One debutant on Westmeath team as captain is confirmed
Dessie Dolan has selected one debutant on the Westmeath starting team for his first Allianz Football League match as manager.
Westmeath face Cavan in an eagerly awaited Division 3 clash at TEG Cusack Park tomorrow (Sunday), throw-in 2pm.
With Jack Smyth having sustained a hamstring injury during the O'Byrne Cup match against Wexford, Shandonagh's Daniel Scahill has been selected at corner-back.
Scahill - who played a key role in Shandonagh's intermediate championship final win over Tubberclair last year - started the O'Byrne Cup match against Louth earlier this month, but this will be his first league match.
Despite fears that an ankle injury would rule out Ray Connellan, the Athlone man has been selected at midfield, where he will be partnered by Sam Duncan.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Caulry's Kevin Maguire will continue as Westmeath senior football captain for the 2023 season.
The accomplished defender's first year as captain culminated with him becoming the first player to lift the Tailteann Cup.
Sunday's clash with Cavan is a rematch of the 2022 Tailteann Cup decider which Westmeath won narrowly, with a brilliant goal from Kieran Martin proving crucial to the outcome. For their part, Cavan were left to rue the sending off of midfielder Thomas Galligan when they were leading by two points with 12 minutes remaining.
In total, 13 of the Westmeath players who started last year's final at Croke Park are selected for tomorrow's game, the exceptions being the aforementioned Scahill and Nigel Harte of Tyrrellspass.
There are some renowned names missing from the Cavan starting XV, including Gearóid McKiernan and Paddy Lynch, though Lynch is included among the substitutes.
Cavan are again captained by former Athlone IT student Raymond Galligan, who lifted the Anglo Celt Cup when the Breffni men won the Ulster SFC in 2020. Both team line-ups are listed below.
Tickets for the game can be purchased via the following link - https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/fbwestmeathdiv3 - and they can also be bought at selected Centra and SuperValu stores, including Buckley's SuperValu in Moate and Mullingar.
Westmeath team (v Cavan):
1. Jason Daly
2. Daniel Scahill
3. Kevin Maguire (captain)
4. Jamie Gonoud
5. James Dolan
6. Ronan Wallace
7. Nigel Harte
8. Sam Duncan
9. Ray Connellan
10. Sam McCartan
11. Ronan O'Toole
12. John Heslin
13. Jonathan Lynam
14. Luke Loughlin
15. David Lynch.
Cavan team (v Westmeath):
1. Raymond Galligan (captain)
2. Evan Finnegan
3. Padraig Faulkner
4. Niall Carolan
5. Ciarán Brady
6. Dara McVeety
7. Tiarnan Madden
8. Conor Brady
9. Killian Clarke
10. Oisin Kiernan
11. Gerard Smith
12. Jason McLoughlin
13. Martin Reilly
14. Ryan O'Neill
15. Oisin Brady.
Subs: Liam Brady, John Cooke, Cian Madden, Conor Madden, Brandon Boylan, Enda Maguire, Jonathan McCabe, Paddy Lynch, Conor Rehill, Brían O'Rourke, David Brady, Stephen Smith, Ryan Donohoe.