Don’t get your hopes up yet lads.
Ask most GAA people about the likely contenders for Sam Maguire in 2015 and chances are Westmeath’s name won’t be mentioned that often amongst the responses.
The Lake County hadn’t won a competitive outing in 19 months before this season’s O’Byrne Cup and having been relegated from Division One of the National League last season, they’re not exactly dining at the top table right now.
After a seven-point victory over Longford in the O’Byrne Cup today and their defeat of DCU on Wednesday, however, optimism is increasing in the county.
So much so, in fact, that three hardcore Westmeath fans – Matty Cunningham, Jordan Warde and Ronan O’Toole – are beginning to get a bit giddy that a wager they placed before those two victories might come good by September.
Come good to the tune of €30,000 we should add.
Considering that the odds on Westmeath winning the All-Ireland haven’t changed (400/1) since the bet was placed, the bookies don’t seem to be too worried.
To refer to commonly used GAA parlance, however, hiding in the long grass might end up suiting Tom Cribbin’s men down to the ground in the year ahead.
Hat-tip to Matty Cunningham for sending this one our way
