Longford vs Westmeath

Pride Fighter

Hooray, the championship is back. This match kicks off at 3:30 in Pearse Park and is on RTE 2 live. I am looking forward to this one. Longford have improved in the Championship of late but Westmeath have been imperious in the League this year, where as Longford toyed with relegation to division 4. I am going to go for a Westmeath win by 3 points. Although Longford may win a game or two in the qualifiers.

jackbhoy

In my (unbiased!) opinion Westmeath are definitely the superior team, but then again we were far superior and cruising last year until 2 goals totally turned game and we seemed to implode.

Longford have fantastic forwards and reasonable midfield but they seriously lack height/physicality in backs, if we can cut out the errors that cost us last year (dropping ball in square and FB slipping for 2 goals), contain Kav/Barden and very importantly imo not give away many frees within the 45 we should win.

Should be good game anyway as both teams play decent brand of football, I'll tempt fate and go for Westmeath by 4+

blackbelt

Both these teams have enjoyed relative success in the last 2 championships with Longfords run in the qualifiers in 2006 beating Derry and Westmeath reaching the quarter finals through the qualifiers beating Galway along the way in the same year.Both teams were beaten by Kerry and Dublin respectively.

At the start of the year,these two teams played Dublin with Dublin hammering Westmeath by 10 points and then by 2 points whereas Dublin got out of jail with a last minute goal in the O Byrne Cup final.Longford seem to have totally gone off the boil since the O Byrne Cup Final while Westmeath look to be serious contenders for Leinster along with Dublin,Meath and Laois after beating Armagh,Meath,Monaghan and then Dublin.Westmeath went into the Division 2 playoff with an impressive defensive record of conceding 8 points per game on average.

It was this time last year that these two teams kick-started the championship and Westmeath were heavy favourites.A bad mistake by Connaughton led to Longford taking the victory in what some fans believed to be an early shock result.Westmeath were also without influential midfielder David Duffy that day and this Sunday looks like Westmeath will have the same predicament.Dessie Dolan is injured and one has to imagine that he'll be rested.Martin Flanagan should rule midfield while Derick Heavin and the Westmeath defence will have a hard task of dealing with Brian Kavanagh,Francis Magee and the Bardens.

Still,Westmeath came back and met Longford in the qualifiers and returned the favour.It will be interesting to see the Longford quartet attack test Westmeaths defense while Longfords defense will need to mark up seriously on Glennon and co.

Verdict:Westmeath

IRISHSPORTSGUY

I'll go for Westmeath. Leinster dark horses, anyone?

gucci

All the indications are that Westmeath will take this one. League form was very strong in a divison above Longford who struggled at times. I think the physicality of playing at divison 2 will stand to Westmeath in the last quarter of the game and they should have enough to win with 4 or 5 points to spare.

Killme00

I think this will be a very tight game. Longford are real battlers and i expect them to run WestMeath very close but WM to win by 2 points.

patmac

I have to admit a lot of nerves about this one what with Dempsey's vast knowledge of the Westmeath team. having said that Westmeath were too complacent at half-time last year and seem better this year, still I'd settle for a one point win.

K-9

I think Longford are worth a bet on this one.

I'll sit on the fence and go for a draw!

blackbelt

I think Westmeath have their strengths well distributed and evened out all over the pitch whereas Longford have all their strengths in one area...the forward line.I think this is the main difference.I'd go with Westmeath by 4.

blackbelt

Well as predicted,Westmeath won the game but it was by no means too convincing.Longfords wide tally came back to haunt them yet again.Seems they haven't ironed out that problem from the Laois game in last years championship.

Longford were too reliant on an isolated Brian Kavanagh,gave away too many free kicks,ran into impossible spaces and kicked too many wides from 45s etc.They seemed to fair better than expected in midfield and their half back line was much better than the full backs.Longfords full backs were guilty of not marking up and their seemed to be an exposed Westmeath attacker in plenty of space hence the second goal.Kavanagh was marked out of the game and as predicted,if kept quiet,Longford would struggle.

Westmeath were 8 points up at one stage.This is a big problem for them in my opinion.They never really closed the game out and Longford,as cited,left it too late.That 5 minute spell was incidently the time period where David Duffy came on (surprised as I thought he wouldn't even get on) but he quickly settled and was a rock at the side of the pitch.

The referee was a bit harsh on Longford as well.Some fair shoulders and tumbles were penalised by the ref against Longford.2 soft goals were the difference.I think a more clinical team would have punished Westmeath.

Still,it is early in the championship and Westmeath will probably improve.I don't think Offaly will trouble Westmeath as much as Tony Davis said they would but Westmeath certainly weren't as convincing as I thought they'd be.

Man of the match has to be between Glennon and Flanagan.

Gavin "shels"

I feel a repeat of 2004 is on the cards.:o Considering I was away from the game itself and then the replay, I look forward to the day I actually see us winning a trophy *starts to pray*.

jackbhoy

blackbelt wrote: »

They seemed to fair better than expected in midfield and their half back line was much better than the full backs.

Really? I and all the people I was at the game with (mostly Longford folk) thought midfield and Westmeaths total dominance in this area was what won game for us. I only remember Keenan catching one clean kickout the whole game and that was when he was left unmarked. Donny and Flanagan totally dominated, Westmeath had plenty of good possession from mf but failed to convert it, Longford forwards had to live off scraps in terms of ball into them and got decent return for level of possession their midfield won. It was only in last 10 mins when our midfiels, Fla in particular, were out on their feet and Brady started winning midfield breaks that Longford got into game.

Re reffing, agree he was poor but he gave longford 2-3 soft and very kickable frees in first half which kept them in game at that time.

Overall it wasn't a classic performance by Westmeath but Longford always make it tough for us and the very hot conditions didn't help Westmeath in that our style requires lot of energy and running from MF/Backs that left them very tired near the end. I'll take the win and look forward to meeting the Biffos!!

patmac

Happy with the win but not the performance. Thought the team were fecked at the end as the hard league campaign seemed to have an affect on them. Still a good rest and recharge for the Biffos on June 7th.

Scootay

On The Sunday Game they mentioned that Westmeath only used 1 sub, bringing on Duffy. I wonder could that have been part of what led to Longford's 1-2 revival. If so Westmeath need to look at making more changes in with 15 or 20 minutes to go.

barrysnot

I agree longford have some classy forwards, but seriously lacking in defence.. Does anyone know what happened to Donnacha Corcoran? He played a season for longford back in 05 I think, decent full-back, think he played his club football in Dublin?