Westmeath to begin new regime with O'Byrne Cup

BRENDAN Hackett's tenure as Westmeath senior football manager will begin with an O'Byrne Cup clash against DCU early next year. Westmeath will hold home advantage for the game which is scheduled to take place on January 10, with the winners advancing to face either Kilkenny or Offaly in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Westmeath hurlers have been handed a bye in the first round of the Kehoe Cup and will face either Longford or Down in the quarter-finals on January 31. 2010 O'BYRNE CUP SF First Round (1) Laois v DIT; (2) Kildare v UCD; (3) Carlow v Athlone IT; (4) Wicklow v Louth; (5) Dublin v Wexford; (6) Longford v Meath; (7) Kilkenny v Offaly; (8) Westmeath v DCU. Ties to be played January 10. Quarter-Finals (9) 1 v 2; (10) 3 v 4; (11) 5 v 6; (12) 7 v 8. Ties to be played January 17. Semi-Finals (13) 9 v 10; (14) 11 v 12. Ties to be played January 24. Final: To be played January 31. O'BYRNE SHIELD SF Quarter-finals (A) Loser 1 (ie loser of Laois v DIT) v Loser 2 (ie loser of Kildare v UCD); (B) Loser 3 v Loser 4; (C) Loser 5 v Loser 6 (D); Loser 7 v Loser 8 - Ties to be played January 17. Semi-Finals: (E) Winner A v Winner B; (F) Winner C v Winner D - Ties to be played January 24. Final: To be played January 31. 2010 KEHOE CUP SH First round (1) Louth v Trinity College; (2) Kildare v Armagh; (3) Fingal v DCU; (4) Meath - bye; (5) Wicklow v Roscommon; (6) Carlow v Mayo; (7) Longford v Down; (8) Westmeath - bye. Ties to be played January 24 Quarter-Finals (9) Winners 1 v Winners 2; (10) Winners 3 v Meath; (11) Winners 5 v Winners 6; (12) Winners 7 v Westmeath - Ties to be played January 31. Semi-Finals (13) 9 v 10; (14) 11 v 12 - Ties to be played February 7. Final: To be played February 14.