Dempsey never doubted Westmeath

REGRETS, he’s had more than a few - and mainly at the hands of Meath. But the biggest disappointment for Luke Dempsey came when he wasn’t reappointed as Westmeath football manager last year.

Understandably, he experienced mixed emotions watching them come agonisingly close to beating holders Laois in the Leinster final last Sunday, yet, the overriding feeling was one of pride in their performance.

“I wanted to go back last year because I knew this was going to be the real crucial year for the team,’’ he explains. “John Keane was back from America; Dessie Dolan was finished in NUIG and after getting a job in Moate, which meant it was easier for him to train, while Donal Donoghue and Denis Glennon were coming on line as two excellent minor and U21 footballers. That’s the way it has materialised. Add in these lads to last year’s group and you have a really talented group. I wasn’t surprised by the achievement in getting to the final and absolutely delighted that they almost got there last Sunday. That was what we were all trying to do for them.’’

Dempsey felt that his team was very close to making the final last season, believing that at last they were going to beat Meath when Dessie Dolan lined up to take a 20-metre free at the end of the game, which would have given them victory. “I remember thinking, ‘this is it, it’s the breakthrough. That team was well capable of winning Leinster if they had got over that hurdle. But that’s sport and you never know what’s around the corner. You never know what the next step is going to be - as I found out.’’

The performance last Sunday delighted him, displaying its strength all over the field. With the addition of John Keane and Donal Donoghue, he rates the defence as “formidable,” the Rory O’Connell/David O’Shaughnessy at midfield as “probably one of the strongest” around and with Dessie Dolan having a quiet game, Denis Glennon impressed him the way he took over that responsibility. “He scored five points from play, which was a marvellous return for a 20-year-old,’’ he added. “I have no doubt that Dessie can do better. He is a remarkable player and he takes an awful lot of attention, which means the other forwards can be freed up with less pressure. Taking account of the standard he has set for himself, I know he will have been disappointed with his game, and will hope to play better.

“Westmeath are every bit as good as Laois. It’s not like the replay between Limerick and Kerry, where you could wonder if, for example, the Limerick full-back line would contain the Kerry full-forward line. The Westmeath players know that individually they are as good as their Laois counterparts. And in that sense they know that going into Saturday’s match they have every chance. I don’t think they have left it behind them.’’

Watching from the stand last weekend brought back memories of his three years with the team and the years he spent with most of the players at minor and U21 level. “It was mixed emotions from the point of view that you’d love to be there and you would feel a bit hurt by the (club) delegates and the Football Board that they didn’t allow you that. But that feeling never transcends to the players because they gave me so much commitment. What we were all trying to do was win a Leinster final. No matter who is in charge, the fact that they’re such a fantastic group of players, you’d be delighted if they did win it.’’

Dempsey is dismissive of talk that the standard this year is “poor,” accepting that the view is based on the fact that Dublin and Meath are not involved, and that Kildare and Offaly are missing, too. “The logic is that with the success at U21 level in both counties, if the players followed a consistent line of improvement, the best players aged between 22 and 25 would be in Laois and Westmeath. The good thing about Westmeath is that they allowed me become the senior manager with a lot of that group, so there was a continuity. It’s not a surprise to see where they are today.’’

One thing he is very happy with - and takes pride in - is the positive approach of both teams, which also reflects the approach of the respective managers. He doubts if the players know any other way.

“The style of play that Laois and Westmeath played in all those years at under-age level is consistent with the way they are playing now. It’s very hard to change a player’s style - or the team style - unless you come in to radically do it. The only difference between Westmeath this year and last year is that the forwards are more decisive. And that’s because the likes of Denis Glennon has come in and added a new dimension to the forwards.’’