Dublin unlikely to be stopped by Westmeath

LEINSTER SFC FINAL

Dublin v Westmeath

Croke Park, Sunday, 4.0

Live: RTÉ 2

The most surprising aspect of this GAA Leinster football final is that Westmeath, having completed their league tumble from the top landing all the way to the bottom of the stairs, can make a plausible case for being the second best team in the province.

Sunday is their second successive final and, although by common consent they’d have as much chance of winning the title if they weren’t playing, their performances have been commendable, taking narrow wins over Offaly and Kildare.

Strange condition

Tom Cribbin’s team, aside from the strange condition which appears to oblige them to fall significantly behind in semi-finals before they fully switch on, have deserved their status as provincial runners-up last season and, presumably this.

Ironically Westmeath’s focus didn’t waver much in last year’s final but the game plan was purely directed towards not being thrashed, an ambition largely fulfilled in a first half of poor accuracy from Dublin, but there was never any prospect of winning – the limitations of the strategy obvious in the number of shots dropped short, as the challengers tried to implement a shoot-on-sight policy. This year Westmeath will be more experienced.

There may have been an over reaction to Dublin’s concession of two goals, in the Laois quarter-final, for the first time in five Leinster championships but these were errors in concentration rather than a successful aerial exploitation of Dublin’s defence in the absence of Rory O’Carroll.

Westmeath though will unlike last year have a fully fit John Heslin, who will cause trouble at full forward, should he get any sort of supply but if his team-mates sit back in defence how effectively can they threaten?

The outsiders will hope that they can build on the achievement of 12 months ago in terms of defence – they were ultimately undone by a scoring blast of 2-2 shortly after half-time – while posing more of a threat going forward.

There is also the possibility that Dublin won’t hang about as long as they did that day and with a bit more accuracy they could be out of sight before half-time.

Either way Jim Gavin’s team are set to emulate their great predecessors of the 1970s with a six-in-a-row in the province, a record shared with the historic Wexford team of 100 years ago.

THE LOWDOWN

Last meeting: A year ago Westmeath reaped some kudos when losing to Dublin by 2-13 to 0-6 – the champions' least crushing victory in the province during Jim Gavin's management.

Odds: Dublin 1/100, Westmeath 25/1 and 50/1 the draw. Injuries: John Connellan misses out for Westmeath after picking up an injury in training – the second year running a late misfortune has prevented him starting, as he pulled out of the final 12 months ago in the warm-up.

Suspensions: None

Just the ticket: Stand tickets €35. Terrace €20. Juveniles €5. €15 rebates available for students and senior citizens in the stands.

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).

Verdict: Dublin.