With one Allianz National Football Division 3 fixture to play, the promotion aspirations of the Westmeath senior footballers are delicately poised following a draw result with Fermanagh in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar on Sunday afternoon.
Prior to the start of the league campaign, the Lake County would have been one of two favourites for promotion but a stuttering campaign to date places Westmeath in fourth position on the division table with the ultimate round of fixtures to play this weekend.
Westmeath travel to Belfast where Antrim (who also boast promotion aspirations ) provide the opposition in Corrigan Park (throw in, 2pm ). A win is a must while Jack Cooney will be hoping that both Louth and Limerick taste defeats if they are to achieve their pre-league campaign start goal.
Wasteful Westmeath
Westmeath will certainly rue a host of missed opportunities during Sunday’s contest with Fermanagh. Despite being in possession ascendancy in the opening half of the fixture, the Lake County held a mere two point lead at the interval, a goal by wing forward David Lynch giving just cause for positive result optimism amongst the home supporters.
The second half was not as productive from a scoreboard perspective with Westmeath managing just four points over the duration, a feature which will no doubt be on the minds of the management team as they strive for victory in Antrim this weekend.
Westmeath did not score for a 22 minute duration in the second half, allowing Fermanagh to gain a strong foothold in the game but when Ronan O’Toole pointed from play with three minutes remaining it appeared that a crucial home success would be achieved.
A late point from Fermanagh talisman Sean Quigley restored parity but Westmeath should have ensured victory as the contest seeped into injury time, Lynch blazing wide with the goal gaping.
Thoughts are now firmly on Corrigan Park this Sunday with ears also on division fixtures elsewhere in the hope that promotion can be achieved prior to the start of the Leinster senior football championship campaign on Sunday, May 1, when Longford provide the quarter final opposition.
