Westmeath minor footballers hoping to make a major impact

Damien Maher

Westmeath minor football manager Eoin Kevlihan is optimistic about this year’s Leinster Minor Championship as the county attempts to make an impact at the grade after many years of disappointment.

Westmeath take on Meath in the first round in Kinnegad on Wednesday at 7.30pm and as a county, there is a desire and an aspiration to feature more prominently at a grade in which we were once very competitive. A Leinster title in 2000 followed provincial and All-Ireland glory in 1995, but they are distant memories now, with a Leinster final appearance against Kildare 10 years ago not providing many happy memories. Westmeath did overcome neighbours Meath at Pairc Tailteann, Navan that year and again four years ago, so they will be hoping for a similar outcome this week.

Kevlihan, who’s a member of the St Loman’s, Mullingar club, took over at the start of the season and has worked with the panel from under 13 level up. As regards progression and continuity, his is the first management team to have been retained at each grade along the way and there is hope that the focus on player pathway will prove a model for success.

“It’s my first year with the group as minor manager, but as a team we have been involved with these players since they began their involvement on development squads at under 13 level. It’s the first time this has happened in Westmeath and we’re hoping it proves successful,” he said.

Westmeath games manager, Darren Magee, a former Dublin football star, has been an advocate of the player pathway system for many years and Kevlihan is full of praise for the coaching and games structures within the county. Working with players through under 13 and under 15/16 levels over a number of years has given him the ideal opportunity to gauge their development.

“There’s terrific work ongoing in the county. The previous minor management had been there from under 16 level, but this is the first group of players to get full development squad treatment and credit is due to everyone involved,” said Kevlihan.

A PE teacher at St Joseph’s secondary school, Rochfortbridge, Kevlihan is well accustomed to working and communicating with young players which is an obvious advantage. He was in charge of the team at under 16 level last year and they enjoyed a noteworthy victory over Dublin in the Ted Webb Cup. Having qualified second from a group that involved Dublin, Galway and Cork, Westmeath eventually lost to Kerry, but it was a hugely positive campaign.

It follows success in the top grade (Division A) at under 15 level.

“We feel there’s great potential in the group and we were certainly pleased with how last year panned out. The development work, in terms of strength and conditioning, has had an impact and you could see great improvement in terms of development and progression,” he remarked, praising former Coiste na nÓg Chairman, Alan Leech and the people who have been so supportive of the player development plan.

POSITIVE

The addition of Barry Kelly as the new chairman this year is a positive move and he is joined by Peter Collins, while there’s been a great response from new county secretary, Brendan Shaw and chairman, Frank Mescall.

“We have got wonderful support and the players are very well catered for,” he stressed.

There are positive signs in terms of players returning to the fold from other sports as they appreciate the renewed efforts being made and the strong focus on proper development.

There has been a great buy-in from the clubs in the county, too, Kevlihan notes, with strong links to schools an important feature. There’s a strong relationship with the hurling set-up and with five dual players involved, that’s important. The hurlers have made a positive start with wins over Meath and Down, so there’s a positive vibe around.

But when all is said and done, Westmeath will still need a big performance to get a result against their old nemesis and Kevlihan is under no illusions about what lies ahead.

“It will be a huge challenge for us, we are well aware of that. We have been competitive up to now, but we have to continue that level of performance and that is the challenge,” he said.

Westmeath are also facing Louth and Dublin (two away games) in Group 2 of the provincial championship and there won’t be time for pandering. It will be about performing and recovering quickly for the next challenge. Both Louth and Meath were in the Gerry Reilly Tournament last year.

Kevlihan is working with a 32-strong panel and there are 15 clubs feeding into that. He has a strong and experienced management team, including Joe Corroon (The Downs), Ger Donohoe (Garrycastle), Ciaran Goggins (Coralstown/Kinnegad), John Tumelty (Tang) and Chris Cole (Bunbrosna). The team coordinator is Alan McCormack (Kilbeggan Shamrocks).

“We’re hopeful, but we realise this will be a tough challenge. Meath have been in the All-Ireland minor final in recent years and they will be keen to build on that. Every county is pushing hard; our challenge is to match that and see where it takes us,” he added.

EXPERIENCE

The Dublin native will bring plenty of experience to the minor football manager’s role.

Hailing from Old Bawn, Tallaght, he played hurling and football with the Thomas Davis club in Dublin for 22 years, representing his county at minor and U21 level.

He moved to Westmeath in 2006 and joined the St Loman’s and Clonkill clubs, winning county, provincial and All-Ireland club IHC medals with the Loughegar outfit in 2008 before hanging up his boots a few years later. He is also well known as a cyclist locally, and is a member of Mullingar cycling club Lakeside Wheelers.

Since retiring as a player, Kevlihan developed his talents as a coach and has been in charge of several underage and ladies’ football teams in Dublin and Westmeath.

Westmeath panel: Daire O’Connor, Kealan Connell, Paul Keegan, Thomas Farrell (Tubberclair); James Mitchell, Peter McDonald, Aodhan Curran, Cian Whitney (Moate All Whites); Jack Murtagh, Conor Daly (The Downs); Darragh O’Brien, Neal Pierson (Tyrrellspass); Luke Nicholson, Killian Geary, Cathal Hardiman (Athlone); Aaron Murphy, Cormac Murphy (Caulry); Eoin Daly (Coralstown/Kinnegad); Matthew Thornton (Multyfarnham); Callum Rigney, Gavin Pearse, Ryan Kelly (Mullingar Shamrocks); Cormac McKeogh, Conor Leech (Killucan); Oisín Carroll, Shane Cully (St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge); Aidan Maguire (Millmore Gaels); Eoin Conlon (Shandonagh); David Carter (Garrycastle); John Casey, Oisín O’Hara, Calum Butler Dolan, Ruairí Doonan (St Loman’s, Mullingar).