Sheridan let down as clubs turn backs on Bealin

Westmeath chairman Sean Sheridan has hit out at the decision of club delegates to remove Paul Bealin as Lake County football boss.

The executive sought to continue Bealin’s tenure at Wednesday’s board meeting before a counter proposal from the floor called for the former All-Ireland football winner to be relieved of his duties.

Bealin lost 37-12, ending his reign less than a year after taking it up.

“I am very disappointed,” said Sheridan.

“He put in a serious effort. He was coming up from Castletown in Wexford up to Athlone and Mullingar three and four times a week. He was putting in a big commitment. I know the players were putting in a big commitment as well. The professional approach he brought, he brought something special to Westmeath that I haven’t seen in my two years as chairman. We are a small county which has been hit by emigration. We haven’t got the panel. To stick that at Paul Bealin, I am disappointed.”

Bealin originally agreed a three-year deal, with a review scheduled after his first season. Westmeath’s 2014 campaign proved a disastrous one, with not a single competitive victory secured. In all, the Lake County lost three O’Byrne Cup games, seven Division 1 league encounters and both championship outings.

“Paul Bealin is very disappointed. All he can do is put a team in place, prepare the team and try to win games. That didn’t happen. Division 1 is a very tough division. Westmeath were never going to do well in that division. We were hoping to learn from it.

“We didn’t do well in the championship and that was the big debate on Wednesday night that we lost all 12 games this year. Who do you blame? Do you blame a referee for losing a game when a game is over? It is just blame the manager at all times.

“I was trying to impress upon the delegates Paul’s professional approach. There is no point bringing in a manager for one year. I don’t think Paul would have come on board had he known it was for one year. I don’t know any manager who would agree to a job for one year. We are building a young team and Paul put a package in place for three years. He had a big job to do and he wasn’t finished.”

A five-man committee, including former Westmeath footballer Paul Conway, has been tasked with finding the county’s seventh manager since the turn of the millennium.

“The clubs decided they didn’t want Bealin and maybe they want an inside man. There are people in Westmeath capable of doing this job. There is nobody knocking at our door coming running to us.

“We are not the most famous county. Clubs last night hinted they wanted someone from inside and the committee will be guided by the clubs.”