The disappointment of an early exit in the Leinster senior football championship now banished, Westmeath return to competitive action following a seven week hiatus, the Lake County journeying to Armagh to play the Orchard County in their opening All-Ireland series fixture on Saturday evening at 6pm.
The high of winning the Allianz National Football League Division 3 title was swiftly erased when Westmeath surprisingly succumbed to Wicklow in the provincial championship, but a refreshed Lake County will be seeking to start their All-Ireland campaign on a positive note in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, the scene of their one point loss to the host county in the same competition last year.
That result fuelled confidence in the players as they continued their championship journey, Westmeath narrowly missing out on a preliminary quarter final berth following their final fixture draw with Tyrone.
Manager Dessie Dolan will be hoping that the seven week break has allowed for injuries to clear and should the former All Star have a full squad of players from which to choose, Westmeath can travel to Armagh with aspirations of a positive performance and a result to match.
Westmeath will host Galway in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar on the weekend of the June Bank Holiday with the county’s final All-Ireland series fixture to be played on the weekend of June 14, reigning Allianz National Football League champions Derry providing the opposition.