McCabe on minors: ‘We didn't play to our potential'

After some initial hesitation, Westmeath minor football manager, Martin McCabe, spoke to the Westmeath Examiner after last Wednesday’s hammering at the hands of Wicklow in Aughrim.

McCabe conceded that his side had been outplayed, as follows: “They were a way better team, a way stronger team. We didn’t play to our potential. The last day (against Offaly) we got close to our potential, but tonight we didn’t play well at all.”

A brace of Ben McGauran goals, the second from a penalty on the stroke of half-time, had the visitors still somewhat in contention at the interval. However, the losing bainisteoir accepted that it went wrong for his charges shortly after the resumption of play.

“We had an awful start to the second half. That’s the third game in-a-row that happened to us and the game was lost in all cases. It really went away from us,” said the former Garrycastle boss. 

“We hadn’t played particularly well up to half-time. They scored every free they got. We had a couple of chances we didn’t take. When we ran at them, we got the goals, but at the start of the second half it all went away on us.”

When asked if he had taken any positives from the night, the former successful Garrycastle senior manager responded: “There’s a good group of lads there. They are good friendly gasúns, good hard-working gasúns. We’ve worked hard and they will come right eventually in the long-term. 

“There will be players there tonight who will play senior football for Westmeath.”

McCabe was asked how he might approach the two remaining ‘dead rubbers’ and he concluded: “I don’t think they are dead rubbers. For young lads there’s still a prize to play for. We play Louth and we play Dublin. 

“The prize is getting a win. That should be enough of a prize to keep lads training.”