Tom Cribbin takes Westmeath into action on Sunday, as the team that have been officially ranked Dublin's closest rivals in Leinster over the past two years. Should they beat Offaly and they are favourites to do so, another meeting with the champions beckons – this time in the semi-final.
He believes his team has improved on last year when they beat Offaly by just a point. In the meantime Westmeath have regularised their league situation by winning Division Four and they take the momentum of an unbeaten AFL season into their first championship outing.
“We developed a strong panel,” he said. “Last year when we picked up injuries we didn’t have the experienced back-up. We’ve changed a lot of lads in the panel in the last few years and developed a lot of young lads and we’ve a very good balance now. There are 35 players and great competition for places and I suppose when the panel is strong things tend to go your way. We’ve only had minor injuries to date.”
He is wary of Offaly's doggedness, as demonstrated when they grinded out the necessary results to avoid relegation in the league and wasn't at all surprised by Carlow's defiant showing against Dublin, having tipped them to give Wexford a fright in the first round – and having nearly been surprised by them on the first weekend of the league.
“We played them in the O’Byrne Cup and were lucky to beat them by a point. They had a man sent off and only that they did we wouldn’t have won. There were very fit even compared to our lads and it wasn’t just their defensive stuff; they were playing well for each other.
Fine form
“Carlow played a very good defensive game plan in the first league game with us and nearly caught us on the hop. That’s no disrespect to them; they were very well organised with a very good game plan and I wasn’t surprised they’ve been such difficult opponents in the championship. We knew from then on that we couldn’t make a slip-up and that can so easily happen.”
Westmeath have been benefiting from the fine form of John Heslin so far this season and his manager describes his form as 'exceptional'.
“He’s 24 years of age. It’s hard to believe he’s only 24 but he’s been very good for us the last two years but definitely John is a far, far superior player this year. Regardless of what division we’ve been playing in, the fitness level he has himself at and the way he’s playing have been incredible. He’s definitely moving to a new level. Again as I say he’s only 24 so he’s a lot more years still left in him.”
Although he believes that Dublin may well succeed in challenging Diarmuid Connolly’s proposed suspension, he feels that the 12 weeks minimum ban for ‘minor physical interference’ with a team official is excessive.
“I don’t think the punishment fits the crime. It’s not fair. If he loses 12 weeks in the prime of championship football he’s losing a lot of games, from the middle of June to the middle of August. If this had happened in the last league match he wouldn’t have had a match for two months. We haven’t played in nine weeks. Sometimes a bit of common sense is needed.
“I’m not sure if it was with one of the less prominent teams or if it wasn’t on television there’d be anything like the hullabaloo we’ve had.”
