Westmeath select team for Down duel
The Westmeath team to face Down in their Allianz Football League Division 2 game in Newry tomorrow (Saturday) has been named.
Team captain Ronan Wallace and Kevin O'Sullivan return to the starting line-up, with Joe Moran and Lorcan Dolan the two players to lose out. Wallace was unable to start the unfortunate defeat to Meath last Sunday week due to an injury, though the Multyfarnham player did come on during the last quarter. O'Sullivan, who has impressed during a difficult league campaign, wasn't involved at all against the Royals.
Caulry's Conor McCormack continues as goalkeeper, having impressed in this relatively new role against Meath, saving a penalty in the process.
Páirc Esler in Newry is the venue for the Down vs Westmeath clash, with the throw-in time of 6pm hardly conducive to encouraging away fans to make the long trip north.
Both Westmeath and Down are battling to avoid relegation, with the Lake County men now requiring something approaching a miracle to survive. Despite playing some impressive attacking football, Dermot McCabe's charges prop up the table with no points from five games, while Down are second from bottom on two points.
If the Cork vs Louth match finishes in a draw on Sunday, Westmeath will be relegated even if they claim a win over Down the previous day.
Westmeath's only hope of survival is to win their last two games and hope that other results go their way.
Basically, Westmeath need to win their remaining two games - a very tall order considering joint leaders Roscommon visit Mullingar in the last round - and hope that two other teams finish on four points. Realistically, Westmeath need to beat Down by a comprehensive margin to boost their scoring difference.
Westmeath defeated Down in last year's Allianz Football League Division 3 final at Croke Park, after the sides played out an entertaining draw at TEG Cusack in the round robin series of games.
With Westmeath's relegation fate virtually sealed at this stage, tomorrow's game represents their best hope of gaining a win which would boost confidence ahead of the Leinster quarter-final against Kildare in Newbridge on Saturday, April 12.
Westmeath team (vs Down): Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Jack Geoghegan, Conor Dillon; Kevin O'Sullivan, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan; Ray Connellan, Fionn O'Hara; Danny McCartan, Brían Cooney, Matthew Whittaker; Robbie Forde, Luke Loughlin, Brandon Kelly.
Subs: Kieran Martin, Nigel Harte, David Giles, Andrew Kilmartin, Danny Scahill, Enda Gaffney, Joe Moran, Adam Treanor, Stephen Smith, Shane Ormsby, Marc Eivers.