Dublin to loom large in qualifier with a difference

GAELIC GAMES/Galway v Westmeath:  This is clearly no ordinary All-Ireland football qualifier. With the winners playing Dublin in Croke Park in the All-Ireland quarter-final on August 12th the incentive to win is as great as in any championship match so far this summer - though neither team will want to let that prize get in the way of the task at hand.

Six seasons on and the qualifiers still throw up novel pairings. Galway haven't played Westmeath in the football championship before this evening, which adds intrigue.

These teams have put the qualifiers to good use in the past. Galway famously came though three qualifier rounds before winning the All-Ireland in 2001, the same summer Westmeath went on their historic run to the quarter-finals, where they eventually lost to old rivals Meath after a replay.

Times though have changed greatly since then: new managers, plenty of new players, different ambitions.

Neither team could claim their season has gone to plan so far. Galway had high hopes of retaining their Connacht title after an impressive league run but fell just short to their old rivals, Mayo. That defeat clearly didn't rest well with manager Peter Ford, who has made changes across the board.

Despite all the speculation, Ja Fallon doesn't make the starting line-up, but given his experience (and apparently excellent fitness despite being in intercounty retirement) he looks certain to appear at some stage. Ford has looked to youth instead, and gives championship debuts to Gary Sice at wing back and Fiachra Breathnach at corner forward - two members of last year's under-21 All-Ireland-winning team.

Kieran Fitzgerald returns to the defence, having been surprisingly dropped for the Mayo game, but most dramatic of all is Paul Clancy's return to centre forward, given he was expected to miss the season with a knee injury.

Joe Bergin moves to midfield to partner Barry Cullinane, and Alan Burke is back between the posts ahead of Brian Donoghue.

With Derek Savage and Seán Armstrong absent through injury, the much-feared firepower of Galway's forwards appears to be weakened. The 1-8 they hit against Mayo was disappointing, and there's pressure here on Micheál Meehan and Pádraic Joyce to deliver a big performance. Moving Michael Donnellan to wing forward does increase that threat but Galway will want to get scoring soon and keep it frequent.

Westmeath, who are contenders for most improved team over the summer, have one clear scoring threat in Dessie Dolan. Now back to full fitness after a groin operation, he hit 0-8 in the round-three qualifier win over Sligo and is always capable of similar heights. Sligo did force them to extra time (despite losing their key playmaker Eamonn O'Hara) and in the end it took a late goal from Gary Dolan to see Westmeath through.

Further improvement is vital if Westmeath are to pull off the win here. They've been building confidence though since that poor showing against Offaly back in the Leinster championship, with wins over London, Limerick and then Sligo, and even with the daunting task of playing in Pearse Stadium they are sure to be competitive.

The loss of their young forward John Connellan to injury does give his fellow teenager James Durkan a chance to shine.

Galway, however, still have the greater class and experience - and probably the motivation too. The stage is well set for them, with Fallon poised to contribute to what should be hard-earned win.

And if anything is calculated to drive them over the finish line, it's the thought of that clash with Dublin.

GALWAY: A Keane; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley, D Burke; D Meehan, D Blake, G Sice; B Cullinane, J Bergin; M Clancy, P Clancy, M Donnellan; M Meehan, P Joyce, F Breathnach.

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; D Healy, J Keane, F O'Boyle; M Ennis, D O'Donoghue, G Glennon; D Duffy, P Bannon; D Heavin, G Dolan, A Mangan; J Durkan, D Glennon, D Dolan.