Westmeath hurlers to face Dubs as footballers lick their wounds
By Gerry Buckley
In these PS-obsessed times many of the old traditional bingo calls are considered inappropriate, but the numbers ‘22’ and ‘2’ still have the nicknames ‘two little ducks’ and ‘one little duck’ respectively.
Well, it was a case of no duck and no dinner for the Westmeath senior teams in last weekend’s championship action after losing to Kilkenny and Louth by 22 and two points in respective hurling and football action.
A Saturday evening mauling for Joe Fortune’s understrength charges by the Cats in UPMC Nowlan Park was anything but a surprise and, indeed, a number of maroon and white-clad hurlers emerged with distinction having prevented Derek Lyng’s charges from raising a green flag.
Conversely, Sunday’s loss in Páirc Tailteann will continue to hurt in the days and weeks ahead for those of us who care deeply about the state of Lake County football. In an eerie repetition of the league game in Páirc Esler as recently as February 25, Dessie Dolan’s troops let a big lead slip and ended up as two-point losers.
The former Garrycastle maestro in the number 15 jersey repeated two words in his post-match thoughts to the assembled media – ‘composure’ and ‘cheaply’. Specifically, his side’s lack of composure and giving the ball away cheaply when Mickey Harte’s fired-up side in white and red came thundering into the game on the change of ends after being outplayed by the losers in the first moiety.
This old-school scribe (who found the aforementioned banned bingo calls inoffensive!) recalls the era when the term ‘annual outing’ tended to describe Westmeath footballers’ championship ‘adventure’. But it will be great to be part of the new Sam Maguire Cup adventure in 2023 with a home, away and neutral game guaranteed in the weeks ahead. I’m sure Westmeath's neighbours Meath would love that prospect!
It is now Dolan’s job to get Westmeath heads and bodies – Louth seemed fitter in the final furlong – right for these three games. There are many talented footballers in the county and, dare I say a managerial buzz word which irritates this old-schooler but is now in fashion, the ‘learnings’ from the Navan heartbreak need to be demonstrated in the three tough challenges ahead. All is not lost.
The undoubted highlight of last weekend was the wonderful spirit shown by Andrew Dermody’s U20 hurlers when edging out Laois in a penalty shootout in Portlaoise on Friday evening. The young Westmeath hurlers demonstrated the aforementioned composure after a late collapse in normal time to ultimately eke out a deserved win.
A ‘free shot’ at Wexford in TEG Cusack Park on Saturday is the reward in a provincial quarter-final. Having admired the skill-set and determination in this side in recent weeks, I will be very surprised if early-comers to the county grounds (throw-in 1pm) do not witness - at the very least - a totally committed performance. They are well worth supporting.
It will still be possible to get back to Donnycarney for the senior hurlers’ second round robin game (throw-in 6pm) in the race for the Bob O’Keeffe Cup. Westmeath never had the slightest chance of actually winning that prestigious trophy, but it is still an achievement to be competing in the Leinster ‘proper’ and that precious slot has to be fought for tooth and nail in the weeks ahead.
Dublin’s loss of a point in Corrigan Park last Saturday – and it could easily have been the loss of two points – will undoubtedly galvanise them. Micheál Donoghue was a high-profile appointment to manage the Dubs and, a la Joe Fortune, he has been dealt an unlucky hand with the unavailability of some key personnel.
Defeat to Westmeath would be an unthinkable scenario for the men in sky blue and navy, and again the term ‘free shot’ could be added to the Lake County’s hopes of a shock. Those of us who watched Seamus Qualter’s underdogs slog their way to a famous win in a Portlaoise quagmire in 2006 will hope for another sensational outcome in Parnell Park. Hopefully, some recuperating stars may get valuable game time.
A wise Dublin friend of mine was impressed with Westmeath's efforts against his side in TEG Cusack Park last year. I hope he says the same at around 7.45pm next Saturday.
Westmeath’s only other SHC win against Dublin came in 1982. The details of the championship clashes between the teams this century follow.
Westmeath v Dublin - recent SHC meetings
14/5/2000, Cusack Park, Dublin 1-20 Westmeath 0-7
12/5/2002, Cusack Park, Dublin 2-12 Westmeath 1-12
10/5/2003, Parnell Park, Dublin 4-17 Westmeath 0-13
13/6/2004, Croke Park, Dublin 2-14 Westmeath 0-11
21/5/2006, Portlaoise, Westmeath 0-13 Dublin 0-11
15/7/2006, Tullamore, Dublin 0-16 Westmeath 0-8
25/5/2008, Portlaoise, Dublin 3-21 Westmeath 0-11
1/5/2022, TEG Cusack Park, Dublin 0-27 Westmeath 1-16