Westmeath secured promotion from Division 3 of the GAA Allianz National Football League yesterday, finishing in the top two despite a 1-14 to 0-11 loss to Sligo at Markievicz Park.
Dessie Dolan's side entered the game knowing that a victory would ensure their place in Division 2 for 2025, although that win would not be required if Down defeated Clare in the other top of the table clash of the day.
Westmeath put in a very underwhelming display against the Connacht side, being handily outplayed in the closing stages despite being within touching distance for the majority of the game. Thankfully from their point of view, Down would produce a convincing victory in order to knock Clare out of the promotion race.
The 2022 Tailteann Cup winners will now prepare for a league final against the Ulster side this weekend, something that will add to what is already a bloated GAA fixture schedule.
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GAA: Dessie Dolan concerned by Westmeath fixture schedule
Westmeath will play Down in the Division 3 final on Saturday, a game that takes place just over a week before their Leinster Championship opener against Wicklow on April 7th.
That puts them in a tricky position, with especially when you consider that they will play in a Leinster quarter-final against Kildare a week after that should they overcome Wicklow. In all, it would be five GAA games in the space of five weeks at a key stage in their season.
Speaking to RTÉ after yesterday's game, Dessie Dolan used the example of their coach Jason Sherlock to sum up the challenge faced by his side over the next few weeks.
I'm disappointed obviously with the result today but overall I suppose the aim at the start of the year was to get promotion and we got promotion.
That's really important for Westmeath football to progress the side and progress the young players coming through for the future...
We’re hoping to get more lads back but the schedule is very difficult. Jason Sherlock is on our bus, I’m not sure he has done five weekends in a row possibly and that's what Westmeath could face.
It seems very difficult but the reality is we'll deal with it and we'll get on with it but this schedule is very difficult in terms of getting lads back from injury.
We've seen it throughout the year that we just don't have enough time to get them back onto the pitch. The preliminary championship against Wicklow is the following week as well so it's it is hectic.
Jason Sherlock certainly would not have been used to a schedule such as this one during his time as a player or coach with Dublin.
Five games in five weeks is a huge ask for any inter-county team, especially one that does not have the resources of some of the top teams in the country.
Westmeath fans and players will certainly enjoy the opportunity to play a league final at Croke Park, but the scheduling of that game just one week ahead of potential successive championship games seems like something the GAA should look to address moving forward.
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