Draw for the 2016 Leinster Senior Football and Hurling Championships made
The draw for the 2016 Leinster senior football and hurling championships has been made, with Westmeath facing a midland derby in the Leinster SFC quarter-finals next summer.
The draw, which took place on RTÉ earlier this evening, pits the Maroons – who lost this year's Leinster final to Dublin – against either Longford or Offaly, who meet in the first round.
Tom Cribbin's charges have avoided Dublin in their potential path to a Leinster final, and should they prevail against Longford or Offaly, they will meet either Wexford or Cribbin's native Kildare in the last four.
Westmeath will become acquainted with both Longford and Offaly in advance of the Leinster SFC, when the sides meet in Division 3 of the Allianz NFL.
Promotion in the league will be the target for the Lake County, as a springboard for what would be a realistic chance at reaching a second consecutive Leinster final.
On the other side of the draw, Leinster and All-Ireland champions Dublin will be hot favourites to reach the July decider. They have been drawn against the winners of the first round clash between Laois and Wicklow, and will take on the winners of Meath v Carlow/Louth in the semis.
In hurling meanwhile, Michael Ryan's Westmeath charges go straight into the Leinster SHC round robin phase with Offaly, Carlow and Kerry.
The winners of this league phase take on 2015 All-Ireland finalists Galway in the Leinster quarter-finals, while the second-placed team meet Laois.
Draw details:
