Westmeath football and hurling teams named for away fixtures
Dermot McCabe has named an unchanged Westmeath team for Sunday's Allianz Football League Division 2 second round clash against Monaghan.
Following last Sunday's narrow defeat to Louth, Westmeath travel to St Tiernach's Park, Clones for their first away game in the league campaign tomorrow (throw-in 2pm).
Brían Cooney, who was on the TUS Midlands team narrowly edged out by DCU Dóchas Éireann in the Sigerson Cup last Wednesday night, is among the Westmeath subs. Cooney's TUS teammate Matthew Whittaker is again on the starting XV, having scored two goals against DCU.
Monaghan operated in Division 1 last year when Westmeath were in Division 3 and the Farney men contested an All-Ireland semi-final as recently as 2023.
Gabriel Bannigan's charges had an away win over old rivals Cavan last Saturday (2-22 to 0-20) and another difficult challenge awaits Westmeath.
Tickets for the Monaghan vs Westmeath match can be purchased in selected Centra and SuperValu stores and via the following link: https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/fbwestmeathleague
Meanwhile, the Westmeath hurling team to play Antrim shows one change from the line-up selected for last Saturday's postponed clash against Laois, with Mark Cunningham replacing Niall Mitchell. Clonkill star Mitchell is absent from the match-day squad.
Owen McCabe of Fr Dalton's is selected at full-forward, while there are two Southern Gaels players among the subs, Cian McCarthy and Seán Dowd.
With the meeting versus Laois postponed due to a frozen pitch at TEG Cusack Park, Westmeath will now begin their league campaign against Antrim at Corrigan Park, Belfast (2pm).
The match will see Westmeath hurling manager Seoirse Bulfin pit his wits against his erstwhile colleague Davy Fitzgerald. Bulfin was part of Fitzgerald's management team when the former Clare goalkeeper was in charge of his home county and of Wexford.
Tickets for the Antrim game can be purchased in selected Centra and SuperValu stores and via the following link: https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/westmeathhuleague
The aforementioned postponed Westmeath vs Laois fixture has been rearranged for Sunday, February 16 at TEG Cusack Park (throw-in 2.30).
Westmeath SF team (vs Monaghan):
1. Conor McCormack (Caulry)
2. Jamie Gonoud (Tyrrellspass)
3. Charlie Drumm (The Downs)
4. David Giles (Coralstown/Kinnegad)
5. Enda Gaffney (St Loman's, Mullingar)
6. Ronan Wallace (Multyfarnham)
7. Sam McCartan (St Loman's)
8. Ray Connellan (Athlone)
9. Brian Guerin (Mullingar Shamrocks)
10. Matthew Whittaker (Tubberclair)
11. Fionn O'Hara (St Loman's)
12. Conor Dillon (Milltown)
13. Stephen Smith (Skerries Harps)
14. Luke Loughlin (The Downs)
15. Robbie Forde (Moate All Whites).
Subs: Jason Daly (St Loman's), Kevin O'Sullivan (The Downs), Brían Cooney (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Danny Scahill (Shandonagh), Jack Geoghegan (St Loman's), Marc Eivers (Mullingar Shamrocks), Eoghan McCabe (Tubberclair), Kieran Martin (Maryland), Lorcan Dolan (Castledaly), Danny McCartan (St Loman's), Joe Moran (The Downs).
Westmeath SH team (vs Antrim):
1. Jack Gillen
2. Conor Gaffney
3. Tommy Doyle
4. Gary Greville
5. Johnny Bermingham
6. Aaron Craig
7. Eoin Keyes
8. Éamonn Cunneen
9. Peter Clarke
10. Robbie Greville
11. David Williams
12. Mark Cunningham
13. Darragh Clinton
14. Owen McCabe
15. Shane Williams.
Subs: Ciarán O'Brien, Adam Ennis, Cian McCarthy, David Hickey, Dean Ennis, Jack Kearney, Rory Keyes, Oisín Loughlin, Matthew Cunningham, Seán Dowd, Darragh McCormack.