Star Westmeath forward out of Leinster Championship clash with Kildare

Luke Loughlin of Westmeath in action against Ryan Burke of Kildare during the Leinster GAA SFC quarter-final match at Cedral St Conleth's Park, Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

placeholder image — Luke Loughlin of Westmeath in action against Ryan Burke of Kildare during the Leinster GAA SFC quarter-final match at Cedral St Conleth's Park, Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The Lake County will be without star forward Luke Loughlin due to injury when they meet Kildare on Sunday, May 3 in Glenisk O'Connor Park, Tullamore

Kildare face Westmeath at 2pm on Sunday, May 3 in Glenisk O'Connor Park, Tullamore with their Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-final meeting to be streamed live on GAA+.

The Lake County will be without star forward Luke Loughlin, who scored 14 points against Kildare in last year's Leinster SFC meeting, after he was subbed off while clutching his hamstring in the 52nd minute of their famous win over Meath on April 19.

Loughlin was also taken off in the 52nd minute against Longford, after scoring 2-2 and the star confirmed on Instagram earlier that he is out of Sunday's clash.

Reports in the Westmeath Examiner on Wednesday stated, "Lake County fans are hoping that The Downs’ talisman makes a full recovery but there is serious concern that he will be unable to play any part. There is a low-key build-up in Westmeath and there is no official confirmation of team news ahead yet ahead of Sunday's Leinster semi-final."

There is no doubting that Loughlin is an immense footballer and would have been an enormous boost to Westmeath's prospects of reaching a first provincial final since 2016. The Downs forward ran the Kildare full-back ragged when they last met, but The Lilies still managed to get over the line that day on a scoreline of 2-17 to 0-21 in Cedral St Conleth's Park.

Regardless of who lines out in either starting XV, with Kildare fans eager to learn of the potential presence of Feely, Beirne or McCormack, this clash represents a huge opportunity for both of these counties to book an unexpected Leinster final spot.