Once bitten, twice as good
On his appointment three years ago, he claimed to see no reason why his new charges could not win a Leinster title but they have failed to make a breakthrough despite their impressive run through the qualifiers last year.
In Cusack Park they were outplayed in all sectors of the pitch, managing just three points from play and failing to pose any problems for Westmeath even after the home side lost wing-forward Fergal Wilson to a second yellow card with over 20 minutes to play.
“Your future is very much dependant on how the county board feels your last match went,” said Dempsey.
“Longford are in Division Three of the league next year with a view to climbing up to Division Two. I’d like to be there with them.”
He’d like to have been going anywhere but to Mullingar on Saturday night. Having lost to Longford in the Leinster Championship in mid-May, Tomas O Flatharta’s side lacked little in terms of motivation in this return bout.
Eight points up at the break in Pearse Park eight weeks ago, they suffered meltdown in the second 35 minutes but they looked home and dry at the interval this time, even though the advantage was only seven points.
This result can’t help but tarnish Longford’s brilliant victory two months ago — and the provincial championships along with it — but, to his credit, Dempsey didn’t dwell on the apparent injustice when the matter was put to him.
“Hindsight is 20-20 but, from the time we got it, I felt ‘God, why this draw?’ That’s the reality after the (mechanics) of the draw was changed. To go and repeat what we did in Longford was going to be difficult. The ball was in their court on their home patch.
“Probably the only thing you would change is the fact that you could get the same team again. We could have got Fermanagh or Louth, Wexford, Roscommon, Kildare who we would have been delighted to play against.”
Dempsey was more interested in praising Westmeath than he was in railing against the system and you could see his point. This was as good as some of the football Westmeath played in 2004 under Paidí Ó Sé, even accounting for the limited appetite Longford brought to the table.
Martin Flanagan in midfield was the pivot on which all their efforts hinged. Dessie Dolan was effective despite failing to score from play but it was encouraging that the baton was picked up by Dennis Glennon and, to a lesser extent, Wilson instead.
“They were physically stronger than Longford. I don’t know what team would have lived with them at Cusack Park in the form they were in,” said Dempsey.
O Flatharta insisted with one breath that the opposition and May 13 had nothing to do with this display before pondering what the night would have been like had they been facing a road trip to Wexford with another.
Whatever the reasons behind their improvement, it has given them a solid platform on which to build for the second round.
“I’m pleased with the result but I’m happier with the performance than I was the last day. We played well in the first half (in Longford) but the second half left a lot to be desire. We had to play for 70 minutes this time. We learnt a lot of lessons from our mistakes the first day.” Scorers for Westmeath: D Dolan 0-6f, D Glennon 0-4, F Wilson 0-4 (3f), D O'Donoghue 0-1, J Smyth 0-1, G Dolan 0-1, J Connellan 0-1.
Scorers for Longford: B Kavanagh 0-6 (5f), B McElvaney 0-1f, P Barden 0-1, P Davis 0-1.
G. Connaughton; F. Boyle, D. Donoghue, J. Keane; D. Healy, M. Ennis, G. Glennon; D Duffy, M. Flanagan; D. Glennon, J. Smith, F. Wilson; A. Mangan, G. Dolan, D. Dolan.
Subs: J Connellan for Mangan (65), K Gavin for G Glennon (67), A Rigney for Healy (70), D O'Shaughnessy for G Dolan (72).
D Sheridan; D Brady, D Masterson, D Reilly; S Mulligan, D Hanniffy, N Farrell; B McElvaney, L Keenan; T Smullen, P Barden, P Berry; D Barden, P Dowd, B Kavanagh.
Subs: K Smith for Keenan (31), K Mulligan for Smullen (35), P Kelly for S Mulligan (35), P Davis for Berry (58), J Martin for McElvaney (63).
M Hughes (Tyrone).
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