Dempsey latest manager to leave his post

WESTMEATH became the fifth football county without a senior coach following Luke Dempsey’s decision not to seek re-appointment.

A recent County Board meeting looked at two proposals from the clubs: one to re-appointment Dempsey, and the other to set up a committee consisting of the executive of the board, to hold interviews for the post.

On a vote, the latter was carried which upset the Rochfordbridge-based school teacher. There had been rumblings, chiefly among the players, following this year’s exit from the Leinster championship that it was time for change.

However, following a meeting with the players, Dempsey is understood to have won back their support but the county board meeting made his position untenable.

Dempsey said he did not want to be considered for the position and expressed disappointment his re-appointment was not ratified when he confirmed his intentions to stay on in July.

County PRO Pat Doherty said his board regretted Dempsey’s decision. “He has brought Westmeath football from nowhere to being one of the top counties in the country,” he said.

“I spoke with Luke last week and he told me that if he didn’t have the backing of the clubs, there wasn’t much point in staying on.

“He is very disappointed at the way things have turned out. He will be forever remembered as the man who brought Westmeath football out of the wilderness.

“There are mixed emotions about Luke’s decision. The vote at the county board meeting was more or less indicative of the feelings on the ground”.

Dempsey’s decision brings an end to an eight-year involvement with Westmeath teams.

In his first year as minor manager, he led Westmeath to an historic All-Ireland minor title and followed it up four years later in 1999 with a first All-Ireland U21 success.

After guiding Westmeath to back to back Leinster U21 titles in 2000, he was appointed senior manager in succession to Brendan Lowry.

His first year in charge of the seniors yielded a NFL Division 2 title and an All-Ireland quarter-final appearance.

Indeed, Westmeath would have qualified for the All-Ireland semi-final but for the concession of a last-minute equalising goal against neighbours Meath. The Royals went on to win the replay by five points.

An injury-ravaged 2002 saw Westmeath lose their National League Division 1 status and exit the championship at an early stage. They bounced back to win the National League Division 2 title this year, but championship defeats to Meath (again after a replay) and Monaghan placed Dempsey’s future in doubt.

“There was a view within the county that with Meath struggling this year we would never have a better chance to lay that bogey once and for all. That didn’t happen, and the price is now being paid for that failure,” said Pat Doherty.

Several names have already been linked with the position, including Pete McGrath, Martin McHugh, Colm O’Rourke, Val Andrews and Eamon Barry, who is also in the running for the Meath job.