O'Brien departs as hurling boss

BREAKING

There’s a crisis unfolding in Westmeath hurling following official confirmation this afternoon that Kevin O‘Brien has departed as senior hurling manager.

O’Brien was facing a massive challenge to get commitment from players for the new season after a disappointing 2026 campaign. There was also concern that no Westmeath selector could be secured. The Clonkill man, who previously managed the county's U20 hurlers, served just one year in charge and his side endured difficult league and Joe McDonagh Cup campaigns.

Westmeath GAA has confirmed they will now begin the process of appointing a new senior hurling manager. News of O’Brien’s departure also means that a new panel will now be put in place for the new seasons and players who had fallen out of favour with the former manager may now come back into the reckoning.

The Westmeath Examiner understands that O’Brien was struggling to get players to commit for the new season and there was a poor response to fitness testing ahead of the start of the 2027 campaign.

O’Brien was ratified at the recent Westmeath GAA County Committee meeting and since then, it was announced that Kilkenny’s Eddie Brennan would be joining the backroom team as a coach. That now appears to be up in the air and it’s not known whether Brennan would be interested in the now vacant manager’s position. It is unlikely given the county’s challenges regarding training facilities.

Former Clare hurler, Ollie Baker, was part of O’Brien’s backroom team in 2026 and it was recently confirmed that Offaly’s Kevin O’Brien had been secured as strength and conditioning coach.

The statement from Westmeath GAA reads as follows:

"Westmeath GAA confirms that Kevin O’Brien’s tenure as senior hurling manager has come to a close.

"We thank Kevin for his commitment and contribution to Westmeath hurling and the senior hurling team in 2026 and wish him every success in the future.

"Westmeath GAA will now commence the search for a new senior hurling manager for 2027. Ends."