Has management become too toxic?
Dessie Dolan's departure as manager is a blow to the Westmeath senior footballers. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane
Already in 2024, 16 different counties in football and hurling are seeking new managers.
The pressure and the commitment, alongside being away from one's young family is savage. That’s before you start delving into the toxic world of social media. Eventually, you’ll end up asking yourself is it worth it, as faceless keyboard warriors can say what they want to, with no punishment.
We are now seeing managers walking away after only a couple of years in charge. Vinny Corey from Monaghan is the latest casualty.
Before that Dessie Dolan surprisingly slipped away as manager of the Westmeath senior football team. It shouldn’t be forgotten that he did an excellent job with the Maroon and White.
The big result was winning this season's Division Three League title and getting the Lake County promoted to Division Two for 2025, which will include a local derby against Roscommon.
In the past two seasons, Westmeath were put into the two groups of death in the All-Ireland round robin series. While they didn’t win a game, they produced excellent performances against quality opposition.
This year, as it turned out, they had eventual All-Ireland champions Armagh, runners-up and Connacht champions Galway and Division One League champions Derry for company. They acquitted themselves well and only the concession of late goals against Galway and Derry distorted the scoreboard as they were right in the mix entering the home straight.
Twelve months previously, as Tailteann Cup champions, it must have felt like they had run over a black cat, coming out on the wrong side of one-point defeats to Armagh and Galway. Only a late Tyrone free in injury time, which snatched a draw for the Red Hand County, denied Westmeath a famous win and a quarter-final play-off place.
Dessie Dolan’s biggest disappointment was not winning a game in the Leinster championship. Louth and Wicklow beat them by a point over the past two seasons. On both occasions, with Dublin on the opposite side of the draw, Westmeath would have fancied reaching a Leinster final.
After winning the Division Three League in April, Wicklow punctured the momentum that left Dolan’s men shattered eight days later.
In his eight championship games, the Garrycastle man lost four by a point and drew another one. Despite those heartbreaks, one would have imagined Dolan trying to keep Westmeath in Division Two and securing a place in the Sam Maguire Cup. It’s a challenge he should have relished next season.
It would be a surprise if Dessie Dolan didn’t make a comeback on the sideline sooner rather than later. He would be a great coach in an intercounty set-up if he wanted time away from being the number one.
It will also be very interesting to see where Andy Moran, who stepped away from Leitrim, ends up. Is the possibility of joining the Kevin McStay ticket in Mayo a real runner, or would Westmeath now be a tempting proposition for the Ballaghaderreen man?
I’m sure St Brigid’s will also be nervous in case Westmeath come calling for Anthony Cunningham who will surely be on their shortlist.
Did any of my readers notice any coincidence about the recent four All-Ireland senior hurling, Gaelic football, ladies’ football and camogie finals during the pre-match parade?
The four eventual winners — Clare, Armagh, Kerry and Cork — paraded on the same side behind the Artane Band. Each of the four counties marched on the right-hand side.
As I was sitting in the Lower Cusack Stand for both the hurling and football finals, it dawned on me that Clare and Armagh had walked on the same piece of ground.
Immediately, I was interested, so I watched the senior ladies’ football and camogie finals closely. And would you believe it — Kerry and Cork both marched on the same side as Clare and Armagh.
While it wasn’t going to change the result, it's unusual, I would say, for all four teams to march behind the band on the same side and for all four to end up winning their respective All-Ireland final.
I’m not sure who decides which county marches on what side or is there a coin toss to decide? Whichever way it happens, one can imagine a mighty scrap to walk on the right-hand side behind the Artane Band on all four All-Ireland final Sundays in 2025.
It was revealed during the week that Roscommon has the lowest percentage of electric cars sold in the country, but my Tuesday Teaser drivers were fully-powered up last week.
Apart from Galway, who was the last county to lose three All-Ireland senior finals in the one season? It was Cork in 1956 as the Rebels lost the All-Ireland senior football, hurling and camogie finals.
Brian Stenson, Castlerea, was first to get motoring. QPR, Frenchpark; John Croghan, Bundoran; Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; Michael Scally Ballaghaderreen; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; Fr John McManus, PP, Castlerea; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; Seán Farrell, Dublin; Paddy Conlon, Taughmaconnell; Paddy Boland, Youghal; Noel Browne, Celbridge; Tony Reilly, Castlerea; Luigi, Ballyhaunis, and Pat, Sligo, were also fully charged for their journeys.
Answers by e-mail to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s teaser comes from Mid-Roscommon.
Star pupil: Rory Hester of Western Gaels as the outstanding wing-forward put on a scoring exhibition against Michael Glaveys, hitting 0-8.
Crucial win for: Castlerea St. Kevin’s over Tulsk in the Roscommon SFC. In the context of Group A, it could be huge for last year’s intermediate champions.
Much do better: Sligo Rovers losing 2-0 at home to UCD in the FAI Cup leaves John Russell’s men with lots to ponder.
Spot of bother: After two defeats, St. Dominic’s are the first of three teams to be caught up in a SFC relegation battle.
Weekend highlight: It’s hard to beat GAA derby clashes, which always stir the pot. They generate great excitement in the parishes involved.
I enjoyed my visits to Tulsk and Frenchpark last weekend, sampling life among the locals who were eager to beat their neighbours.
What a cracker: With no win in three League of Ireland Premier Division games, leaders Shelbourne face a tricky Dublin derby at home against a battling Bohemians side.
“Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple.”
That three Ruane brothers — Dylan, Conor and Luke — lined out together for the very first time in a senior club championship match for Michael Glaveys against Western Gaels last Saturday evening.
Best of luck to the Roscommon Masters football team who play Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday. The other last four clash is between Dublin and Tyrone, which means that the Rossies are in elite company
