Westmeath minors to face offaly as seniors prepare for louth test

The starting time for next Wednesday’s Leinster MFC clash between Westmeath and Offaly at Cusack Park has been brought forward to 7.15pm.

Having lost to Wexford in the opening round last Saturday (see report in this week’s paper), Aidan Lennon’s charges were drawn against neighbours Offaly in the first round of the losers’ group.

Westmeath will host Offaly in Cusack Park, Mullingar next Wednesday, April 29, at 7.15pm.

If Westmeath prevail, they will travel to Newbridge to face Kildare on the following Wednesday evening, May 6. An Offaly win would earn the Faithful County a home tie against Kildare on the same evening. The winners of that tie will progress to the quarter-finals.

Westmeath and Offaly met earlier in the year in the Leinster Minor Football League with the Lake County on the wrong side of a 2-16 to 1-12 scoreline at Tubber. In the quarter-finals of last year’s Leinster MFC, Offaly inflicted a heavy defeat on Westmeath, 2-16 to 1-8.

Westmeath put on a decent display in their opening championship encounter at Innovate Wexford Park last weekend, eventually losing 2-14 to 2-11. They had led by two points early in the second half thanks to two quickfire goals from Caulry’s Aaron Roarke and Billy Berry of Moate All Whites.

In their opening round game, Offaly faced Dublin in Parnell Park and were defeated by 2-11 to 1-9.

The winners of the other losers’ group game between Laois and Wicklow – which will take place in O’Moore Park on May 6 at 7.30pm – will also advance to the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, the Westmeath senior football team are continuing their preparations for their Leinster championship opener against Louth in Drogheda on Sunday, May 17.

In what was something of a clash between two ‘second string’ outfits, Westmeath played Mayo in Athlone last Monday night.

A similar clash took place Westmeath and Laois in Lakepoint Park, Mullingar last night (Wednesday).

Westmeath won both games as team manager Tom Cribbin gave fringe players a chase to impress. However, of course very little can be read into the results of such outings.

Glennon not looking back in anger

Westmeath attacker Denis Glennon has claimed the players have moved on after Tom Cribbin’s blunt comments in the wake of the team’s relegation from Division 2 of the League.

Speaking to The Irish Examiner, Glennon said: “Preparations have been good. Tom knows what he said in the interview was a pure heat of the moment. There’s no animosity or anything. We’re just looking forward to the next match."

“The players didn’t make anything of it. We all want the one thing, which is to try and achieve things with this team. We’ve all said things in the heat of the moment too. We’re not overly worried or concerned about it,” the Tyrrellspass man added.

 

Electric Ireland Leinster MFC Update

Losers Group - Round One
7. Westmeath v Offaly, April 29, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 7.15
Losers Group - Round Two
8. Winners 7 v Kildare, May 6, Tullamore/Newbridge, 7.30
9. Laois v Wicklow, May 6, O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 7.30
Quarter-Finals: Carlow, Meath, Wexford, Dublin, Louth, Longford, Winners 8, Winners 9.