Whittaker hopes Westmeath can build on stunning success

Matthew Whittaker, who battled through a serious ankle injury to deliver a superb display in the Leinster final last Sunday week, feels Mark McHugh has transformed the county’s fortunes by instilling belief in the panel.

“From day dot, Mark said he wouldn’t be driving this length if he didn’t believe we could win something big. I went up to Donegal and I slept for a week after that journey, so I don’t know how he comes with so much energy to every training!” quipped Whittaker, after the stunning victory over Dublin.

“When you see him traveling seven or eight hours a day for training three or four times a week, and he has young kids, and they are down at every game, it gives you that belief that there must be something in that dressing room,” the Tubberclair man continued.

“The amount of hard luck stories we had over the last two years. I think we lost five out of six games by a score in the league last year. We were beaten by Kildare (Leinster quarter-final) the same, beaten by Wicklow (Tailteann Cup) the same. And ten months later, we are Leinster champions.

“Mark has instilled a serious belief in us and something that we probably didn’t have and I think the Wexford game (when Westmeath missed out on promotion), strangely, was probably one of the best things that could happen to us.

“Against Meath, I think we were ten points up; I think they got it back to two and just getting over the line a game like that gave us such belief. I don’t know, it’s outrageous how quick a turnaround it’s been; it’s probably only six months into a longer term project for the lads and we’ve got success already.

“We’ll keep listening to the boys anyway, when you’re winning things it certainly helps. We’ll see where it takes us but we want to keep going and push on.”

Whittaker said Westmeath now needs to build on this Leinster success and, unlike 2004, make sure it leads to big developments in the county in the coming years.

He spoke on the need for proper training facilities for Westmeath teams after he and his colleagues were forced to travel to Leitrim this year for a pitch during the wintry weather.

“As a young lad growing up in Westmeath, I suppose my cousin Gary (Connaughton) was involved in Westmeath in 2004 and all I ever wanted as a child was looking up to him, wanting to lift that Delaney Cup.

“I met him for a cup of tea lately and he was actually telling me that 22 years later, people still talk about it, still chat to him about that day, and it’s just inspiring the next generation.

“That’s the biggest thing; when we’re driving in for the final, to see the amount of people on the streets, the young kids and stuff, and what it means to them to see players in a Leinster final. It’s unbelievable and this gives the whole county a boost and it really pushes things on.

“The big thing former players said was in 2004 they didn’t capitalise on it maybe in development centres and somewhere to train.

“It’s no secret four or five months ago we had nowhere to train. We had to drive to another county to train which is nuts when you think about it.

“So like my biggest message to the county would be build on this, don’t just be happy because an unbelievable manager has come in and got a squad together to believe and push us on to do something great.

“The whole county needs to capitalise on this now and really push on and set higher standards for ourselves and the next generation coming through.”

Such interesting and insightful views are for the future. For the moment, as celebrations begin to fade, Westmeath must prepare for their All-Ireland series first round clash with Cavan on Saturday, May 30 (TEG Cusack Park, 5pm).

With Westmeath playing on home turf less than two weeks after being crowned Leinster champions, this game will surely be an occasion to savour and a huge crowd is expected in Mullingar.

The match will also see Mark McHugh in opposition to Dermot McCabe, who was assisted by McHugh when he was Westmeath manager last year, before leaving the post to take over as manager of his native Cavan.

In addition, Whittaker's Tubberclair and Westmeath colleague Eoghan McCabe is a nephew of Dermot, adding another element of intrigue to the mix.