Let’s face it dear reader, this is the bleakest part of the year. Evenings getting ever shorter, leaves falling faster than property prices and rain bucketing down all do little to warm the heartstrings. Not to mention that with very few matches between now and next February there’ll be very little for us hurlers on the ditch to talk about over the next few months. Thankfully Garrycastle, Tubberclair, and Caulry all have Leinster club matches coming up and hopefully one or all of them can get on a run and give a timely boost to football in the county. Otherwise we’ll only have Donal Og’s personal life or Tadhg Kenelly’s ‘revelation’ to discuss and we don’t want that now do we?
With clocks going back an hour this weekend, winter is well and truly upon us. Depressing and all as this may seem, our good friend Shelly rightly reminds us that if winter comes then spring won’t be far behind.
With this more positive note in mind the new Westmeath manager Brendan Hackett has over the past ten days met with his extended new panel and introduced his backroom team to them.
Over 65 players turned up in the Hilimar Hotel where the Monaghan native outlined his plans and introduced his backroom team. With Hackett on the management team are Longford native Mattie Fox and former Westmeath great, Michael ‘Spike’ Fagan. Fox has worked with Hackett before with Longford back in the late 1980s. He is a well known manager on the Irish music scene, having guided no less a man than Christy Moore to stardom.
Hackett’s association with Spike goes back to the international rules squad of 1990. Fagan will no doubt be a welcome and respected addition to the ticket.
Gerry McDermott will act as football analyst having done so successfully with four All-Ireland winning teams - Donegal (1992 ), Down (1994 ), Armagh (2002 ), and Tyrone (2005 ) as well as losing finalists Kildare (1998 ). It would be nice if he can add Westmeath to his CV before he moves on.
Former Olympic gold medallist boxer Michael Carruth joins the backround team as a specialist sports masseur. Olympic canoeist Eoin Rheinisch, who was fourth in Beijing, is also coming on board to help out with weights and conditioning.
As always, Dr Jerry O’Flynn will look after the medical side of things. Joe Daly will continue in his role as team co-ordinator while Damien McLoughlin remains as kitman.
One thing for sure is that Hackett appears to have a very professional approach to the job and the successful people he has surrounded himself with will hopefully bring a winning mentality and indeed a winning reality to the county.
Over 40 players took part in seven-a-side matches in Lake Point Park last Sunday where Hackett and his crew got to see some of the talent at their disposal. All players will undergo a fitness test this weekend before being given an individual programme to work on between now and January. At that stage the panel will be cut to more manageable numbers in preparation for a tough division two campaign.
Westmeath begin their 2010 league campaign with a home tie against Donegal on February 7. Next up is an away game to Armagh on Valentine’s Day followed by another away game to Meath on March 6.
On March 14 Laois are the visitors to Cusack Park while Newbridge is the venue for the meeting with Kildare on March 21. Down travel to Mullingar on March 28 while all roads will lead to Tipperary for the final round game on April 11.
Plenty of interesting fixtures there to look forward to. Roll on spring.
Garrycastle Ladies contest Leinster final
It’s a massive weekend for the ladies of Garrycastle who this weekend take on Dublin side St Brigids in the Leinster intermediate final. The game is fixed for Athy on Sunday at 1pm. Having already accounted for the Laois and Louth champions, confidence is high in the camp that they can clear the final hurdle. Team manager Ken Dolan and his backroom team of his wife Patricia and Jackie Wykes, have a full hand to pick from. They will be hoping that the huge support which was present in the semi-final on home turf will make the journey to Athy to lend their support. Best of luck to all concerned.
