Damien answers call

Westmeath"s Leinster senior football championship ambitions have received a boost with the news of Damien Healy"s decision to come out of retirement.Healy announced his decision to quit the inter-county scene following Westmeath"s elimination from last year"s All-Ireland qualifiers at the hands of Tyrone last July.The 32 year-old Rochfortbridge man, who plays club football with Salthill-Knocknacarra from Galway, took time out to travel for a period in Australia, but recently returned to Westmeath for a wedding and spoke to Lake County manager Tomás Ó Flatharta during this period.A spokesperson for the Westmeath camp confirmed this week that Healy has since returned to Australia but is due to return to Ireland permanently next week.The spokesperson said: 'Tomás and Damien spoke in detail when he (Damien) was recently home from Australia for a short period. Damien has agreed to rejoin the panel upon his permanent return to Ireland. It"s very good news for everyone associated with the Westmeath senior football panel and Damien will be a welcome addition to the ranks.'Healy had previously retired after the 2007 championship, only to be coaxed back by manager Tomás Ó Flatharta for last year"s campaign.It seemed that last July"s narrow All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Tyrone - in which Healy and team mate Doran Harte were both red-carded - was his last in the maroon jersey, but his return to the panel will provide something of a lift to Westmeath after a disastrous National Football League campaign.Upon his decision to travel overseas last year, Healy had said it was an opportunity he wanted to take before it became 'too late'.The 2004 Leinster championship winner, who was handed his senior debut by then Westmeath manager Barney Rock in 1996, said: 'It"s probably more beneficial to the team if I get out at this stage. I don"t want to be hanging around for the next five years - if I get out now, it"s easier and some guy will have to come in and replace me. I need to get away for a year. I haven"t had much time off - it"s always football, football, football.'Healy has been a regular fixture in Westmeath"s half-back line for many years and followers of the Lake County will no doubt be pleased to hear of his imminent return. The news follows a recent return to training and competitive club action for injured county stars Dessie Dolan, Donal O"Donoghue and Fergal Wilson.