Westmeath football manager Mark McHugh (left) and selector/coach Jamie Gonoud (right) celebrate with Jimmy, Chloe and Sandra Gonoud, following Westmeath’s Leinster SFC final victory over Dublin at Croke Park this year.

McHugh remains in charge as Gonoud takes U20 job

Damien Maher

Published: Wed 9 Sep 2026, 11:17 AM

Last updated: Wed 9 Sep 2026, 11:35 AM

Mark McHugh will lead Westmeath senior footballers for a second year in 2027, it has been confirmed. The Donegal man has an unchanged backroom team as he looks to build on this year’s Leinster SFC success.

McHugh was reappointed at last Friday night’s Westmeath County Committee meeting in the Mullingar Park Hotel and was acknowledged for the major impact he made in his first year in charge.

Secretary Keith Quinn said there is no change to this year’s backroom team – Emmet McDonnell, Jamie Gonoud, Ryan Daly and Stephen ‘Archie’ Beattie will remain at the helm.

“We want to thank Mark and his management team. It’s the most fantastic journey we have been on for the last five or six months. He’s a driven man. He’s young, he’s enthusiastic and he has done a fantastic job along with everyone on his backroom team and we want to put on record our thanks,” said the secretary.

In a new development, Jamie Gonoud has been formally ratified as the Westmeath U20 football manager for next year.

The former Westmeath defender, who still plays club football for Tyrrellspass, is a selector as part of McHugh's management team. He replaces Kenny McKinley, whose two-year term ended following this year’s campaign.

“Kenny McKinley was appointed on a two-year term. We held a review and it was decided that we would not take him on board for 2027. We thank him for all his service. He has been a fantastic servant as a player and a manager,” said County Committee secretary Keith Quinn.

The secretary put forward Gonoud for the U20 football position. “He’s young; finished playing football with Westmeath only last year and is a selector with Mark McHugh. The thinking is that the U20s would be linked in with the seniors,” he said.

Gonoud will be joined by Kieran Martin (Maryland), Dean McNicholas (Tyrrellspass) and Eoin Jordan (Athlone). Martin served Westmeath with distinction at senior level up to 2025, while McNicholas oversaw the historic All-Ireland colleges success by Coláiste Mhuire earlier this year.

Jordan has a wealth of experience having managed both Athlone and Tubberclair, in addition to involvement with several Marist College teams.

Marie Lynagh (Kilbeggan Shamrocks) proposed their ratification and it was seconded by Francie Donoghue (Tang).

Elsewhere, at minor football level, Milltown’s Mick Dillon has returned as minor football manager for a second year and was reappointed at Friday’s meeting.