The quest for promotion remains firmly in the mindset as the Westmeath senior footballers maintained an unbeaten start to their Allianz National Football League Division 3 league campaign on Sunday afternoon last in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar.
Fellow promotion aspirants Down provided the opposition on the national feast day and with both counties harbouring hopes for the victory that would secure their pre-league campaign aim, the game was eagerly contested, Westmeath retrieving a four point second half deficit to ensure that a positive result in Markiewicz Park on Sunday afternoon will secure an Allianz National Football League Division 2 berth in 2025.
In what was a low scoring first half, the hosts restricted the division’s top scores to just four points, the Lake County trailing by the bare minimum with impressive scores from Jonathan Lynam, the irrepressible James Dolan and the impressive Robbie Forde (who was to end the game with four points ).
There was more fluidity to both teams play in the second half and when Down netted on 43 minutes it appeared that Conor Laverty’s charges would attain victory, but Westmeath responded positively to this three point concession, majestic points from Ray Connellan, Kieran Martin, Luke Loughlin and Forde placing the hosts in a winning position as injury time approached.
With notable resolve displayed, it seemed that a Westmeath win would now materialise but a deft score with his left foot from Down full back Pierce Laverty ensured parity as the final shrill of the referee’s whistle sounded.
Westmeath journey to the north west on Sunday afternoon where a victory or a draw will ensure promotion is achieved, while Down have a home fixture with Clare. Should Westmeath lose their final fixture and Clare win in Newry, then the Lake County will miss out on their promotion goal.
The positive mindset gleaned from this unbeaten run of league fixtures should stand to Westmeath and promotion achieved on Sunday afternoon. The top two teams in the division will also contested a league final to take place in Croke Park during the Easter weekend.
Westmeath start their Leinster senior football championship journey with a fixture against Wicklow, at a venue to be decided, on Sunday, April 7.
