Westmeath U-20 team named for showdown with Dublin
The Westmeath U-20 football team has been named for the EirGrid Leinster championship quarter-final against Dublin at Parnell Park tonight (Thursday, 7.30pm).
There is one change from the starting team that defeated Wicklow in Baltinglass last week, with Adam Treanor replacing Jack Geoghegan at wing-back. Treanor was introduced as a half-time substitute against Wicklow, having been out of action for a spell through injury.
Killucan's Sean Leech scored two goals in the 4-12 to 2-13 win over Wicklow, with Caulry's Senan Baker and Tubberclair's Matthew Whittaker contributing the others.
But Westmeath had to come from behind to earn the win and, speaking after a pulsating encounter, Westmeath manager Damien Gavin was understandably relieved with the result.
“We were under serious pressure in the first half and were seven points down at one stage, but we didn’t give up. We always preach that whatever happens, you never give up," said Gavin.
“We looked nervous to be honest and Wicklow had two very good inside forwards. They moved the ball very well up to them and they put us under a lot of pressure in the first half. We settled early enough in the second half and, once we got back into it, lads started to play well. But Wicklow were always dangerous the whole way through,” he added.
The strength of the Lake County panel was noteworthy in their successful Philly McGuinness Cup campaign. Gavin said: “What we’ve been trying to do since we first met in December is to get a squad of 30/31 lads. There are lads who didn’t make the 24 today whom we could have brought on and not weakened the team. That gives great confidence to the other lads as well.”
Westmeath’s attacking threat was there to be seen in a tally of 4-12, but the team conceded 2-13 on the night. The 1995 All-Ireland minor winning captain said: “We have forwards who can score. We have players all over who are comfortable on the ball. We will need to tighten up at the back and not be conceding goals. Wicklow ran through the middle a little bit too easy in the first half, but we blocked things up a little bit better in the second half.”
Unsurprisingly, Gavin expects Dublin to provide a "very tough" challenge but he hopes the battle against Wicklow will stand to his troops.
"It will give them great confidence. You just have to deal with whoever you come up against if you are going to be successful. And, thankfully, we seem to be okay on the injury front,” he added.
Westmeath team (v Dublin): Michael Lynam; Ronan Hanley, Sam Smyth, Daniel Scahill; Darragh Seery, Josh Gahan, Adam Treanor; Sean Claffey, Ciaran Daly; Danny McCartan, Senan Baker, Sean Leech; Devin Hill, Ben McGauran, Matthew Whittaker.
Subs: Sean Martin, Jack Geoghegan, Jack Keenan, Tom Cloonan, Jamie Corcoran, Ciaran Clear, Podge Quinn, Dylan Murtagh, Peter Pierson, Toby Conteh, Eamonn Martin, Shane Hanley, Sean Carroll, Alan Malynn, Brendan Killian, Senan O'Driscoll.