Friday, February 14, 2025

“Intensity was the key to victory over Limerick,” says Cribbin

The relief was etched all over Tom Cribbin’s face. Victory at last in this year’s National Football League Division 3 campaign, and a resounding victory at that with 16 points to spare over Limerick last Saturday evening in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

By Paul O’Donovan
A transformed Westmeath side scored three goals in nine first half minutes to run out convincing winners over a lethargic home side.
Yet, less than 24 hours later, while Westmeath’s victory was vital, it was a little less impressive on the league table, as wins for Sligo, Longford and Offaly had left the Lake County side still periliously close to the bottom of Division 3.
The bottom line is Westmeath must beat Offaly in their next league game on Sunday, 27 March but on the evidence of Westmeath’s performance against Limerick last Saturday they are very capable of doing that.
That would leave the Lake County travelling to Longford for their final league fixture a week later. So where did that pulsating display of football come from last Saturday evening?
“I’m not sure,” remarked Tom Cribbin after the game. “Everyone was questioning why it wasn’t happening for us. We showed that intensity against Kildare and Tipperary without getting the wins but we played well tonight, and I’m delighted for the players. It just shows how hard they were working and not getting the results.”
“We just couldn’t lose tonight, it just wasn’t an option. I am happy with the performance for the player’s sake.
I knew they were working so hard and you feel so bad when they are putting in the work and just not getting the results.”
“They (Limerick) couldn’t cope with our intensity tonight. It was always there, it’s just it all came together tonight and the lads are so tired cause they put so much into it for the first 40-45 minutes out there.”
Cribbin was quick to praise his midfield duo of Denis Corroon and Daragh Daly. “It was time to put Daragh back in.”
“His working hours are very long, 12-hour shifts, so it is difficult for him at training and work comes first, but Daragh and Denis seemed to have a great understanding in the middle, which was more important and the two of them as a unit were just incredible. I thought everyone played very well and while John Heslin might not have got as much on the score board, it just shows if you have the right man pulling the strings and putting quality ball in, he can make the whole team tick.”
On the injury front, Cribbin confirmed that Paul Sharry, who had a knee operation last Friday, would be back fit for the Leinster Championship, while Ger Egan is also expected to return to action in a couple of weeks.
“SUPPORTERS NEEDED A LIFT” – McCORMACK
Meanwhile, half forward Callum McCormack, who chipped in with five points from play, admitted this was a game Westmeath could not afford to lose.
“It was vital to win. We knew coming in it was basically a championship game tonight.
We needed the points but we also needed the performance, to give a lift to the Westmeath supporters, cause we owed them a lot.”
“We are just delighted to have played as a team today and to execute the system we wanted to play and to play free-flowing football up front as well,” said McCormack.

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