With his now trademark powers of recovery, Dessie Dolan has been passed fit to start for Westmeath, despite spending the last three weeks with a shoulder injury that reduced his training. His presence could prove the difference between winning and losing.

Dolan was absent for their opening game last year, and the strong feeling afterwards was if he'd been around Westmeath could have reversed the four-point loss to Offaly.

This is the strongest-looking Westmeath team since their Leinster title run of 2004. Manager Tomás Ó Flatharta has dropped wing back Derek Heavin for lining out for his club, Castledaly, last week, when the rule was no club football the weekend before this game. Kevin Gavin, at left wing back in place of Heavin, is the sole championship debut.

But midfielder Martin Flanagan starts his first championship match since 2003 and partners David O'Shaughnessy.

Westmeath started very well in the league before losing form a little, but that will have left them in good shape for a game like this, especially as Longford are coming off Division Two standards.

A year ago, Longford pushed Dublin to within two points, and if it wasn't for

Mark Vaughan's somewhat fortuitous goal they might well have caused the shock of the summer.

They carried that form through with wins over Waterford, Tipperary and Derry before competing well with Kerry - although that momentum wasn't maintained during the league.

Longford had three wins from seven games, but missed out on the play-offs (the target of Luke Dempsey).

David Barden has been kept in reserve, despite having a four-week suspension lifted. His brother Paul starts at centre forward. Forwards Padraic Davis and Niall Sheridan are carrying minor injuries and are on the bench, and there's a youthful look to midfield with Bernard McElvaney and the forward line with Paddy Dowd.

Corner forward Brian Kavanagh was one of Longford's discoveries last summer, but there's pressure on him to continue where he left off.

Westmeath have a much more experienced forward line with Dolan, Alan Mangan and Denis Glennon, and that's where games are more likely to be won.

LONGFORD:D Sheridan; D Brady, D Masterson,D Reilly; S Mulligan, D Hanniffy, N Farrell; L Keenan,B McElvaney; T Smullen, P Barden, P Berry; B Kavanagh, P Dowd, K Mulligan.

WESTMEATH:G Connaughton; F Boyle,D O'Donoghue, J Keane; D Healy, M Ennis, K Gavin; M Flanagan, D O'Shaughnessy; F Wilson, D Dolan,J Smyth; A Mangan, P Bannon, D Glennon.