Bragging rights, pride and relief are all some of the things you get from beating your closest rivals. That is something Westmeath have yet to sample when it comes to their closest rival.
Meath have recorded a win over the Westmeath in Division two of the league this year.
Last January, Meath also recorded a straightforward win over Westmeath in the O'Byrne Cup. Tom Cribbin, the Westmeath manager lamented how the Royals "have this belief in themselves that they are able to beat us every time they go out."
A bold statement from the manager but one that facts can’t help but confirm, Meath beat Westmeath every time when it comes to championship football.
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In 22 attempts, Westmeath have never managed to get one over on their neighbors and rivals. Draws in 2001 and '03 were the best results achieved by Westmeath against Meath, but both were followed by sizeable defeats in replays. In the 2003 quarter-final, Westmeath nearly broke the curse; when Dessie Dolan famously missed a last-minute free to win it for the Lake County.
Westmeath’s inability to get one over the ‘Royals’ is a rare occurrence in football with only two other counties holding such a record in their province
Carlow have also never beaten Meath, while Wicklow have always blanked against Dublin.
2009: Meath 1-15 Westmeath 1-5
2003: Meath 1-11 Westmeath 0-5 (Replay)
2003: Meath 2-13 Westmeath 2-13
2002: Meath 1-12 Westmeath 0-11
2001: Meath 2-10 Westmeath 0-11 (Replay)
It's not an encouraging backdrop for Sunday's game so Westmeath must be hoping that history is not in the habit of repeating itself.
The gap between the two counties has narrowed in the past number of years however. Meath are not the juggernaut of football they were 15-20 years ago where they were winning all Ireland’s regularly including beating Westmeath on the way to their 2001 triumph.
Westmeath came very close too against Meath, losing by a point in the 2001 Leinster Championship before drawing with the Royals in the All-Ireland quarter-finals a few months later.
It was a heart-breaking result as Westmeath led by seven points at half-time and by three very near the end before being caught by a late equalizing goal by Ollie Murphy.
Meath won the replay, a feat they repeated two years later after another draw in the Leinster Championship.
Westmeath go into the game with rising confidence, having hit Louth and Wexford for a combined total of 4-35. Meath struggled to put away a Wicklow side that has been languishing in Division 4 in recent years.
This could be the time that Westmeath finally get one over their neighbours but until then this rivalry is firmly in the Royal county’s favour.
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