With the Westmeath senior football squad in pre-season training mode prior to the start of their 2024 Allianz National Football League Division 3 campaign, the prospect of an opening round local derby contest with Offaly is certain to have focused the minds of players and management as the quest for promotion commences in late January.
The Lake County will hope for a positive outcome to their 2024 league campaign prior to the start of the Leinster senior football championship in April and a victory over Offaly in O'Connor Park, Tullamore, on Sunday, January 28, could set the tone for the competitive fixtures to come.
Westmeath started their Allianz National League Division 3 campaign with a home defeat to Cavan and despite exerting their dominance over Longford in their second outing, subsequent defeats to Down and Fermanagh scuppered any thoughts of promotion.
However, failure to achieve the county's initial season goal did not impact Westmeath's senior football championship campaign, the team performing admirably against Armagh, Galway and Tyrone, Dessie Dolan's charges being denied progression to the knockout phase of the competition when John Heslin's injury time free kick sailed agonisingly wide against Tyrone.
Thoughts now turn towards a new season and with promotion remaining the county's initial focus, Westmeath will play seven divisional fixtures in the hope of advancing to a league final fixture which is due to take place on the weekend of March 30/31.
Following an opening round fixture with Offaly, Westmeath will host Clare in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar (February 4 ) before journeying to play Wicklow (February 18 ). There follows a home fixture with Limerick (February 25 ), before remaining contests away to Antrim (March 3 ), at home to Down (March 17 ) and away to Sligo (March 23 ).
The top two teams in the division will earn promotion, such an achievement certain to prove a welcome boost prior to the start of the provincial senior football championship.
Should Westmeath reach the Allianz National Football League Division 3 final they will only have one week to prepare for the start of their Leinster championship campaign when they will play Wicklow, the winners of this opening round contest to advance to a quarter final fixture with Kildare.
O'Byrne Cup
Prior to the start of their league campaign Westmeath will contest the O'Byrne Cup, an opening round fixture with Longford to take place on January 6. Certain to afford an opportunity to fringe players within the squad, should the Lake County win this fixture they will advance to a semi-final meeting with Meath or Louth on January January 13.
The O'Byrne Cup final will take place on Saturday, January 20.
