IT will be just under two weeks since their Ulster final penalty heartache when Armagh run out at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday – and former Westmeath forward Denis Glennon believes it could be “the perfect time” to face Kieran McGeeney’s men.
The Lake County, whose qualification for the new-look All-Ireland series came via last summer’s Tailteann Cup triumph, find themselves pitted against Galway, Tyrone and Armagh in Group Two.
And coming off the back of a disappointing League campaign, which saw Dessie Dolan’s side miss out on promotion to Division Two, followed by a Leinster Championship exit to Louth having been eight points up at half-time, few are expecting Westmeath to upset the applecart when they visit the Orchard County.
But Glennon feels the devastating nature of that provincial final defeat to Derry could play a part as Armagh bid to start their All-Ireland campaign with a bang.
“I think it’s the perfect time to get them,” said the Tyrellspass clubman, part of the fearsome forward line that fired the Lake County to its sole Leinster crown back in 2004.
“As a player, when you’re put up against the wall, there’s only one way you can go. There’s no point shying away from it because that’s the reason you play football – for that competition, to prove yourself against the best teams and the best players.
“There’s nobody giving Westmeath a chance, but the reality is Westmeath are not a bad team. I know people have had their views on the Tailteann Cup, but it brought more players on, and brought confidence on within that group that they can do something.
“Any game they lost this year, they just lost it, they weren’t beat out the gate. I know from talking to some of the lads, they’re quietly confident. You just don’t know what kind of mentality the Armagh boys would have after that game against Derry, putting all that effort in then losing on penalties.
“Going into a game against Westmeath, would they take them for granted? Or would they want to try and get things back on the road? If Westmeath are in the game after 20 minutes, they’re just going to gain confidence and keep going.
“Now, there’s always the potential they go out and don’t find themselves in a good position after that period… that would be my biggest concern because Westmeath had such a poor League campaign after coming off a strong year last year, that the mental side might affect them.”
Westmeath have a scattering of star quality in the likes of Ronan O’Toole, Ray Connellan and Luke Loughlin, while the return of injured pair Jamie Gonoud and James Dolan is a significant boost to a side whose 2022 success was founded on a solid defence.
And Glennon pointed to the last meeting between the counties in early 2020 as an example of how both have evolved. It was a high-scoring draw in Mullingar that day and, while Armagh have ironed out some of the defensive deficiencies that cost them in previous years, he feels it has come at a cost.
“Defensively they’re very solid but their top forwards, the likes of Rian O’Neill, they don’t know actually where they’re playing at times because they start to move out the field to play in the defensive system, and then when they’re attacking they’re still out the field and not close enough to goal to do the damage.
“They seem to want to move all their game-play through the goalie, the half-backs and the midfield, then they’re bringing out the forwards around that same area – it’s like they’re overpowering one area of their game.
“The likes of Westmeath, if you sit back on them, they have very good runners, very good ball carriers. I was doing coverage the last time Armagh and Westmeath met in the League match at Cusack Park, pretty much the same Armagh lads that are there now, and there was nothing between them.
“Armagh are a lot bigger, stronger, more conditioned for Championship football now, but this is a group of Westmeath lads who have banked a lot of experience in their career, and this should be their peak time.
“Westmeath won’t be afraid of this Armagh team.”
