Dubs' visit to Mullingar this Sunday will be televised

Weather permitting, a huge crowd is hoped for at Cusack Park this Sunday, as Dublin roll out the big guns for their televised Allianz National Football League Division 1 visit to Mullingar.

Westmeath are sweating on the fitness of full-forward John Heslin, who limped off towards the end of last Sunday’s league opener against Cork, which the Lake County lost 0-18 to 0-10.

Division 1 and All-Ireland holders Dublin, meanwhile, got their campaign off to a winning start last weekend with what was still largely an experimental side.

Oodles of talent came off the bench – Paul Mannion, Jack McCaffrey and All-Star Michael Darragh MacAuley among the subs – as they beat Kerry 2-8 to 1-10 in Croke Park.

“Dublin in Cusack Park next week will be a difficult challenge for us,” Westmeath manager Paul Bealin – a former All-Ireland winning Dublin midfielder – said after Sunday’s defeat in Cork.

“If we can compete again with Dublin for the first 35 minutes and give ourselves a chance, I think we’ll set out our stall a little bit differently in the second half.”

The bookies don’t give Westmeath a chance, and will give them even less of a chance should marquee scoretaker Heslin fall victim to injury.

But the thought of having a crack at Dublin outside their Croker comfort zone is an intriguing one for Westmeath Gaels.

With numerous Dublin natives now resident in Mullingar and surrounding towns and villages, a sea of blue is guaranteed in the Cusack Park terraces.

Sunday's game will be televised on TG4, with coverage commencing at 1.30pm.