Decisive Hanley getting the best out of Westmeath

A few years ago they were on the same side, part of the management team guiding the fortunes of the Galway U21 hurlers.

Tomorrow in Mullingar, Brian Hanley and Anthony Cunningham will be in direct opposition, each wearing the Bainisteoir bib as Westmeath (Brian) and Galway (Anthony) square off in the Leinster senior hurling championship quarter-final.

Hanley explained: “I’m living in Athenry and managing Westmeath, Anthony is living in Athlone and managing Galway! Sure he could still play corner-forward for us (Anthony was a standout Galway underage and senior star) – I might give him a call on Saturday and suggest it to him!”

For all the banter however, Hanley is a serious operator. Last year, his first at the helm, Westmeath again met Galway at this stage of the Leinster championship and put up a brave challenge – level at the threequarter stage – before fading.

Yet when the teams take the field tomorrow only five of that starting 15 survive, nine on the panel.

“Long-term that performance probably did us more harm than good. Our preparation wasn’t what it should have been. I went to the Hurling Board last October and said ‘you’ve got to back me on this — anyone who isn’t fully committed to us by November 1 is gone, no matter who it is’.

“We invited every club to send in a representative to meet us and from that meeting it came out that I was to visit every club and explain what we wanted to do. I did and from that we’ve progressed to where we are now.

“We started off with 95 players on trial, we cut that to 80, then 60, then down along to the final 26.”

Along the way Hanley cut some big-name players, a brave decision given the base of players in Westmeath, and it didn’t stop there. ”

“I also made it clear that there would be no dual players. You can’t work with someone who’s only going to be with you 50% of the time. Anyone involved with us this year — management and players — has to commit to it 100%. Even if that meant starting off with a weaker base – which it did — you’re going to end up stronger, you’re going to bring on those lads.”

Impressive management, decisive management, which isn’t to say Hanley wasn’t prepared to compromise, to change direction. He did exactly that just a few weeks ago after Westmeath had lost to Carlow in the Division 2A league final. “That was a huge disappointment. We had set ourselves two goals, to win promotion and to win a round of the Leinster championship. We got to the league final but lost; having said that, it has made me probably 50% better as a manager and also improved our squad by probably 50%. We’ve made changes to our backroom team, we’ve had a look at our training methods, our overall preparation and we made changes there also.”

Again, was he not taking a risk, pulling everything apart when it had got them so close? “When you lose a big game you have to go back to the drawing-board and examine everything all over again. I want to become as good a manager as I possibly can – you don’t know, this could be the only crack I’ll ever get at inter-county management and I want to make the most of it. The biggest thing for me is to promote hurling in Westmeath. We have seven U21s playing on Sunday, two 17-year-olds. We know Galway will be looking to lay down a marker, Anthony’s first championship game in charge.”

One thing for certain, says Brian – if they’re level at the threequarter stage this time around there’ll be no last-quarter blowout.

“Galway might beat us but it won’t be on fitness – maybe a bit of ability letting us down at times, maybe a bit of luck. Our game-plan is to be in the game with 15 minutes to go and then trust our fitness to see us through.”