Four matches in four weeks has certainly given new definition to the meaning of a Westmeath championship campaign, but even at this relatively early stage, it's fair to say that Luke Dempsey's team are proving major beneficiaries of the new system. Captain Ger Heavin (right) reflected yesterday - in between his son Ryan's 4th birthday - on how the squad and management has sustained itself through the last four weeks.

"It was definitely very hard to pick ourselves up after the Meath defeat. It wasn't physical as such - I think you'll always find those reserves when you need them - but mostly mental. It showed the first day against Wexford. We just couldn't pick ourselves up in that first half. But there was no panic at half-time - nobody even mentioned the fact that we were down to 14 men. There's good self-belief there, it was a case of there not been a whole lot broken. It just required us to get a few early points and get back in touch and we did. We should probably have won it in extra-time that evening, but I think the tiredness did actually kick in then.

"We were confident for the replay, what with playing at home in front of our own supporters. After that, with the draw against Limerick, well we were happy to get Limerick and they were happy to get us.

"As regards training these last few weeks, we've slightly adjusted things in that we used to train Tuesdays and Fridays, but we now do Tuesdays and Thursdays because of the Saturday matches. But it has been important to try and recover after matches - a lot of players would use the jacuzzi at our gym (Bloomfield House in Mullingar) on a Monday. But it has all been great and we're looking forward to the draw. The lesser (number of) teams in the draw, the better the quality, but to be have played all these matches in June and still looking forward is a great feeling."