Glen Dimplex All Ireland Intermediate Championship Group 1 Round 2
Westmeath v Antrim in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar Saturday 14th June, throw-in 2pm
Saturday’s championship game promises to be an exciting proposition between two sides that have already met in a Very league game in Ballycastle, Saturday 1st Match 2025. On that occasion, Antrim chose to run off the bench first with only a handful of the regular starting panel weighing in with their experience. That was part of the Coulter-McCormick move to give starting time to ‘blood’ the younger players.
Westmeath were matched 0-04 to 0-04 at the short whistle, but running off the bench in the second half, it was Dervla Cosgrove’s goal in the 45th minute that allowed Antrim to drift ahead by a comfortable six points, however Westmeath’s, Caoimhe McCrossan, pinned Antrim back from a series of frees and once the gap was reduced to three points, Westmeath went hunting for the green flag putting Antrim’s deep defence of Dearbhail Dobbin, Katie Lynn, Caoimhe McNaughton and goalkeeper, Becky Ellis to the test. Despite the pressure, that goal never came, and Antrim walked into the changing rooms 1-09 to Westmeath’s 0-09 at the final whistle.
Antrim’s starting squad will therefore prove pivotal in Saturday’s game, and with Antrim’s depth in recent times, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Coulter-McCormick will roll with the core squad and keep a few finishers on the bench to be called up at the right moment in the game. And what about Westmeath? Their All Ireland campaign got off to a shaky start, with Meath getting the upper hand in a round one game ending Westmeath 2-08 Meath 3-15 in Cusack Park. If Antrim offers a tough encounter, the Lake County will have to come off the ropes to face Offaly in round three, but for now, they’ll play it one game at a time.
TEG Cusack Park, Friar’s Mill Road, Mullingar will no doubt offer itself up as a venue worthy of an All Ireland encounter but in comparison to the stadium’s opening ceremony, it’s unlikely the match referee, Karol Collins, will drop a ball in from a low flying airplane; the weather forecast though offers up some certainty with light winds, a chance of light rain but warm nonetheless. Will it be a factor? We’ll have to wait and see.
You can get your match ticket here…