Westmeath players celebrate their Tailteann Cup success in 2022.

Westmeath face Antrim before making trip to London

Published: Wed 30 Apr 2025, 4:39 PM

Following their disappointing defeat to Kildare in the Leinster Championship, Westmeath will back in championship action on Saturday or Sunday week in the opening round of the Tailteann Cup, facing Antrim at TEG Cusack Park.

Westmeath are in Group 3, alongside Antrim, London, and Limerick. In round two on May 17/18, the Maroon and White faithful face a trip to Ruislip to take on London, before completing the group stages against Limerick at a neutral venue on May 31 or June 1.

Three years on from their historic triumph, Westmeath are back in the second-tier championship and will carry the weight of expectation as the only former winners in the 2025 competition.

The draw took place on Wednesday afternoon and Dermot McCabe’s Westmeath side now know the path they must take to get back to Croke Park and claim the trophy for the second time. As inaugural winners, they will be firm favourites to emerge from their group, but it is worth noting that the Lake County have lost eight of last year's team and are chasing a first competitive victory under their new manager.

Although Group 3 may not have the same headline-grabbing names as Kildare or Offaly, it will still be a test of Westmeath’s depth and focus. Limerick, who were quarter-finalists in 2023, are rebuilding with purpose, while Antrim are always dangerous on their day. London, meanwhile, will relish the chance to host a former Tailteann Cup champion on their home patch.

For Westmeath, the prize is not just silverware. The competition offers a direct route into next year’s All-Ireland series which is a coveted carrot that ensures the Tailteann Cup is no consolation bracket, but a hotly contested championship in its own right.

Westmeath set the benchmark in 2022 with a stylish and spirited run to the title, capped by a Croke Park win over Cavan that summer. Meath and Down have lifted the cup since, but neither are in this year’s draw, leaving Westmeath as the only past champions in the 2025 edition.

It’s a tag that brings both belief and pressure. While promotion from Division 3 proved elusive in the spring, Westmeath’s league form included moments of quality that will serve them well in the weeks ahead. The blend of experience and emerging talent, coupled with lessons learned from recent championship campaigns, means McCabe’s charges should rightly see themselves as strong contenders once more.

Elsewhere, Group 1 features Kildare, Sligo, Leitrim and Tipperary, while Group 2 includes Offaly, Laois, Wicklow and Waterford.

Group 4 involves Fermanagh, Wexford, Carlow and Longford.