New faces expected to feature as Lake County face Dubs in season opener

WESTMEATH kick off their 2011 O'Byrne Cup campaign against Dublin this weekend - with manager Pat Flanagan expected to stick with the bulk of the players who turned out for the Lake County in a challenge match victory over Longford last weekend. Denis Glennon and Paul Greville featured prominently as a largely experimental Westmeath defeated Longford 1-10 to 1-9 last weekend, but this coming Sunday's O'Byrne Cup opener with Dublin (Cusack Park, Mullingar, 2pm) is likely to be a more testing encounter for many of Flanagan's newer players. Included among the Westmeath starting line-up against Longford were the likes of Micheál Curley (Mullingar Shamrocks), Conor Jordan (Killucan), and Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks), while Athlone's John Connellan started in attack, despite not being initially named in a 46-strong panel for the year. Flanagan, however, has been dealt another blow ahead of the new season after midfielder David Duffy tore his hamstring in the match against Longford. Having lost Martin Flanagan, Damien Healy, John Keane and Derek Heavin to retirement, and Michael Ennis to a shoulder injury, Flanagan could ill-afford to lose another key performer, with Shandonagh clubman Duffy expected to be sidelined for up to four weeks. Commenting on Duffy's injury, the manager said: “When you look around the panel, he would be one of the most experienced players, so it's disappointing to lose him with the Dublin game (in the O'Byrne Cup) coming up on Sunday.†Flanagan will be without a host of players for the Cusack Park clash for a variety of reasons. Young guns Kieran Gavin, Tommy Warburton, John Heslin and Kieran Martin are committed to their college sides, as is All-Star goalkeeper Gary Connaughton (Athlone IT), while Dessie Dolan isn't expected to feature after just returning from a spell abroad. “We will be without a lot of players, but that gives others the opportunity to stake a claim for a place,†Flanagan added. With experienced netminder Gary Connaughton unavailable this weekend, Tyrrellspass goalkeeper Darren Quinn is likely to retain his place between the posts, although Killucan's David Bryan was also afforded a run-out as a substitute against Longford. Athlone's Gary Quinn and Castledaly's Tommy Warburton were part of the defence against Longford, along with Micheál Curley, Conor Jordan, Kieran Gavin and Frank Boyle. Duffy and Corroon formed a midfield partnership, with Denis Glennon, Peter Tormey, Aidan Finnan, Andrew Whitney, Connellan and Greville starting in attack. Numerous substitutes, including debutant Alan Giles (son of new selector Larry Giles), were used by Flanagan, as Westmeath established a four-point lead by half-time, and eventually claimed a single point victory. Dublin, meanwhile, will have little option but to field a hugely experimental team in the O'Byrne Cup opener for a variety of reasons. Manager Pat Gilroy, who guided Dublin into last year's All-Ireland semi-finals, explained: “At last count, it was 24 different fellas that we can't use this month due to injury or because they're committed to their colleges or with Kilmacud Crokes' club run. It'll definitely be a new-look team playing in the O'Byrne Cup, but that's no harm.†Gilroy is again conducting early morning training sessions with his Dublin squad this year. The Dubs held their first 6.30am session of 2011 earlier this week, and Gilroy has defending this approach, saying that it paid dividends last year. The winners of Sunday's match at Cusack Park will face either Wexford or DIT in the next round on January 16. Athlone IT also begin their O'Byrne Cup campaign this weekend, with Martin McCabe's side facing a potentially very difficult trip to Drogheda to take on 2010 Leinster finalists Louth.