Footballers meet Sligo as attention turns to crucial league campaign
Fresh from their O’Byrne Cup success, the Westmeath senior footballers begin their National Football League with a home game against Sligo next Sunday, January 25.
It’s a key home game to start the league as Westmeath aim to win promotion from Division 3. Following that, there’s an away trip to Ennis to take on Clare before Westmeath travel to Páirc Esler, Newry, for a third round clash against Down.
Home games against Fermanagh (February 22) and Limerick (March 15) will also be crucial for Westmeath, who have to cope with some high-profile retirements. Sligo defeated Westmeath when the sides last met in 2024 in Sligo, 1-14 to 0-11.
Mark McHugh’s Westmeath side captured their first O’Byrne Cup title since 2019, and the county’s fifth in all, but the new manager has made no secret of the fact that it will count for little in the overall scheme of things. “You don’t come into this role to win O’Byrne Cups or McKenna Cups, the target is the National Football League. We want to win promotion and that is what we are building towards, so the O’Byrne Cup has been great to help strengthen our panel,” he said.
Sligo come into Sunday’s game on the back of a Connacht Shield success. They overcame Roscommon in the final last Sunday, 1-18 to 2-14. The new management team of Eamonn O'Hara and Dessie Sloyan are sure to have the Yeats County fired up for a big run in Division 3 and will certainly bring a determined side to Mullingar at the weekend. Pat Spillane (0-3) and Lee Deignan (1-8) are clearly two players to watch and Westmeath will be aiming to reproduce the same level of intensity as they did in the second half against Kildare on Friday.
Having been relegated from Division 2 last year, McHugh will be very keen to take Westmeath back to the second tier and a home win in round one will certainly put them on the right road. Of concern thus far will be an over-reliance on Ronan Wallace and Luke Loughlin, but players such as Matthew Whittaker, the returning Ray Connellan, Charlie Drumm and Danny Scahill are all capable of making a big impression.
Meanwhile, Westmeath senior hurling manager Kevin O’Brien has spoken of his desire to lead the hurlers out of Division 2. They travel to Tralee to face Kerry in the first round on February 1. Westmeath met Kerry in the league in 2022 and enjoyed a 2-18 to 0-21 victory. The Lake County have three key home games against Meath (February 8), Laois (March 1) and Derry (March 8). A trip to London also beckons on February 22.
The county's senior hurling side had been in the top flight under Joe Fortune’s watch, but slipped back last year and in terms of developing the game in the county, O’Brien views Division 1 hurling as very important. The preseason competition, the Walsh Cup, didn’t go very well: they got a walkover against Kilkenny and were well beaten by Dublin in the second round.
Westmeath’s National Football League fixtures
R1 - Sunday January 25
Cusack Park, Mullingar: Westmeath v Sligo, 2pm
R2 - Sunday February 1
Cusack Park, Ennis: Clare v Westmeath, 2pm
R3 - Saturday February 14
Páirc Esler, Newry: Down v Westmeath, 6pm
R4 - Sunday February 22
Cusack Park, Mullingar: Westmeath v Fermanagh, 1pm
R5 - Saturday February 28
O'Moore Park, Portlaoise: Laois v Westmeath, 6pm
R6 - Sunday March 15
Cusack Park, Mullingar: Westmeath v Limerick, 2pm
R7 - Sunday March 22
Wexford Park: Wexford v Westmeath, 2pm
Westmeath’s National Hurling League fixtures
R1 - Sunday February 1
Tralee: Kerry v Westmeath, 2pm
R2 - Sunday February 8
Cusack Park, Mullingar: Westmeath v Meath, 2pm
R3 - Sunday February 22
Ruislip: London v Westmeath, 1pm
R4 - Sunday March 1
Cusack Park, Mullingar: Westmeath v Laois, 2pm
R5 - Sunday March 8
Cusack Park, Mullingar: Westmeath v Derry, 2pm
R6 - Saturday March 21
MacHale Park, Castlebar: Westmeath v Mayo, 1pm