Westmeath make one change for Cavan clash
There is one change on the Westmeath team to face Cavan in Division 2 of the Allianz Football League at TEG Cusack Park tomorrow (Sunday), throw-in 2pm.
Enda Gaffney comes into the starting team with Brandon Kelly dropping to the substitutes' bench. Gaffney was introduced as a sub in the narrow defeat away to Cork last Saturday evening - see match report here.
Charlie Drumm is selected on the team at full-back despite some speculation that The Downs defender would be absent due to travels abroad.
Danny McCartan, selected on the GAA Team of the Week by virtue of his display against Cork, is part of a youthful half-forward line which also includes TUS Midlands students Brían Cooney and Matthew Whittaker.
As expected, Athlone's Ray Connellan and Brian Guerin of Mullingar Shamrocks remain absent through injury. Connellan and Guerin formed the midfield pairing in Westmeath's opening league game against Louth. Their ongoing absence is an additional blow to a squad already missing a plethora of players from last year.
Maryland stalwart Kieran Martin again appears to be the sub goalkeeper, though he was introduced as an outfield player against Cork.
With Conor McCormack continuing in his new goalkeeping role, it appears that Jason Daly, Westmeath's regular goalkeeper in recent years, has dropped himself off the panel.
Rosemount's Adam Keane - who played for DCU Dóchas Éireann in the recent Freshers' football final - is included in Westmeath's match-day squad for the first time.
Despite falling to three defeats thus far, a new look Westmeath outfit has impressed with their spirited and enterprising displays, scoring 5-56 over those three games. On the other hand, the fact that a total of 6-64 has been conceded is an obvious cause of concern.
Sunday's game will see Westmeath manager Dermot McCabe in opposition to his native county. McCabe was a key figure on the Cavan team which won the Ulster senior football title in 1997.
Westmeath team (vs Cavan): Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Charlie Drumm, Conor Dillon; Enda Gaffney, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan; Jack Geoghegan, Kevin O’Sullivan; Danny McCartan, Brían Cooney, Matthew Whittaker; Lorcan Dolan, Luke Loughlin, Robbie Forde.
Subs: Kieran Martin, Brandon Kelly, Fionn O'Hara, Andrew Kilmartin, Daniel Scahill, Marc Eivers, Joseph Moran, Daragh Lowry, Stephen Smith, David Giles, Adam Keane.