Westmeath team named for showdown with Tyrone
The Westmeath team for this Sunday's All-Ireland SFC Group 2 showdown with Tyrone has been selected - and shows one change in personnel from the defeat to Galway.
Jonathan Lynam has been named to start with Rosemount's Andy McCormack dropping to the bench as a result. McCormack had a fine game in the opening round against Armagh and retained his place for the Galway game.
Sam Duncan has been named at midfield alongside Athlone’s Ray Connellan, but it remains to be seen if the Milltownpass player will actually feature after injury forced him off against Galway.
Brían Cooney, son of former Westmeath manager Jack Cooney, is included among the substitutes. Cooney was part of the TUS Athlone team which won the Trench Cup earlier in the year.
Meanwhile, a formidable Tyrone line-up includes Pádraig Hampsey, Peter Harte, two Canavan brothers (Ruairí and Darragh, sons of former great Peter), relative newcomer Joe Oguz and TUS Athlone student Conor Meyler.
Kingspan Breffni Park is the venue for Westmeath's clash with Tyrone (throw-in 4pm), and it will be preceded by the Group 3 meeting of Dublin and Sligo (1.45).
Westmeath must beat 2021 All-Ireland champions Tyrone to have any chance of reaching the knockout stages. If Armagh beat Galway (or secure a draw with the Tribesmen), a Westmeath win by any margin will suffice as Dessie Dolan's men would then eliminate Tyrone on the head-to-head rule.
However, if Galway defeat Armagh and Westmeath beat Tyrone, three teams will finish level of two points. In that scenario, the two teams with the best scoring difference will advance.
Westmeath (whose scoring difference is -9) would need to defeat Tyrone (-1) by four points to jump ahead of the Red Hand men on scoring difference, but if Galway claim a big win over Armagh (-1), Westmeath may edge out the Orchard County.
Table-toppers Galway can secure a home All-Ireland quarter-final by either drawing with or beating Armagh in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Tickets for the Westmeath v Tyrone match can be purchased via the follwing link - https://www.ticketmaster.ie/dublin-v-sligo-tyrone-v-westmeath-co-cavan-18-06-2023/event/18005EBACBD778CA
Westmeath (v Tyrone): Jason Daly; Jack Smith, Kevin Maguire, James Dolan; Sam McCartan, Ronan Wallace, Jamie Gonoud; Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan; Jonathan Lynam, Ronan O’Toole, David Lynch; Luke Loughlin, John Heslin, Stephen Smith.
Subs: Trevor Martin, Lorcan Dolan, Kieran Martin, Conor Dillon, David Giles, Eoin Mulvihill, Daniel Scahill, Senan Baker, Andy McCormack, Brían Cooney, Shane Dempsey.
Tyrone (v Westmeath): Niall Morgan; Michael McKernan; Ronan McNamee, Pádraig Hampsey; Cormac Quinn, Michael O’Neill, Peter Harte; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Conor Meyler, Joe Oguz, Ruairi Canavan; Darren McCurry, Matthew Donnelly, Darragh Canavan.
Subs: Lorcan Quinn, Frank Burns, Aidan Clarke, Niall Devlin, Richard Donnelly, Niall Kelly, Nathan McCarron, Kieran McGeary, Michael McGleenan, Sean O'Donnell, Niall Sludden.