Can Garrycastle end Lake County's quest for Leinster club crown?

Over the last few years, Garrycastle players have probably grown accustomed to people talking about their 'last chance' to land a Leinster title. Yet, Sunday's final against St Brigid's of Dublin (Tullamore, 2pm) genuinely seems to be the last chance saloon for this superb collection of footballers. Many of the Garrycastle players have been around since their maiden Westmeath senior championship success back in 2001. This year, they completed a coveted three-in-a-row of county titles. They have been getting closer to provincial success in the last couple of years. Defeated finalists in 2009, they were knocked out at the semi-final stage last year by eventual winners Kilmacud Crokes. Several members of the Garrycastle squad have won six county titles and many of them have made huge contributions to Westmeath football. David O'Shaughnessy captained Westmeath to their only Leinster senior title, while Dessie Dolan is surely the county's greatest modern day player. Helping their club to win a Leinster title would be another hugely significant chapter in their success-laden careers. No Westmeath club team has ever won a Leinster senior club title, so Garrycastle are seeking history both for themselves and for the county they represent on Sunday. Can they produce the quality of performance needed to secure an elusive Leinster title? In their previous Leinster final appearance, the 2009 decider against Portlaoise, Garrycastle failed to do themselves justice. Indeed, Anthony Cunningham admitted after last year's narrow defeat to Kilmacud that his charges had come closer to the standard required that day than in the Portlaoise defeat. Dessie Dolan was well held by Cahir Healy of Portlaoise in the 2009 final and he will be very determined to exert more influence on Sunday's proceedings. As always, Dolan will be a tightly marked man on Sunday, and the other Garrycastle forwards will need to take some of the responsibility from his shoulders. In that light, Garrycastle will be hoping that Patrick Mulvihill can rediscover the scintillating form he showed during much of the Westmeath championship. With the hugely successful Anthony Cunningham taking over as Galway hurling manager, this is his last chance to add a Leinster club crown to a CV which is brimful of titles. Cunningham guided St Brigid's of Kiltoom to a Connacht title and has won the Westmeath crown with Garrycastle in each of his three years in charge. Adding a Leinster title would be another sweet success. Although Sunday's game is all about winning the Leinster title, the fact that victory would also set up an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with near neighbours and Connacht champions St Brigid's should provide additional incentive. Not that any extra motivation is needed. However, a chance to play a neighbouring team in an All-Ireland semi-final is surely a prospect this Garrycastle squad would relish. Such glorious opportunities seldom arise. Wstmeath representatives in general have not fared well against opposition from the capital. The Downs and Tyrrellspass have previously lost Leinster finals to Dublin teams (in both cases they were well beaten by St Vincent's). St Brigid's are favourites on Sunday and understandably so when one looks at the calibre of teams they have beaten along the way to the Leinster final. In the Dublin county decider, they overcame a team boasting the last two winners of the footballer of the year award (Bernard and Alan Brogan). Their defence has carved out a reputation as the meanest in Dublin and, when they entered the Leinster championship, they really found their scoring boots. Another factor to bear in mind is how well Dublin club teams have performed at Leinster and All-Ireland level in recent years. St Vincent's won the 2008 All-Ireland title, while Kilmacud Crokes claimed the Andy Merrigan Cup in 2009. And Kilmacud were only denied (in controversial fashion) by mighty Crossmaglen Rangers in the All-Ireland semi-finals in the early months of this year. Jointly managed by former Meath star Gerry McEntee and Mark Byrne, the Blanchardstown/Castleknock outfit will be looking to established Dublin star Barry Cahill for inspiration on Sunday. Paddy Andrews, who starred for the Dublin minors against Westmeath a few years ago, is another potential ace in the pack, and he could well force his way back into Pat Gilroy's plans for next year. Hugely promising defender Sean Murray, Laois star John O'Loughlin and attacker Ken Darcy are among the other Brigid's players to watch out for on Sunday. O'Connor Park in Tullamore has sometimes been regarded as almost a 'second home' for Westmeath, given its close proximity to so much of the county's football heartland. While the venue is not going to put points on the board, it will have been welcomed by the Garrycastle camp, and it should boost the level of support they receive from the county and across the midlands. They certainly deserve the support of the entire county as they bid to become the first Westmeath club team to win a Leinster senior title. The Leinster Council has confirmed that Wexford's Syl Doyle will referee Sunday's eagerly-awaited decider, which will be televised live on TG4.