Meath supporters urged to get behind team in Leinster SHC

Meath supporters will make the relatively short trip to Mullingar on Sunday for a taste of real championship hurling as the Royal County venture into the home of Westmeath for what is a winner-take-all Leinster SHC third round contest.

Some 200 miles away in Tralee, Kerry will host unbeaten Laois in the other third round tie with survival and qualification on the radar for all the teams with the exception of the men from the O'Moore County who are as good as qualified regardless of Sunday's results.

For the trio of Meath, Kerry and Westmeath there are no more chances for qualification. The prize for one of that trio is the possibility of a home home tie against a Davy Fitzgerald-managed Wexford side in a Leinster SHC quarter-final. The other possibility is a showdown against Offaly.

The build up to what will be the the biggest game for Meath hurling for many years continues this week, but the basic information is as follows: 

If Meath defeat Westmeath they will qualify for the Leinster SHC quarter-final.

If Meath draw with Westmeath they could also qualify provided Laois beat Kerry.

If Meath lose to Westmeath they could be relegated back to the Christy Ring Cup.

Should Kerry beat Laois and Meath overcome Westmeath, three teams would then be level on four points each, with only two to go through, again score difference will apply.

Westmeath could yet claim second place in the group with two points, should Laois win against Kerry and Westmeath beat Meath - that would leave three teams on two points each and according to Leinster Council - score difference will be used to determine the qualifying teams and the relegated teams.

The stakes are high for the minnows of Leinster hurling and Meath are definitely the fourth ranked team of quartet, despite their opening round victory against Kerry.

However, it appears that Westmeath are currently in a downward cycle while Meath are on an upward curve - based on recent results.

In 2015 Westmeath were contesting the NHL Div 2A final, a game they lost to Kerry (3-17 to 5-17) and while they enjoyed  an encouraging Leinster SHC in 2015 and 2016, this year has seen a dip in form with a mediocre NHL Div 2A campaign that brought wins over Armagh and London and a final round victory against Antrim who had already qualified for a final they duly won against Carlow.
They have followed that with two successive championship defeats. 

Meath were the form team and although the title success was the lower grade NHL Div 2B, the very least that the Royal County are going into Sunday's game with is a 50-50 chance of success. All the pressure to perform is on hosts Westmeath.

Westmeath can boast players of the calibre of Alan Devine, he scored eight points against Kerry, Robbie, Paul and Gary Greville from Raharney, Niall Mitchell and Darragh Egerton from Clonkill.

Meath can counter that type of talent with the skills and determination of Joey Keena and Anthony Forde, a full-forward line that includes Gavin McGowan, Mark O'Sullivan and Killyon's Adam Gannon, a free-taker like Steven Clynch and the hugely impressive goalkeeper Shane McGann who can expect a busy 70 minutes at Cusack Park.

If Damien Healy doesn't make the starting line up it will be a major setback for Meath, but manager Martin Ennis has consistently said that this team is a better team than the one which won the Christy Ring Cup. 

Sunday’s challenge will provide an opportunity for the players to show just how good they are. 

It could be that Meath hurling supporters are in for an extended inter-county campaign and, more importantly, survival in the Leinster SHC for another year. 

Meath and Westmeath have met on 18 occasions in senior championship hurling – 14 times in the Leinster SHC and twice each in the All-Ireland SHC B and then more recently in the Christy Ring Cup.

The omens are good as Meath have won on 10 occasions, with seven wins for Westmeath.

The last clash was a decade ago in the Christy Ring Cup in Navan and that ended in a draw. 

A similar result on Sunday could suffice.

2017 RESULTS FOCUS MEATH AND WESTMEATH 

WALSH CUP
First round - Offaly 3-11, Meath 2-10; Antrim 1-18, Westmeath 0-12.
Second round - Meath 1-19, Kildare 1-18; Westmeath 1-14, DCU 0-13.
Third round - IT carlow 4-18, Meath 4-17; Kilkenny 4-18, Westmeath 0-18.

NHL DIV 2A
First round - Carlow 1-13 Westmeath 1-11.
Second round -  Kildare 1-16 Westmeath 0-14.
Third round - Westmeath 3-29 Armagh 0-16
Fourth round - Westmeath 2-20 London 2-7
Fifth round - Westmeath 0-20 Antrim 1-15.

NHL DIV 2B
First round - Meath 4-21 Down 1-10
Second round - Meath 2-19 Derry 0-16.
Third round - Meath 2-16 Roscommon 1-16.
Fourth round - Meath 2-18 Mayo 0-15.
Fifth round - Meath 3-23 Wicklow 1-16
Final - Meath 4-24 Wicklow 2-15.

LEINSTER SHC
First round - Meath 3-20, Kerry 2-17, Westmeath 2-17, Laois 1-23.
Second round - Meath 2-13, Laois 3-25; Westmeath 2-12, Kerry 0-20.