Westmeath well primed for battle against Kildare

Not many managers are still willing to talk up their own team like Tom Cribbin, which is a pity, because he actually makes perfect sense. Westmeath fear nothing going into Sunday’s Leinster football semi-final against Kildare, nor indeed should they.

Nothing Cribbin says about Westmeath’s prospects is even mildly sensational either, only it seems that way: in these days of muted understatement, Cribbin is simply saying it as he sees it.

“Dublin are ahead of the rest, full stop, simple as that,” he says, assessing the current state of Leinster football. “For the five or six teams behind them, there is very little between us. It all depends on the form of the team on the day, and injuries, things like that.

“We’ve a clean bill of health, in good form, and it’s all about playing to our own ability now, our own potential. I know Kildare have a couple of injuries at the moment, and we don’t.

“So we’re as good as we can be anyway, and that’s all we can worry about. The day takes care of itself then, and if you’re good enough then you’re good enough.”

There certainly won’t be much between Westmeath and Kildare in Croke Park on Sunday: both teams recorded the minimum one-point victory in their respective quarter-finals, Westmeath over Offaly, and Kildare over Wexford, and while Kildare will start as favourites, Westmeath’s experience last year, in beating Meath for the first time and making the Leinster final, will stand to them.

‘Fancy chances’

“Yeah, we played two games in Croke Park last year, and hopefully that experience will stand to us,” says Cribbin. “Kildare will fancy their chances too, having got promoted (to Division Two). Okay, they were criticised a little after the Wexford game, but it’s always difficult to get over the first round.

“They’ve been working on a defensive system, thinking of what’s coming down the road. And most teams are doing that. You saw Galway last weekend, Cavan as well, and even Mayo, bringing back Kevin McLoughlin.”

That mention of “what’s coming down the road” is obviously Dublin, although Cribbin is understandably unwilling to discuss the prospect of that: “We’re not looking past Sunday. Meath might have something to say about that anyway. Look at Galway catching Mayo last weekend, and Cavan nearly catching Tyrone. We’re entirely focused on one game only, and sure Kildare are as well.”

Not many managers are willing to take a call in the week of a championship game, and again Cribbin only sees the sense in it. There was some speculation about the availability of certain Westmeath players, and he’s happy to put all that to bed.

Kieran Martin, who sustained a suspected broken nose in the immediate aftermath of the Offaly game, is definitely fit to play, and forward Ray Connellan is also available having spent the last month attending an AFL trial with the St Kilda’s club in Melbourne.

“Yeah, Kieran is 100 per cent. He was back with us the Tuesday after the Offaly game, put in a very hard session. He was a bit bloodied but he’s tough enough for that.

"And yes, Ray Connellan is a big addition, definitely. He was a bit of a loss the last month, but is back now, in great condition, and in very good form." WESTMEATH V KILDARE 

Last five championship clashes:

2005: Kildare 0-14 Westmeath 0-11 (Leinster quarter-final).

1992: Kildare 4-11 Westmeath 2-5 (Leinster semi-final).

1975: Kildare 1-15 Westmeath 1-8 (Leinster quarter-final).

1960: Westmeath 2-9 Kildare 2-8 (Leinster quarter-final).

1931: Kildare 2-9 Westmeath 1-6 (Leinster final).