Kildare to open Leinster campaign against Westmeath
Kildare Senior football manager Brian Flanagan will prepare for a game against Westmeath in the quarter-final of the Leinster Football Championship after the draw this evening. Photo: INPHO/James Crombie
Kildare’s status as a Division 3 team means they may be relying on reaching a Leinster Final next year if they are to take part in the Sam Maguire Cup in Brian Flanagan’s first year in charge.
But perhaps Flanagan has already shown signs of being a lucky manager with his side having avoided a potential semi-final clash with Dublin in Saturday’s 2025 provincial championship draw.
Kildare will meet Westmeath, who they beat in the Semi Finals of 2021 and 2022, in next year’s Quarter-final, with the winners going through to meet either Louth, Kildare’s conquerors at the same stage last year, Laois, who knocked them out of the Tailteann Cup, or Wexford.
Both Westmeath, who are currently managerless after Dessie Dolan stepped away, and Louth will operate in Division 2 of the Allianz League in the New Year, so Flanagan and his team will still have their work cut-out.
The Johnstownbridge man will no doubt hark back as well to a last-minute first round defeat to the Lake County in his first year as Under-20 manager in 2021.
There’s plenty of work to be done between now and next April, but at least avoiding Dublin gives management and players something realistic to target in reaching a first Leinster final since the fourteen point to the Metropolitans in 2022.
Wexford v Laois
Carlow v Meath
Wicklow v Longford
Offaly v Carlow/Meath
Dublin v Wicklow/Longford
Kildare v Westmeath
Louth v Wexford/Laois
Offaly/Carlow/Meath v Dublin/Wicklow/Longford
Kildare/Westmeath v Louth/Wexford/Laois
