2020 Seamus & Sinead finally won something of note for Westmeath, a county starved of silverware
County team
Westmeath's history is that of a minor county which only recently rose to the higher ranks of football. Its 2004 Leinster provincial title was presaged by a 1995 All-Ireland Minor title and victory in the 1999 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship. Another generation of Westmeath players took part in the first week-night fixture in the GAA championship: on 20 June 1935 they played Meath in Kells and lost by 2-7 to 0-9. The footballers won the 1929 junior championship, lost to Dublin by ten points in 1960 and then defeated Dublin to reach the 1931 Leinster final. They defeated Carlow, Laois and Offaly to go into a 1949 final against Meath, but were well beaten on both occasions. Westmeath defeated Dublin again in the 1967 Championship and the 1984 Centenary Cup campaign. In 2001, the team went on an All-Ireland journey through an unprecedented nine games including an extra-time win over Mayo in Roscommon. Notable players in this campaign were Ger Heavin, Dessie Dolan, Rory O'Connell, Damien Healy and David Mitchell, with other players to star occasionally,including Martin Flanaghan, Fergal Wilson, Paul Conway, David O'Shaughnessy and Fergal Murray. Westmeath lost out to Meath in a quarter-final replay. Disappointing 2002 and 2003 seasons followed and Westmeath parted terms with its then manager, Luke Dempsey. Under Kerry footballing legend Páidí Ó Sé, Westmeath progressed to the 2004 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final and won their first Leinster senior football title with a replayed victory over Laois. However, the team tamely exited their second All-Ireland Quarter Final - losing to Derry. The documentary Marooned followed Westmeath during their 2004 season. Ó Sé quit Westmeath at the end of a very poor 2005 season and was replaced by his assistant Tomás Ó Flatharta. Ó Flatharta resigned as Westmeath manager after their defeat to neighbours Meath on 11 July 2009. Westmeath reached consecutive Leinster Finals in 2015 and 2016.
Hurling
Clubs
County team
The Westmeath hurlers enjoyed a great run in the mid 1930s, when they won the Leinster League twice in succession, the Junior Championship in 1936, and beat Laois to qualify for the 1937 Leinster Senior final. They played in the first division of the National Hurling League in 1985-86, and were the only team to beat Galway in an 18-month period. This team included the 3 Kilcoyne brothers and produced an All Star award for David who was the team's free taker and top scorer in 1986. The first All Star award for any Westmeath player in Hurling or football. Rickardstown's John 'Jobber' McGrath is considered the greatest player to ever play hurling for Westmeath, and as one of the greatest players never to have won an All-Ireland senior hurling title. In 2015 the Westmeath minor hurlers surprised heavy favourites Wexford by two points in the Leinster quarter-final, the win has been regarded by the manager as the 'biggest result in history of Westmeath hurling'. The senior hurlers beat Carlow by 2 points in the Leinster Qualifier group and extended their winning run beating favourites, Antrim 1-21 to 0-7. The hurlers currently play in the third tier of the National Hurling League while the footballers play in the fourth tier of the National Football League respectively.
In 2005, the county won the first Christy Ring Cup and thereby gained promotion to the 2006 Liam McCarthy Championship. In 2006, they beat Dublin in the first round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship before losing the semi final to Kilkenny in Mullingar by 14 points. They then lost to Waterford, Galway and, disappointingly, Laois before tamely losing a relegation playoff against Dublin on a scorching July day in Tullamore. Despite progress made in 2006, the GAA condemned the county's hurlers to the Christy Ring Cup - this time without the prospect of promotion. Further rule changes and a Christy Ring win in 2010 allowed Westmeath back into the 2011 Liam McCarthy. Further progress came on 20 April 2008 with victory in the NHL, winning the final against Carlow. That day also saw the Westmeath footballers move into Division 1 of the NFL also with a win over Dublin. A famous victory over near rivals Offaly was achieved in May 2016 in the Leinster Championship. Westmeath led by some distance for the entire game before winning 2-21 to 1-10.
