Tailteann Cup test ahead for Lake County against Laois

Westmeath senior football manager Dermot McCabe pulled no punches in his post-match reaction after watching his side fall to Limerick in the final round of the Tailteann Cup group stage last weekend.

“It’s disappointing; I suppose we just weren't on it today,” McCabe admitted after the narrow defeat. “It was a poor performance, especially in the first half. There was a strong wind that maybe got into our heads a little bit and we sat a little bit too deep. It allowed Limerick, maybe, to dictate the entire pace of the game.”

The defeat means Westmeath face a preliminary quarter-final against Laois on Saturday and there will be concern about injuries to Ray Connellan and Nigel Harte. Laois were 3-18 to 3-16 winners over Offaly last weekend and that thrilling victory will certainly stand to them ahead of Saturday's encounter at TEG Cusack Park (5pm).

“We have to dust ourselves down. We've only a week now and we have to make sure we're ready for next weekend. It wasn't part of the plan, but it is now and we just have to get ready for it,” remarked Dermot McCabe.

While the Lake County rallied in the second half and briefly led by two points, McCabe lamented his side’s sluggish start and the failure to sustain momentum.

“Maybe in the second half we got at times a little bit more momentum and pushed a bit. I think we might have got seven scores on the trot where we probably dictated the way we wanted to play on our terms – and we didn't do enough of that.”

The manager was candid in his assessment of Westmeath’s execution, with basic handling errors creeping into their game.

“It's just when you're not on it, and we weren't on it today. We have to hold our hands up there, we were poor. I don't know how many fist passes went askew, which is very uncharacteristic. We normally don't give away the ball too much, and we gave it away a lot today and were punished for it.”

He pointed to several missed opportunities that could have swung the tie in Westmeath’s favour.

“We missed a couple of chances, definitely. I'm not sure why; I'd have to look at them again; but they definitely seemed to be very close to the goal line and should have been put over the line. We probably had maybe a chance or two of a fisted score that we didn't take that would have put the comfort on it.”

There was further frustration at the final whistle, which came exactly on three minutes and as Westmeath were attempting to build one last attack.

“I think that's the first, or maybe apart from London, that we haven't had a hooter. Normally we were setting ourselves up for that last attack and I think it was just exactly on the third minute that it was blown. That was a bit of a shock to the lads.”

Adding to Westmeath’s woes were injuries to two key players. Ray Connellan was forced off near the end, and his availability for next weekend is now uncertain.

“We don't know the severity. We're hoping maybe that it might be cramp, but you’ll not know for a day or two how severe it is.”

There was further concern for Nigel Harte, who received a bad knock in the first half.

“Nigel got a bang on the ribs and we're hoping he has not sustained a broken rib. I think he broke a finger as well perhaps in the challenge. Again, I don't think there was a free given for it. There was a couple of strange calls, but that’s for another day.”

McCabe also voiced frustration over a first-half incident involving Ronan Wallace, which he felt could have resulted in a penalty.

“It did seem like it. Our analysis team was on to us; I think the ref was trying to say that he (Wallace) lost possession, but the Limerick player had a grab of both sides of him, so he couldn't progress on to get the ball. That’s where our annoyance is,” he observed.

Among those to impress for Laois were Damon Larkin (2-1), Brian Byrne (0-4) and Ronan Coffey 0-3 (2fs), and the O'Moore County will be stern opposition at this stage of the Tailteann Cup. It has been a remarkable transformation after they lost to Wicklow in the first round, 0-21 to 0-16 - the Garden County losing out on score difference in the end.

Justin McNulty's charges will now have their sights set on further progress in the Tailteann Cup and the two sides look well matched for Saturday's big midlands derby.