Westmeath begin defence of Leinster crown

Leinster champions Westmeath open the defence of their crown as they meet Kildare in the provincial quarter-final at Croke Park today.

Páidí O Sé's side are in new territory in their efforts to retain the title that they won for the first time last year, but need to improve considerably to have any chance of making the provincial decider, following a disastrous league campaign that saw them relegated.

Kildare fared much better in Division 1B, and after losing their first two games to Galway and Wexford, they won four of the remaining five and lost to Armagh, the eventual champions, by a point.

Kildare and Westmeath have not met in the Leinster championship for 13 years, while they have only clashed three times in the last 45 years.

Kildare have an advantage, in that they defeated Wicklow in the last round, but it was a narrow victory and the Lilywhites will have to up the ante considerably against the champions.

With that in mind, boss Padraig Nolan has dropped five of the team that beat Wicklow for today's clash.

U21 star James Lonergan has been handed his debut at left corner-back, while Damien Hendy drops to the bench and Padraig Mullarney moves to full-back.

Karl Ennis, who impressed when called from the bench against Wicklow, retains his place at wing-back, while David Lyons loses out, and Mick Wright comes in on the other wing.

Michael Foley moves from the half-back line back to midfield and partners Killian Brennan, while up front Dermot Earley and Ross Glavin, both substitutes last time out, return in place of Paul O’Neill and Stuart McKenzie-Smith respectively.

Meanwhile, there are debuts for David Glennon and Patrick Mulvihill in the Westmeath line-up.

The absences of Donal O'Donoghue, Paul Conway and Brian Morley are the only changes from last year's championship-winning line-up.

O'Donoghue only rejoined the panel recently, having completed exams in UCD, Conway is on the bench after recovering from shoulder surgery and Morley withdrew from the panel at the start of the season.

David Glennon joins his brother Denis in the full-forward line, while Mulvihill lines out at left half-forward.

Westmeath seemed out of sorts in the league and if the Lilywhites can improve their form, they might just snatch a win to dethrone the Lakes County.

KILDARE (SFC v Westmeath): E Murphy; A Rainbow, P Mullarkey, J Lonergan; M Wright, G Ryan, K Ennis; M Foley, K Brennan; E Callaghan, D Earley, R Sweeney; T Fennin, R Glavin, J Doyle.

WESTMEATH (SFC v Kildare): G Connaughton; J Davitt, D Healy, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, D Kilmartin; R O'Connell, D O'Shaughnessy; A Mangan, F Wilson, P Mulvihill; David Glennon, Denis Glennon, D Dolan.