Westmeath's Kieran Martin and Ross Munnelly of Laois in action during this year's Leinster SFC. The two counties will meet again next year. Photo: Ann Hennessy.

Westmeath handed the chance to turn tables on Laois next year


Westmeath will have a chance to avenge their Leinster SFC quarter-final defeat at the hands of Laois this year - when they meet the O’Moore men again at the same stage in next year’s competition.

The 2019 Leinster SFC draw was made last night, keeping Jack Cooney’s charges on the opposite side of the draw to All-Ireland champions Dublin.
 
Earlier this summer, Laois romped to a 4-13 to 1-12 quarter-final win over the Lake County en route to the Leinster final, which they duly lost by 18 points, as an unbeatable Dublin annexed the Delaney Cup for the eighth consecutive time. Westmeath will also meet John Sugrue's Laois side in Division 3 of next year's Allianz Football League, in what will be a battle for league points and a championship dress rehearsal.

The Dubs will be unbackable favourites to make that nine in a row next summer, but Kildare will be hoping to have a crack at the Metropolitans in a Leinster semi-final.

On the other side of the draw, should Westmeath beat Laois, they will face a semi-final against one of Meath, Offaly or Carlow. Out of the three, Carlow – who saw off Kildare during the summer and narrowly missed out on a Leinster final – will be fancied to progress to the semis.

The Royals will be favourites to overcome Offaly and should both they and Westmeath progress, there could be another semi-final meeting between the old rivals, with memories of the Lake County’s historic 2015 win still fresh in the mind. The draw in full is provided below.

2019 Leinster SFC

First round
Louth v Wexford; Wicklow v Kildare; Meath v Offaly.
Quarter-finals
1. Louth/Wexford v Dublin; 2. Wicklow/Kildare v Longford; 3. Meath/Offaly v Carlow; 4. Westmeath v Laois.
Semi-finals
1 v 2; 3 v 4