Unfamiliar Westmeath team named for Longford encounter
An experimental Westmeath senior football team will take to the field for the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup quarter-final against neighbours Longford later today (Saturday).
Westmeath's opening game of the 2024 season at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford is scheduled to start at 1.30pm.
No players who featured in Westmeath's last competitive outing, the All-Ireland SFC draw with Tyrone last June, are listed to start.
In terms of senior inter-county experience, Charlie Drumm of The Downs is probably the starting player with the most, having featured in Westmeath's successful Tailteann Cup campaign in 2022.
Several players will be making their competitive debuts at senior level. Rosemount's Adam Keane, Daragh Lowry of Moate All Whites and Caulry's Tadhg Baker are also among those handed starting places in defence.
With Sam Duncan unavailable this year due to his travels abroad, Tubberclair's Eoghan McCabe and Milltown's Dylan Murtagh are given a chance at midfield.
In attack, Coralstown/Kinnegad's Brían Cooney, who was part of the Trench Cup winning TUS Midlands team last year, is among the more familiar names. Danny McCartan, younger brother of established senior star Sam, and Tang's Adam Neary are also part of the forward line.
The substitutes include Shane Ormsby, who was also on the Westmeath senior hurling panel for last Thursday night's Walsh Cup defeat to Dublin.
Westmeath team (vs Longford):
1. Jack Connaughton (Caulry)
2. Adam Keane (Rosemount)
3. Charlie Drumm (The Downs)
4. Ciaran Nolan (The Downs)
5. Daragh Lowry (Moate All Whites)
6. Shane Allen (Athlone)
7. Tadhg Baker (Caulry)
8. Eoghan McCabe (Tubberclair)
9. Dylan Murtagh (Milltown)
10. Brían Cooney (Coralstown/Kinnegad)
11. Danny McCartan (St Loman's, Mullingar)
12. Kevin O'Sullivan (The Downs)
13. Adam Neary (Tang)
14. Shane Corcoran (St Malachy's)
15. Jason Macken (Coralstown/Kinnegad).
Subs: Stephen McNevin (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Liam Daly (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Cormac Monaghan (Tyrrellspass), Peter Murphy (St Malachy's), Darragh Hall (St Mary's, Rochfortbridge), Jack Duncan (Milltown), Shane Hanley (Tang), Padraig Carton (Kilbeggan Shamrocks), Jack Mulvihill (Garrycastle), Eoin Bracken (Moate All Whites), Shane Ormsby (Mullingar Shamrocks), Tiarnán O'Donovan (Caulry).
Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup quarter-finals (Saturday, January 6)
Chadwicks Wexford Park (1.30pm) Wexford v Kildare, referee: Seamus Farrelly (Dublin).
Glennon Brothers Pearse Park (1.30pm) Longford v Westmeath, Kevin Williamson (Offaly).
Gracefield (1.30pm) Offaly v Dublin, Enda Kelly (Westmeath).
Ashbourne (7pm) Meath v Louth, Ian Howley (Dublin), standby referee: Fergal Smyth (Offaly).