Westmeath name U20 football team to face Dublin

The Westmeath U-20 football team to face Dublin in the EirGrid Leinster championship tonight (Tuesday) has been named. Kinnegad is the venue for the opening round clash (throw-in 7.30pm).

There are three players from both Moate All Whites and Coralstown/Kinnegad in the starting team, a group which includes Ronan Murray and Brían Cooney, who are sons of prominent former Westmeath players John Murray and Jack Cooney.

Tadhg Baker, younger brother of Westmeath senior player Senan, has been selected at midfield, where he will be partnered by Shane Ormsby, a son of former Westmeath midfielder Tom Ormsby.

Rosemount's Adam Keane is part of a defence which includes Jason Macken and Daragh Lowry, while Shane Corcoran and Shane Hanley are among those who Westmeath will look to for attacking inspiration.

Westmeath have been handed a daunting challenge in this championship, having been drawn in a three-team group with traditional powerhouses Dublin and Meath. Following the clash with the Dubs, Damien Gavin's charges will meet Meath in Ashbourne next Tuesday, April 2.

Considering Meath won the All-Ireland minor (U-17) title in 2021, they are expected to be strong this year while, at the risk of stating the obvious, Dublin are likely to be very formidable.

The top two teams will advance to the knockout stages which means Westmeath will probably need to beat either Meath or Dublin to advance, though a draw in one of the games might be enough depending on other results.

In the last year's U-20 championship, Westmeath defeated eventual Leinster and All-Ireland champions Kildare in their opening group game. They followed that up with a win over Wexford, but bowed out at the quarter-final stage at the hands of Meath amid difficult conditions in Ashbourne.

Westmeath team (vs Dublin):

1. Senan O'Driscoll (The Downs)

2. Adam Keane (Rosemount)

3. Cormac Monaghan (Tyrrellspass)

4. Seanai Bracken (St Loman's, Mullingar)

5. Liam Daly (Coralstown/Kinnegad)

6. Jason Macken (Coralstown/Kinnegad)

7. Daragh Lowry (Moate All Whites)

8. Tadhg Baker (Caulry)

9. Shane Ormsby (Mullingar Shamrocks)

10. Tiarnán O'Donovan (Caulry)

11. Brían Cooney (Coralstown/Kinnegad)

12. Eoin Bracken (Moate All Whites)

13. Ronan Murray (Moate All Whites)

14. Shane Hanley (Tang)

15. Shane Corcoran (St Malachy's).

Subs:

Stephen McNevin (Coralstown/Kinnegad)

Jack Mulvihill (Garrycastle)

Dylan Franzoni (Mullingar Shamrocks)

Harry Stuart Trainor (Caulry)

Rory Cole (Coralstown/Kinnegad)

Jack Duncan (Milltown)

Matthew Thornton (Multyfarnham)

Tom Bourke (Tubberclair)

Darragh Hall (St Mary's, Rochfortbridge).