Westmeath need to improve as early signs cause concern
By Gerry Buckley
The National Leagues are now considered far more of a pre-championship guide than was the case when they started soon after the previous championships had ended. And there are different scenarios facing Westmeath managers Dessie Dolan and Joe Fortune from the end of this month until the end of March.
The unofficial word on the street is that Westmeath's football bainisteoir would have been more than happy to pull out of the O’Byrne Cup. Well, they have pulled out of it now, and the O’Byrne Shield for good measure!
A narrow loss with a totally new squad in Longford was acceptable enough last Saturday week, but the diehards who braved the cold in Kinnegad on Saturday last would, frankly, have expected much better from a side which contained perhaps ten nailed-on championship starters.
In truth, they were well beaten by Louth, whom Mickey Harte appears to have left in good shape for his unexpected successor Ger Brennan, albeit a game-turning first goal for the Wee County was fortunate, after Jason Daly had certainly done his bit to keep his net intact. Louth also had the hard core of their best side on duty, and their imperious leader Sam Mulroy led the way yet again against green and maroon-clad opponents.
Next up is Tullamore on Sunday week, with former St Loman’s, Mullingar boss Declan Kelly undoubtedly keen to upset the promotion ambitions of a sizeable contingent of his former players, such as the aforementioned Daly. One of his club colleagues Ronan O’Toole played in Kinnegad, but John Heslin and Sam McCartan didn’t. A lot will be expected of the latter duo when they face the men in tricoloured jerseys on January 28.
Scoring goals remains a problem for Dolan to sort out, with Louth looking far more likely to raise green flags last Saturday. Indeed, the visitors could have had more than the brace they managed.
The consensus among the Lake County fans last Saturday at 2.45pm was that a repeat of the very ordinary display we had witnessed would not suffice in O’Connor Park. ‘Disaster’ is probably an OTT term to use in sporting matters, but it would be a disaster if Westmeath don’t get promoted from Division 3 this year.
Westmeath appeared a bit leggy, perhaps on the back of heavy training. The injury-prone Ray Connellan had to exit the pitch early after picking up a knock and, with Sam Duncan an absentee, midfield is an area of concern. Stephen Smith put his hand up for a starting place in attack, despite a couple of late errors, but it seems that tried and trusted players will line out to start the campaign. This despite some promising displays by a handful of newcomers in Pearse Park just a week earlier.
Dublin hurlers' decisive win against Antrim in Parnell Park on Sunday means that Micheál Donoghue’s troops have sailed into the Walsh Cup semi-finals, which meant Westmeath’s rearranged fixture planned for Abbotstown on Thursday would be meaningless in a competitive sense.
The Glensmen had to make a long, abortive and costly journey to Kinnegad last Sunday week, and the game scheduled for Thursday night will now not go ahead.
Despite a rejigging meaning that Westmeath will definitely play Division 1 hurling in 2025, Fortune’s short-term predicament is well documented, with some key veterans opting out of the panel for 2024. The Wexford native can ill-afford this, but it is now time for a few fringe players to seize their chance to establish themselves as senior inter-county hurlers.
Galway’s demolition of Laois in the Walsh Cup showed up the strength-in-depth available to Henry Shefflin, with the Kilkenny legend under real pressure this year to challenge for the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
And a trip to Salthill to face the Tribesmen is a truly daunting start to the league for Westmeath on Saturday, February 3.