Little piece of history against Kildare would lift gloom for Westmeath

Former Westmeath All Star John Keane has described Sunday’s Leinster semi-final as the county’s make-or-break fixture for 2016 and believes victory over Kildare would dispel the dark clouds hanging over Tom Cribbin’s side.

Keane figured prominently at left-corner-back during Westmeath’s sole Leinster triumph back in 2004, but the failure of the Páidi Ó Sé managed side to return to the provincial decider the following summer means this group can make history this weekend by becoming the first Westmeath team to reach back-to-back Leinster finals.

Quite the carrot to be chasing, insists Keane, particularly when set against the backdrop of yet another regressive spring where Westmeath suffered a third consecutive relegation to drop to Division 4 of the league.