Westmeath and Down played out an entertaining game in the Allianz GAA NFL Division 3 final last night, with the Leinster county emerging victorious on a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-13 at Croke Park.
While the match was a bit pedestrian at times in the early stages, it did burst into life at times and offered some moments of real quality. Westmeath's second goal, which ultimately proved to be the difference between the side, was perhaps the standout piece of play on the evening.
MASSIVE MOMENT! Jonathan Lynam gets his second goal of the evening to put @westmeath_gaa into the lead with 10 mins left! #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/9rSjNU0frS
— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 30, 2024
While this victory was an added bonus for Westmeath after achieving their primary objective of promotion from Division 3, it could end up having a big impact on their fortunes this summer.
By winning this fixture, they have moved ahead of Down in the rankings to decide who will play for the Sam Maguire in 2024.
However, it seems both of these teams feel they are being harshly treated under the current GAA system.
READ HERE: Derry’s Ascension - From Division 4 To Division 1 Final In Six Years
GAA: Westmeath & Down question Clare's All-Ireland advantage
Westmeath may have captured the Division 3 crown yesterday, but it does not guarantee them a place in the All-Ireland series this summer. Should Down reach a provincial final and Westmeath fail to do so, it will be the Ulster side that avoids the Tailteann Cup.
This scenario has arisen due to the situation Clare find themselves in.
They may have finished behind both Westmeath and Down in Division 3, but a favourable draw in the Munster championship means that a victory over Division 4 sides Waterford or Tipperary will be enough to seal their place in a provincial final and a spot in the All-Ireland series.
Speaking after last night's game, Westmeath manager Dessie Dolan questioned why the Division 3 champions were not guaranteed a spot in the All-Ireland series, especially when scenarios such as the one involving Clare are allowed to unfold.
There was commentary during the week that the Division 3 champions should be given priority and I totally agree with that and it’s not just because we won the Division 3 title...
This seems absolutely ridiculous to me. It is an anomaly and maybe it will be fixed because this is a three-year experiment. It would give great importance to Division 3.
The opportunity to get into the All-Ireland series would be a massive thing for the competition.
Clare lost to both Westmeath and Down during the Division 3 campaign.
Down boss Conor Laverty agreed with Dolan's comments, saying that the current system certainly seemed 'unbalanced'
I think it is a wee bit unbalanced that a team maybe has to beat two Division 3 or 4 teams to get into the Sam Maguire where we had already beaten them in the league.
Ulster is a tough competition. We know the challenges Antrim are going to pose to us an maybe the quality in the other provinces is not the same intensity.
Beating a team in the league and getting promoted and somebody below you getting into the Sam Maguire is a bit unbalanced.
Westmeath and Down can both guarantee their spot in the All-Ireland series by reaching a provincial final, something that will be no easy task, especially for the Ulster side.
As has often been the case in recent seasons, it seems that the provincial championships are causing quite a few issues in the GAA calendar as a whole.
SEE ALSO: A Combined Derry/Dublin XV, Based On League Form
