‘It was hard going out there’: Fortune on Antrim clash
Understandably, Westmeath senior hurling manager Joe Fortune took a number of positives out of last Saturday’s narrow Walsh Cup win against Antrim in Abbotstown.
The Wexford native reflected on the contest thus: “It was a tough, physical game. I wouldn’t have expected anything different. Antrim are a proud hurling county. They are in Division 1 this year, and rightly so. Both of us realise that there are big games coming up in the year against each other. We are due to have a fair battle with them in TEG Cusack Park in May in the Leinster championship.
“I was very happy with the endeavour of our own lads today. They weren’t willing to back down when it was hard going out there. That’s what makes Westmeath men great.”
He added, in a philosophical tone: “However, I told the lads it’s a Walsh Cup game against half – if even that – an Antrim team. We’ve had a tough week with players and myself having a virus. It’s something that’s going through the camp and, hopefully, we’re coming out the far side of it now. But I’d prefer this to happen now than in the middle of the National League.”
When it was put to him that the game had been quite low-scoring, the winning bainisteoir responded: “Conditions were extremely windy here today. The surface is Croke Park-esque and neither ourselves nor Antrim are probably used to training on such a good surface! I think we missed nine frees and had a couple of poor wides. Antrim were the same.”
Commenting on some individual displays and absentees, Fortune continued: “Darragh Egerton was outstanding. He’s made of steel. He’s as good as there is in any county. We have lads to come back in after niggles and illness. Unfortunately, some lads are gone travelling – Aonghus (Clarke) and Tommy Gallagher. Shane Clavin picked up a shoulder injury today and, hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.”
Fortune’s troops wrap up their Walsh Cup campaign against the county of his domicile, Dublin, next Sunday in Kinnegad. He concluded by looking forward to that game: “Dublin next Sunday gives us another chance to look at lads. That is what the Walsh Cup is about. I have to try and find two or three lads to add to last year.
“It would be a wasted opportunity to go out and play the full team all the time. I would just love the people of Westmeath to get behind this team for the next couple of weeks.”