Footballers facing Antrim as hurlers meet Down
Following their disappointing defeat to Kildare in the Leinster Championship, Westmeath will back in championship action next Sunday in the opening round of the Tailteann Cup, facing Antrim in TEG Cusack Park at 2pm
Westmeath are in Group 3, alongside Antrim, London, and Limerick. In round two on May 18, the Maroon and White faithful face a trip to Ruislip to take on London, before completing the group stages against Limerick at a neutral venue on May 31 or June 1.
Three years on from their historic triumph, Westmeath are back in the second-tier championship and will carry the weight of expectation as the only former winners in the 2025 competition.
Westmeath will be firm favourites to emerge from their group, but it is worth noting that the Lake County have lost eight of last year's team and are chasing a first competitive victory under their new manager Martin McCabe.
The footballers have been depleted since the start of the season and following the Kildare game, they lost two further players to injury - Enda Gaffney (St Loman's, Mullingar) and Milltown's Conor Dillon.
Although Group 3 may not have the same headline-grabbing names as Kildare or Offaly, it will still be a test of Westmeath’s depth and focus. The competition offers a direct route into next year’s All-Ireland series which is a coveted carrot that ensures the Tailteann Cup is no consolation bracket, but a hotly contested championship in its own right.
Westmeath set the benchmark in 2022 with a stylish and spirited run to the title, capped by a Croke Park win over Cavan that summer. Meath and Down have lifted the cup since, but neither are in this year’s draw, leaving Westmeath as the only past champions in the 2025 edition.
Elsewhere, Group 1 features Kildare, Sligo, Leitrim and Tipperary, while Group 2 includes Offaly, Laois, Wicklow and Waterford.
Group 4 involves Fermanagh, Wexford, Carlow and Longford.
2025 Tailteann Cup draw
Group 1: Kildare, Sligo, Leitrim, Tipperary
Group 2: Offaly, Laois, Wicklow, Waterford
Group 3: Westmeath, Limerick, Antrim, London
Group 4: Fermanagh, Wexford, Carlow, Longford
Massive game for hurlers
Following their shock defeat by Kildare, the Westmeath senior hurlers are back in action on Saturday at TEG Cusack Park (2.30pm) where they face Down in a massive game. Defeat will pile the pressure on new manager Seoirse Bulfin who is under the spotlight after a poor run of results and he is hoping for a big response from the players.
"The Down game is a massive game. The players have come back fighting in the past and they will do so again,” he said.
The minor hurlers, meanwhile, are through to the Leinster quarter-final against Dublin on Saturday (Joristown Park, 12 midday) after overcoming Offaly with another good performance.