Westmeath trainer eyes finish line after shaky start

THIS time last year, preparing a team for the Leinster final wasn’t exactly on Tomas Ó Flatharta’s agenda.

Not even on his long-term agenda. In Dublin circles, the West Kerry native had been slowly developing a reputation as a trainer of some merit with Kilmacud Crokes, but the inter-county scene never really figured in his plans.

Not even when his friend Páidí Ó Sé ended his tempestuous relationship with the Kerry county board did Ó Flatharta think of training county players. And then last October, Paddy Collins made an announcement that shocked the footballing world. In a few short days, Ó Flatharta’s life was about to change.

“It was something I never really thought about. I had been involved with underage teams and the senior team for a couple of years with the club, but Páidí asked me last October and after a few days, I eventually said yes.”

Those few days weren’t spent wondering about getting involved with Westmeath, rather if he was able to give the commitment required.

“I was delighted Páidí thought of me. We know each other very well, from growing up together and playing together in West Kerry.

“We have always kept in contact and I’d love to work with Páidí. The only thing was I was working in Dublin and the problem was getting down to Mullingar every evening for training. I worked around that and managed it.”

It was a shaky start. Although manager and trainer were aware of the bigger names in Westmeath, the likes of Dessie Dolan and Martin Flanagan, they had no knowledge of the football scene in the county. It took some time to integrate.

“When the two of us came up here, we didn’t have a clue about Westmeath. We didn’t know any of the players. You would have heard of Dessie and those lads before, but we didn’t know anyone up here, or anything about any of the clubs.

“It took us a while to get to know everybody, we had a lot of trial games, challenge games and I suppose, in that regard, the O’Byrne Cup helped us and the League as well.”

The League. When Páidí’s great plan looked to be going pear-shaped. It is all smiles and handshakes in Westmeath at the moment, but back in those dark spring days, it was a different story, with Westmeath battling relegation with an unsettled team.

“Things are going well now and everyone thinks it is great,” the trainer says.

“But we had a tough time since we took over, especially in the League, but we have turned it around.”

It wasn’t easy to turn around. There were furrowed brows as Westmeath lost a few League games badly and the team didn’t seem to be responding to new methods.

But Ó Flatharta accepts it was part of a getting-to-know-you process.

“We started off well in the League but we did go through a bit of pain. I think we are seeing the benefit of that pain now. From those games, we identified a lot of the weaknesses and when you can do that, you can work on your weaknesses, and we did that. We were just going to take it one step at a time in the championship.”

That attitude served them well.

Westmeath beat Offaly in a game that swung in the balance, games Westmeath had made a habit of losing. The confidence could be seen in each panel member. Dublin were also put to the sword with a hugely impressive display. Ó Flatharta compliments how every member of the panel focused on that Dublin game.

When Wexford were vanquished, supporters started to join their players in the belief that Westmeath could rid themselves of that unwanted tag: being one of only three counties never to capture a provincial title.

“It is a great opportunity for everyone, a big occasion for the players and the county.

“But you have to remember that this Westmeath team have won absolutely nothing at senior level and we are playing a Laois team who are the reigning champions.”

There have been plenty of encouraging signs this summer. They have managed to make it to a Leinster final without the services of Martin Flanagan and Rory O’Connell, two of their star performers.

“Martin and Rory are a huge loss, but we had to plan without them and we haven’t even talked about them. We have just looked forward all the time, whereas if you look back and think about this, this and this, you aren’t going to achieve anything.”

Ó Flatharta believes for his team to achieve an historic victory on Sunday, they will need to perform better than they have all year.

“I suppose we have to raise it a level, if you look at Laois, Micko has the best football team in the country the way they play the game, they have some serious footballers and they are very, very fit. Look at the likes of Munnelly, he will run around all day, Clancy and Garvan in midfield, two fine athletes. Beano, Tom Kelly, we have to keep an eye on those fellas.”

The Westmeath trainer enjoyed the good times that Micko brought to his native county, but he is planning to halt his current success story.

“We had great times in Kerry because of Micko, great times in Killarney, Cork and Croke Park. But when you are involved in sport, you want to be competitive, you want to beat the best and that is what we are striving to do on Sunday.”