrycastle’s Aoife Connolly and Milltown duo Sarah Dillon and Kelly Boyce Jordan.

“Sarah also had two shoulder injuries that required surgery, two dislocations. She played ten or 12 minutes in a challenge match in Tipperary recently. Kelly is a bit further back in her recovery. Aoife is back running in straight lines. I think the league will come too soon for her. But she’s doing well, it’s only five and a half months since her surgery but she is ahead of schedule,” Finnegan told the Westmeath Independent.

Finnegan was delighted to return to training with the Westmeath squad recently.

“It’s fantastic to be back. We’re in with Donegal, Galway and Mayo, so it’s going to be a backs to the wall job. But we’re optimistic about the year overall. We’ll have a cut at it and we’ll learn a lot from playing those strong teams which will stand to us going into the championship,” he said.

“We’ve been in Division 1 for a few years and it’s very difficult coming up against these strong teams, but they give you a benchmark to test yourself.”

Finnegan pointed out that Donegal has been a “Covid hotspot” in recent weeks, with the Westmeath squad planning to overnight in the north west this weekend due to the length of the journey. “None of these things are ideal but we’ll get on with it,” he said.

“Overall, things are moving in the right direction with Covid and if we are lucky enough to get to the All-Ireland final later in the year, maybe we’d be able to have supporters there. But that’s a long way off at the moment,” Finnegan added.

Last year’s management team, including Tom Carr and Carole Finch, remains in place but Colum McDaid has been added to the set-up. McDaid has previously managed the Monksland United soccer team.

“Colum is mainly a soccer coach but he has been involved with some Gaelic teams in the Athlone area. With his background in soccer, he knows all about movement and creating space,” explained Finnegan. “Last year we identified that we weren’t scoring enough points. We’re trying to improve our scoring prowess and Colum will help with that.”

Tubberclair’s Alan Coffey has been providing nutritional advice, with Paul Aherne (Mullingar Shamrocks) also assisting the squad.

The Westmeath and Donegal teams for Sunday's game have been named, with the aforementioned Sarah Dillon returning to the maroon and white colours. See details below.

Westmeath team (v Donegal):

1. Sinéad Byrne (Milltown)

2. Niamh Spellman (Mullingar Shamrocks)

3. Jennifer Rogers (Milltown)

4. Emma Kelly (Cill Óige)

5. Rachel Dillon (Milltown)

6. Aoife Brady (Rochfortbridge)

7. Tara Fagan (Mullingar Shamrocks)

8. Vicky Carr (St Loman’s Mullingar)

9. Tracey Dillon (Milltown)

10. Fiona Claffey (captain, Foxrock-Cabinteely)

11. Leona Archibold (St Loman’s Mullingar)

12. Anna Jones (Mullingar Shamrocks)

13. Lucy McCartan (St Loman’s Mullingar)

14. Karen Hegarty (Mullingar Shamrocks)

15. Sarah Dillon (Milltown).

Donegal team (v Westmeath): A McColgan; N Carr, E McGinley, E Gallagher; A.M. Logue, M Ryan, A Boyle Carr; K Herron, S Twohig; B McLaughlin, N McLaughlin (captain), N Boyle; N Hegarty, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.

Ladies NFL Division 1A - Westmeath fixtures

*Round 1 (May 23rd): Donegal v Westmeath, 1pm, Sean MacCumhaills, Ballybofey.

*Round 2 (May 30th): Galway v Westmeath, 2pm, Pearse Stadium, Salthill.

*Round 3 (June 6th): Westmeath v Mayo, 2pm, St Loman’s, Mullingar.