Westmeath’s minor footballers begin their Leinster championship campaign with a home tie against Wexford this Saturday in Cusack Park at 3.30pm.
Preparation has not been helped with four key players ruled out but Tom Carr will still be hoping his side can progress.
It is all of 13 years since we were crowned provincial champions at this grade and in the interim we haven’t even come close. Having lost to Longford and Dublin in the Leinster league there is no great expectation that this year will yield any silverware but then again the same could be said about the 1995 squad who went all the way to All-Ireland glory.
Confidence is a huge factor at minor level and if the side can manage to clear their first hurdle anything is possible. Wexford are likely to be physically strong and are sure to ask serious questions of the home side.
Westmeath must shore things up in defence and not concede any soft goals as they have been doing in the league and in recent challenge games if they are to progress.
With a wet and windy day promised on Saturday it might not make for ideal football conditions but that shouldn’t stop Carr’s side from grinding out a result.
