Westmeath team named for royal rumble at croke park

There is one change in the Westmeath team for Sunday’s eagerly awaited Leinster semi-final against Meath.

Lorcan Smyth has been drafted into the attack in place of Ronan Foley - as Westmeath look for their first ever senior football championship win over the Royals.

There are some positional switches, with Kieran Martin selected at centre-back and Ger Egan at centre-forward.

Martin started in attack in the quarter-final win over Wexford and despite being moved to defence for the start of the second half, the Maryland man still got forward to score the goal which turned the game in Westmeath’s favour.

Paul Sharry has been moved to midfield alongside Daragh Daly, while John Gilligan has been placed at corner-back. Former Westmeath captain Kieran Gavin has been named on the bench, having recently returned to action from a long term injury.

Callum McCormack has been ruled out of the game entirely due to a hamstring injury. McCormack scored Westmeath’s first goal in their opening round win over Louth, but he subsequently picked up an injury when playing for Maryland against Castledaly in the Westmeath SFC.

Sunday’s game has a 2pm throw-in at Croke Park, and it will be followed by the clash of Leinster champions Dublin and Kildare. The opening match in the programme on the day will feature the same two counties, with the Kildare minors meeting their Dublin at counterparts at 12.00.

Westmeath SF Team v Meath

1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)

2. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)

3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)

4. John Gilligan (Ballymore)

5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)

6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)

7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)

8. Paul Sharry (St Loman's Mullingar)

9. Daragh Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)

10. Ray Connellan (Athlone)

11. Ger Egan (Capt., Tyrrellspass)

12. Dennis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks)

13. Lorcan Smyth (Mullingar Shamrocks)

14. John Heslin (St Loman’s Mullingar)

15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s Mullingar)

 

Subs

16. Gary Connaughton (Tubberclair)

17. Francis Boyle (Killucan)

18. John Connellan (Athlone)

19. John Egan (Athlone)

20. Ronan Foley (Coralstown-Kinnegad)

21. Kieran Gavin (Mullingar Shamrocks)

22. Denis Glennon (Tyrrellspass)

23. Jamie Gonoud (Tyrrellspass)

24. Paul Greville (Killucan)

25. David Lynch (St Malachy's)

26. John Stapleton (Athlone)