"It's a really tough ask for them to go to the well again"
June 18, 2026
Westmeath manager Mark McHugh ©INPHO/James Crombie
Former Offaly forward Nigel Dunne says it will be “a really tough ask” for Westmeath to go to Clones this weekend and defeat Monaghan.
The Leinster champions suffered their first defeat of this year’s championship last Sunday when they went down to Galway by a goal in Salthill and now get set to travel to St Tiernach’s Park on Saturday (4pm) where an All-Ireland quarter-final place will be up for grabs.
Speaking on the RTE GAA podcast this week alongside ex-Westmeath star and former manager Dessie Dolan, Dunne reckons the Lake County face a tall order.
"It feels to me like they’re both really resilient groups of players," said the Shamrocks clubman.
"The one worry I’d have for Westmeath is they seem to be running on fumes.
"If (Ray) Connellan and (Matthew) Whittaker are anyway doubtful...the Monaghan players are fresh because their games are adding to their match fitness whereas the Westmeath players are carrying kind of legacy injuries.
"They’ve had an incredible year but how much is the hunger there?
"Mark McHugh has done a remarkable job (but) it’s a really tough ask for them to go to the well again."
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