An enticing Leinster senior football championship quarter final fixture awaits in TEF Cusack Park, Mullingar, on Saturday evening (throw in, 6pm ) as Westmeath commence their quest for provincial progress, Longford providing the opposition.
Hoping to avoid a repeat of the league result which saw Longford garner two points from their trip across the county border, Westmeath remain steadfast in their focus to advance to a final four Leinster championship date.
Speaking to the Athlone Advertiser on Tuesday morning, team manager, Jack Cooney, noted his aspirations for the championship campaign to come, a four week preparation period fine tuning the players’ mindset as throw in fast approaches.
“While the initial aim for promotion in the league did not materialise, we are now firmly focused on our championship campaign. Players cannot afford to dwell on the disappointment of not achieving promotion as it will effect their performances going forward,” Cooney stressed.
Cooney noted that there were numerous positives to be gleaned from the team’s league campaign and he is hopeful that such progression will materialise on Saturday evening.
“We have had a four week preparation period for this particular fixture and despite the final league outcome, there were positives during the campaign as we afforded the younger players within the group competitive game time.
“The group, as a whole, are both realistic and optimistic and are eager for throw in on Saturday evening - they are certainly ready to embrace the challenge ahead,” Cooney remarked.
During the championship preparation period, Cooney and his management team took time to reflect upon the league campaign in its entirety and it is these learnings which he believes, if positively implemented against Longford, will prove beneficial.
“If we take the positive aspects of our play during the league campaign to a new level there is every opportunity for us to be successful on Saturday evening. We also have to take into account the dangers posed by Longford and nullify their threat over a 70 minute fixture. Championship season is here and the players are ready to compete,” Cooney remarked.
The Coralstown-Kinnegad clubman has called upon his fellow Westmeath gaels to come out in strong numbers in support of the Lake County footballers.
“We need the Westmeath faithful to give of their full support to the players. Given the situation which has impacted upon crowds attending games this past two years, I fully expect there to be a large home support in TEG Cusack Park on Saturday evening. Generating a championship atmosphere will certainly inspire the team as we strive for a place in the provincial semi-final,” Cooney concluded.
