Flanagan proves Westmeath’s Pied Piper

EIGHT weeks ago they had no manager and a number of their best players weren’t even on the panel but now Westmeath’s footballers stand just 70 minutes away from a first Leinster final appearance since 2004.

Pat Flanagan would appear to be the most obvious catalyst for such a dramatic change in fortunes as the upswing has coincided neatly with the Clara man’s short time in charge.

Appointed as interim manager in late April, Flanagan took over a team that had just lost all seven of its games in Division Two and which then rebelled successfully against Brendan Hackett.