Next Sunday’s game could shape Westmeath hurling’s 2020 vision

Those of us old enough to remember Italia 90 will recall Ireland’s favourite Glaswegian, Ray Houghton, saying that he felt it ironic that every game therein for the Boys in Green was being labelled “the most important ever”.

It is not, I hope, being overly melodramatic to suggest that next Sunday’s Division 1 relegation play-off against Carlow in Mullingar is one of the most important ever games from a Westmeath hurling perspective. Every punter who has ever graced a bookie’s shop would have expected Shane O’Brien’s troops to finish bottom of a power-packed Division 1 this spring, while it always looked like a straight shootout between neighbours Laois and Carlow to avoid a play-off spot from their group.

As it transpired, the O’Moore County won that head-to-head by a point in a Portlaoise quagmire, so it will be the Barrowsiders that Westmeath face at 2pm on Sunday in TEG Cusack Park. While some say that the (welcome) decision of the powers-that-be to eliminate relegation from this year’s race for the Bob O’Keeffe Cup (the aforementioned Laois are likely to be the beneficiaries of this vote), the result of a coin toss between Westmeath and Carlow officials during a break in proceedings was arguably this county’s best news from the Croke Park gathering. None of us fancied humming the tune, ‘Follow me down to Carlow’, in the days ahead!

This scribe was on update duty for Midlands Radio 3 last Sunday in LIT Gaelic Grounds and, early in my mini-reports, I estimated the crowd at “around 3,500, with 3,450 supporting Limerick”. A half-time walk for a ‘cuppa’ probably changed my findings – I couldn’t count close to 50 travelling fans! Yes, it was a classic ‘dead rubber’ for Westmeath, but in a ground thronged by maroon and white-clad supporters on May 15, 1999, for a never-to-be-forgotten All-Ireland U21 football final win against Kerry, it was an eerie – and upsetting – feeling to see it devoid of even a morsel of support for the visitors.

As it transpired, the underdogs produced a gutsy, and often-skilful, display which had the aforementioned 3,450 (3,480?) spectators in green and white colours very twitchy late in the game, especially after Darragh O’Donovan’s dismissal at a crucial juncture. In the end, David Dempsey’s late goal ensured a relaxed period of injury-time for the Shannonsiders, whose dismissive and patronising attitude to Westmeath’s challenge during the interval was galling listening for visiting ears.

The general consensus among Westmeath Gaels ahead of this league campaign was that any single-figure defeat against the five elite opponents would be a decent achievement. Well, that was achieved three times – Waterford and Limerick (nine points), and Cork (four). Yes, it was an opportunity for the top counties to experiment somewhat, but these were very acceptable results for Westmeath after over three decades in the wilderness of Division 2A (and lower). Football commitments meant that I missed the trips to Salthill and Semple Stadium both of which resulted in heavy beatings, albeit harsh red cards to marquee players, Aonghus Clarke and Killian Doyle, undoubtedly contributed to both setbacks.

Several positives emerged from last Sunday’s game, especially after Westmeath trailed by 0-9 to 0-0 (and ‘lucky to be zero’, as one wag put it) early in the contest. Derek McNicholas’ hitherto-unknown name is likely to have been mentioned in Treaty City hostelries that night, as the Lough Lene Gaels veteran showed sublime stick-work from placed balls. His two superb sideline cuts came at a ground where I had the privilege of seeing a Westmeath man do so for the first time when another Collinstown maestro, Michael Cosgrove, dissected the posts against Kerry in 1975. Darragh Clinton again impressed as a sub, while relative newcomer, Jack Galvin, scored two delightful points, as did the very youthful Josh Coll.

However, some ‘old dogs for the hard road’ will be crucial when Colm Bonnar brings his green, red and yellow-clad charges to Westmeath GAA headquarters on Sunday. It would be great to see classy and experienced skipper, Eoin Price, back in action after injury, while Killian Doyle (still a young man, but already a vital cog for his county) should return after suspension.

Overall, it is hard to argue with a social media post by ‘LockLeanGayl’ last Sunday night: “Decent performance today. Worried about the keeper situation. And Limerick were in Portugal until early Sunday morning, so let’s not get too carried away. Carlow rested a few today with an eye on next weekend. Maybe we should have done the same? Confident we can get over them though. Vital to stay up. Especially with how hard it is to get out of 2A. Everyone to Mullingar next Sunday.”

Unsurprisingly, Westmeath and Carlow are almost inseparable in the 27 league clashes to date (14-13 in our favour), as follows:

30/1/1977, Carlow, Westmeath 5-11 Carlow 2-6

21/10/1979, Cusack Park, Westmeath 2-9 Carlow 2-3

22/11/1981, Collinstown, Westmeath 0-14 Carlow 1-8

27/3/1983, Carlow, Westmeath 3-7 Carlow 1-11

25/2/1990, Castletown-Geoghegan, Westmeath 0-9 Carlow 0-2

14/10/1990, Cusack Park, Westmeath 3-7 Carlow 0-12

17/11/1991, Carlow, Carlow 0-12 Westmeath 0-8

8/11/1992, Castletown-Geoghegan, Westmeath 1-12 Carlow 1-9

1/6/1998, Tullamore, Westmeath 4-8 Carlow 1-11

9/5/1999, Carlow, Carlow 2-9 Westmeath 1-5

23/5/2000, Cusack Park, Carlow 3-11 Westmeath 2-11

5/5/2001, Carlow, Westmeath 5-15 Carlow 2-9

13/4/2003, Cusack Park, Westmeath 5-14 Carlow 0-13

23/4/2005, Carlow, Carlow 3-11 Westmeath 3-8

20/4/2008, Limerick, Westmeath 2-12 Carlow 0-12

28/3/2009, Cusack Park, Carlow 2-15 Westmeath 0-15

28/2/2010, Carlow, Carlow 5-17 Westmeath 1-10

2/4/2011, Carlow, Carlow 2-15 Westmeath 1-14

18/3/2012, Carlow, Carlow 2-17 Westmeath 1-16

15/4/2012, Kilkenny, Carlow 1-14 Westmeath 0-12

23/3/2014, Carlow, Carlow 2-21 Westmeath 0-13

22/3/2015, Cusack Park, Westmeath 1-14 Carlow 1-13

20/3/2016, Carlow, Carlow 0-20 Westmeath 1-15

26/3/2016, Tullamore, Westmeath 0-10 Carlow 0-8

12/2/2017, TEG Cusack Park, Carlow 1-13 Westmeath 1-11

28/1/2018, Carlow, Westmeath 0-19 Carlow 0-15

24/3/2018, Portlaoise, Carlow 2-19 Westmeath 2-12.