Former selector for Páidí Ó Sé proposed to take over as Westmeath football manager

FORMER WESTMEATH FOOTBALLER and selector Jack Cooney will be put forward for ratification to take over as the new manager of the Lake County, Westmeath GAA has announced.

The football committee appointed by the Westmeath County board to recommend a new manager will propose Cooney for the position at the next county board meeting, which will take place on 12 September.

The Kinnegad clubman was a selector for Páidí Ó Sé in 2004 when the Westmeath footballers won the county’s first ever Leinster SFC title after a famous win over Laois in Croke Park. He also worked alongside Rory Gallagher with Donegal in 2015.

Cooney has managed club sides such as Rhode and Kinnegad in recent times as he looks set to take over from Colin Kelly, who announced his departure from the position following Westmeath’s championship exit against Armagh in June.

If ratified, Cooney would become the first Westmeath native to manage the senior footballers since Brian Murtagh in 1992, according to Westmeath GAA.

He is yet to finalize his backroom team which will be decided in the coming weeks.

County board Chairman Billy Foley says he is hopeful Cooney will get the backing of Westmeath clubs to become the new manager.

“I am delighted that the selection committee have chosen Jack as our next football manager. We hope all clubs will get behind us now in selecting our first native manager in many years.

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“We had a fantastic committee and I believe they have done a super job with their combined experience in selecting the right man to lead Westmeath Footballers in the 2019 season.”

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