Westmeath captain Carmel Harris lifts the cup after victory in the 1995 All-Ireland senior 'B' final in Athlone.

Looking back on Westmeath's previous All-Ireland ladies finals

Followers of Westmeath ladies football will have vivid memories of the county's victory in the 2011 All-Ireland intermediate final. Westmeath overcame Cavan in that year's decider in thrilling fashion at Croke Park, with a replay required to separate the teams.

However, some people might need reminding that Westmeath contested the All-Ireland senior final in 1987, and won the All-Ireland senior 'B' title in 1995 (the intermediate grade came into existence in 1997).

Having defeated Wexford in the Leinster final, Westmeath faced Kerry in the 1987 All-Ireland decider at Croke Park. It was a formidable Kerry team who were going for six national titles in a row. Kerry won the final on a 2-10 to 2-2 scoreline and indeed went on to complete a nine-in-a-row.

Marina Glennon scored the first of Westmeath's goals with the second coming from Patricia Reynolds early in the second half, briefly raising Westmeath hopes of a shock win.

Jackie McGillycuddy scored both of Kerry's goals, one in either half, with Margaret Flaherty the victorious captain for the Kingdom.

Mick Scully was the trainer of the 1987 Westmeath team and Ken Dolan (father of Sarah and James Dolan) was among the selectors.

Fast forward to November 1995, and an example of how far ladies football has come in recent years can be gleaned from a paragraph in the Westmeath Examiner at the time. At the end of a report on Westmeath's All-Ireland semi-final victory over Leitrim, hope was expressed that with the "kind permission" of Westmeath GAA, the All-Ireland senior 'B' final against Dublin would be played as a curtain-raiser to a National Football League men's game between the same two counties at Páirc Chiaráin, Athlone.

As things transpired, this hope came to fruition with the ladies final taking place in Athlone, before the Westmeath men's team lost to then All-Ireland champions Dublin.

Westmeath midfielder Anne Marie Curran was described as "the best player on view" in the ladies final and she contributed four points.

"Straight from the throw-in, she grabbed the game by the lapels and dictated the pace throughout. Her offensive running was inspirational to her colleagues, and when the need arose she defended with vigour," stated a report on the final.

Marina Glennon scored two of Westmeath's goals and the other came from Patricia Reynolds, with both players repeating their goalscoring feats from the 1987 senior decider.

The sides were level at half-time and it was a similar situation inside the last ten minutes. But late points from Curran, Reynolds and Lily Brick secured victory for Westmeath by 3-9 to 3-7. Carmel Harris lifted the trophy as the victorious Westmeath captain. The Westmeath team manager was Esther Kelly, with Mick Dunne the coach.

As previously mentioned, the 2011 All-Ireland final took two games to decide. In the drawn game, Cavan led by four points early in the second half before goals by Jo-hanna Maher and substitute Karen Hegarty put Westmeath on the cusp of victory. But Aisling Doonan's late point from a free (her sixth point overall) earned Cavan a replay.

A superbly taken penalty from Garrycastle's Laura Brennan helped to turn the replay in Westmeath's favour. Ultimately, team captain Elaine Finn sent over the precious winning point, paving the way for her to lift the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup.

The Westmeath team was jointly managed by Peter Leavy and Alan Mangan, a Leinster senior medal winner in 2004. The Westmeath team for the replay included future Rose of Tralee winner Jennifer Byrne.

Interestingly, there was a family connection between the 1987 Westmeath team and the 2011 side. Patricia Dolan was on the 1987 team and her daughter Sarah was on the victorious 2011 panel.

The current Westmeath captain Fiona Claffey is a niece of Patricia and Fiona was actually born on the week of the 1987 final. Ballinagore native Patricia (a sister of Fiona's father, Gerry) played club football for Athlone and she has been involved with Garrycastle ladies football for a number of years.

Fiona is one of five survivors from the 2011 panel that are part of the current squad, the others being Jennifer Rogers, Jo-hanna Maher, Karen Hegarty and Ciara Blundell. Following their All-Ireland success of 2011, Westmeath competed at senior level until their demotion back to the intermediate ranks in 2019.

Westmeath reached the 2020 All-Ireland intermediate final in which they were defeated by Meath last December. Despite the Lake County ladies scoring three goals in the opening seven minutes - two from Lucy McCartan - Meath proved too strong overall.

The Royals will face reigning champions Dublin in this year's senior final, with Westmeath back in the intermediate decider against Wexford (throw-in 1.45pm).

Below are details of all of Westmeath's four previous appearances in All-Ireland ladies football finals.

All-Ireland senior final 1987

Kerry 2-10 Westmeath 2-2 (Croke Park)

Scorers for Westmeath: M. Glennon and P. Reynolds 1-0 each; J. O'Connor and J. Keenan 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Betty Arthur (Rochfortbridge); Mary O'Connor (Athlone), Bridget Healy (Rochfortbridge), Bernadette Molloy (Tyrrellspass); Marion Manny (Rochfortbridge), Josephine Glennon (Rochfortbridge, captain); Patricia Dolan (Athlone); Catherine Shine (Athlone), Marina Glennon (Rochfortbridge); Lily Brick (Rochfortbridge), Caroline O'Hara (Coralstown), Edel Clarke (Rochfortbridge); Anne Hynes (Streamstown), Jackie O'Connor (Athlone), Jacinta Keenan (Streamstown).

Subs: Sharon Duignan (Coralstown), Frances Daly (Tyrrellspass), Imelda Gorman (Rochfortbridge), Anne Scully (Rochfortbridge), Mary Lynam (Rochfortbridge), Fiona Kirby (Streamstown), Helen Kearney (Streamstown), Carmel Gill (Rochfortbridge), Patricia Reynolds (Rochfortbridge), Bernadette Quinn (Streamstown), Deirdre Slevin (Athlone).

All-Ireland senior 'B' final 1995

Westmeath 3-9 Dublin 3-7 (Páirc Chiaráin, Athlone)

Scorers for Westmeath: M. Glennon 2-0; A.M. Curran 0-4; P. Reynolds 1-1; L. Brick 0-2; C. Harris and U. Maher 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Jacinta Keenan; Esther Giles, Bridget Healy, Caitriona Ennis; Eileen Gill, Colette Cummins; Helen Kearney; Anne Marie Curran, Carmel Harris (captain); Caitriona Lynch, Marina Glennon, Sarah Corcoran; Lily Brick, Patricia Reynolds, Ulrika Maher.

Subs: Trina Broder, Niamh Cunniffe, Gillian Johnston, Anne Scully, Monica Jordan, Ann Molloy, Rose Cole.

TG4 All-Ireland intermediate final 2011

Drawn game: Westmeath 2-5 Cavan 0-11 (Croke Park)

Scorers for Westmeath: J. Maher and K. Hegarty 1-1 each; R. Kearney 0-2; E. Morris 0-1.

Replay: Westmeath 1-9 Cavan 1-8 (Croke Park)

Scorers for Westmeath: L. Brennan 1-1 (1-0pen); M.A. Foley 0-4 (1f); E. Finn, L. Walsh, F. Claffey and S. Dolan 0-1 each.

Westmeath panel: Gemma Leavy (Mullingar Shamrocks), Aileen Martin (St Loman's Mullingar), Grace Kearney (Milltown), Triona Durkan (Kilbeggan Shamrocks), Kelly Boyce Jordan (Milltown), Jennifer Rogers (Milltown), Michelle Malone (Moate), Maud Annie Foley (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Lauralee Walsh (Na Fianna, Dublin), Fiona Claffey (Kilbeggan Shamrocks), Ruth Kearney (Milltown), Laura Brennan (Garrycastle), Elaine Finn (Killucan, captain), Katie Somers (Milltown), Jo-hanna Maher (Tyrrellspass), Jennifer Byrne (Garrycastle), Karen Hegarty (Mullingar Shamrocks), Emma Morris (Mullingar Shamrocks), Aoife Brady (Rochfortbridge), Karen McDermott (Rochfortbridge), Carol Butler (Moate), Ciara Blundell (St Loman's Mullingar), Patrice Keogh (Moate), Sarah Dolan (Garrycastle), Carole Finch (Mullingar Shamrocks), Sinead Walker (Garrycastle), Faye Kearney (Milltown), Sarah Keegan (Tyrrellspass), Gillian Ferguson (The Downs), Laura Newman (St Loman's Mullingar).

TG4 All-Ireland intermediate final 2020

Meath 2-17 Westmeath 4-5 (Croke Park)

Scorers for Westmeath: Westmeath: A Jones 1-5 (0-4f), L McCartan 2-0, L Archibold 1-0 (pen).

Westmeath: Lauren McCormack; Rachel Dillon, Lucy Power, Jennifer Rogers; Lorraine Duncan, Fiona Claffey, Ayesha Roche; Jo-hanna Maher, Tracey Dillon; Anna Jones, Leona Archibold, Vicky Carr; Lucy McCartan, Tara Fagan, Ciara Blundell. Subs used: Sarah Dolan, Niamh Spelman, Karen Hegarty, Sarah McCormack, Emma Kelly.