A case of 'Play it again Sam' for Westmeath

“We’ve already won the Tailteann. May as well go for Sam this year!”

Without as much as a hint of a smiley-face emoji (albeit I could sense his hammering down of the exclamation mark key!), the above was a text sent to me by a very knowledgeable fellow-Westmeath man within minutes of Offaly’s hammering by Dublin last Sunday week, which copper-fastened the Lake County’s place in the last 16 of the Sam Maguire Cup.

In truth, of course, Louth’s defeat of Kildare in the first match of that pitifully-attended Croke Park Leinster SFC semi-final double-header had our spot 99.9 per cent secured, with our southern neighbours belatedly getting a dose in the second match of what the other Leinster counties have endured over the past two Dubs-dominated alleged races for the Delaney Cup. Louth seem certain now to endure an unwanted double next Sunday like Westmeath endured in 2015 and 2016 in the consecutive deciders.

Dessie Dolan’s men unquestionably rode their luck in getting a precious spot in Sam this year, a few wins in National Football League games coming with a lucky break here or there, ahead of some provincial championship semi-finals narrowly going Westmeath's way. None more so than Rob Finnerty’s last-gasp goal for Galway eliminating Sligo from the Nestor Cup race in Markievicz Park, a ground where the white and black-clad home team had deservedly inflicted Westmeath's only league defeat of 2024 in March.

However, Westmeath's luck certainly ran out when the draw (premature surely, with the four provincial finals still be played at the time?) for the last 16 was made. Yours truly’s loudly-stated main ambition that morning was to “avoid Derry as third seeds”. No luck there! Also, “it would be nice to get a couple of new teams as first and second seeds”. Not much luck to date on that score either! Regardless of the near-certain defeats, a visit by the Dubs to Mullingar would have been a fabulous occasion. As would the sight of the maestro that is David Clifford in the county grounds.

Part one of the ‘new teams’ wish ended last Sunday ago with Galway’s dramatic Connacht final win against Mayo as the Tribesmen will again be the visitors to TEG Cusack Park for Westmeath's home game. And, of course, part two of the wish ends if Donegal overcome Armagh in next Sunday’s Anglo-Celt Cup final, as the Orchard County men will be Westmeath's away opponents, as they were last year when a glorious opportunity was let slip in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds after a generally heartwarming display by the men in maroon and white. Incidentally, I have a suspicion that Jimmy will not be winning the match in Clones as readily as many expect, if even winning it at all.

My friend’s text came as a response to this from me: “Up against it in Sam. Just the thoughts of playing (county X) in (non-county-ground Y) in the Tailteann Cup turned my stomach. At least a few glamour games will be something to look forward to.” X and Y have been omitted to retain the long-standing friendship of a man who supports ‘county X’ and reads my weekly musings! ‘Non-county-ground Y’ was chosen to maximise the lack of appeal in travelling to an obscure venue for a sparsely-attended first round game in a competition Westmeath won two years ago.

Westmeath will almost certainly ply their trade in what another pal sarcastically calls the ‘Tall Thin Cup’ regularly in years to come – maybe even in 2025 unless Division 2 results are surprisingly good – but the Kevin Maguires, John Heslins, Kieran Martins, James Dolans of this world surely deserve to be pitted against the best in the land in their final years (year?) as top-class inter-county footballers.

Last year’s draw prompted one very respected scribe in a leading national newspaper to hastily opine: “Westmeath’s meetings with Galway, Tyrone and Armagh should be of great interest to sadists everywhere.” As it transpired, a very narrow wide from a Heslin free in Kingspan Breffni Park was all that prevented Westmeath from a trip to Ballybofey for a last-12 encounter, a journey which could be made later this month for a round one clash.

So, overall, Westmeath got a tough and potentially repetitive draw. While Westmeath will surely be given more respect in previews after the semi-heroics of last year, defeats in all three games will still be expected. The best of Westmeath's league displays this year could lead to competitive showings, but the worst – and throw in that horrible championship first half v Wicklow in Portlaoise for good measure – and the sadists would be in their element.

Westmeath’s three games in the Sam Maguire Cup, with results of previous championship encounters, follow:

May 25/26, away to losers of Armagh v Donegal

8/7/2017, TEG Cusack Park, Armagh 1-12 Westmeath 1-7 (Q)

9/6/2018, TEG Cusack Park, Armagh 3-16 Westmeath 1-11 (Q)

27/5/2023, Armagh, Armagh 1-13 Westmeath 1-12 (SMC)

15/7/2007, Cusack Park, Donegal 1-13 Westmeath 1-8 (Q)

June 1/2, home v Galway

29/7/2006, Galway, Westmeath 1-8 Galway 0-10 (Q)

3/6/2023, TEG Cusack Park, Galway 0-20 Westmeath 0-12 (SMC)

June 15, neutral venue v Derry

14/8/2004, Croke Park, Derry 2-9 Westmeath 0-13 (AQ-F)

10/7/2010, Cusack Park, Derry 0-13 Westmeath 1-7 (Q)

[Q – Qualifier; SMC – Sam Maguire Cup; AQ-F – All-Ireland quarter-final]