Dessie Dolan in action in the maroon and white of Westmeath. Photo: Ann Hennessy.

Dessie's array of skills made him Westmeath's shining light

 

GERRY BUCKLEY pays tribute to Westmeath football star Dessie Dolan, who recently brought the curtain down on a wonderful inter-county career. 

 

Coming as it did a fortnight short of his 35th birthday, the announcement that Dessie Dolan has called a halt to his glittering 16-year career as a Westmeath senior footballer has come as no surprise to those of us privileged to witness his fabulous array of skills in the maroon and white jersey. However, it is still sad news for us all.

I first saw Dessie (he prefers to be called Des, incidentally) playing for the Westmeath minors against Longford in Pearse Park in May 1997. As a great fan of his father Dessie Snr from my childhood, I had heard that his son and namesake was shaping up very well from my spies in that great football nursery, St Mel’s in Longford.

The home team won that Leinster championship first round game by 0-16 to 1-7. To use a term familiar to us in recent weeks, Dessie looked a good player and not a great player (the winners’ Paul Barden actually looked the potential superstar that evening).

Fast forward nine months to Cusack Park and the galling Leinster U21 loss to Dublin for our team littered with Tom Markham Cup medallists from three years earlier, with Dessie as the baby-faced 18-year-old corner forward. Again my verdict was, a good player and not a great player.

However, on November 1 that year in a National League win against Antrim in Casement Park, the greatness shone through. Scoring 1-6 in his senior competitive debut in the city which was birthplace of his father, Dessie Jnr looked a class act in all he did. And sure you know the rest!

While his very talented father had toiled with the Lake County with no more than an O’Byrne Cup memento to show, Dessie Jnr has medals for successes garnered in the maroon and white colours at Leinster senior, All-Ireland U21 and Leinster U21 (two) level. Throw in Railway Cup recognition for Leinster (with accompanying winners’ medals), International Rules caps and, of course, the ultimate individual accolade of a richly-deserved All Star statuette in 2004.

He has featured in all of Garrycastle’s plethora of club successes since the Flanagan Cup breakthrough in 2001, as well as being a key member of the side in green and red who famously broke Westmeath’s duck in Leinster in 2011 and came agonisingly close to winning the Andy Merrigan Cup in March 2012. It is quite a haul for a man from a so-called weaker county.

I will ignore the obvious big matches in the above medal haul and hone in on two less documented games which stand out for me. In 2000, he was the captain and undoubted star of the U21 team which retained the Leinster title (imagine Westmeath won both the minor and U21 crowns that year – and nothing at underage since).

Indeed, he almost single-handedly dragged us over the line on a wet and miserable Wednesday evening in April in Portlaoise when Limerick (deservedly) defeated Luke Dempsey’s charges (Dessie, Bressie et al) in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Earlier that month, his display drew gasps of admiration from even opposition fans when Westmeath pulverised Wexford (albeit short their marquee player Mattie Forde) by 6-17 to 1-7. Dessie scored 4-4 that Sunday afternoon in Newbridge in a performance which may never have been surpassed by a Westmeath player in a meaningful championship encounter. The small contingent of Slaneysiders present were simply in awe of the Garrycastle maestro. As were his fellow-countymen.

Most of us of a certain vintage still call the inter-provincial series in both codes the Railway Cups. They have dropped dramatically in prestige (from a spectator’s perspective) since my childhood days, but the players continue to love the honour of representing their province. Crowds are generally dismal, despite umpteen marketing ploys.

However, I was fortunate to decide to travel to Parnell Park for a rip-roaring floodlit football final in 2005 when Dessie scored 0-11 for Leinster in their win over Ulster in front of a crowd of maybe 5,000. The atmosphere was fantastic, way ahead of other drab finals I have (literally) endured before and since. Again, even the clannish Ulster fans sung Dessie’s praises that night. 

While we won’t see him line out for his county again, hopefully he will grace Cusack Park and other grounds throughout the county for another few years at club level for Garrycastle – nonchalantly popping over points from frees and open play, twisting and turning, mesmerising opposition defenders, setting up colleagues with pinpoint passes etc. Just oozing class.

Indeed, all reports suggest that he was superb against Athlone (in the Westmeath SFC) a few weeks ago. He has already established himself in media work and seems sure to be in demand for a variety of radio and television roles. His influence on the football fields at Moate Community School is well documented and bainisteoir bibs will surely be at his disposal at a variety of levels.

Yes, there have been very occasional low points and disappointing incidents in his career, as there have been in the career of every sports person that has ever lived. However, in my lifetime, I feel only Georgie Keane could reasonably be thrown into the mix for the title of the Lake County’s greatest forward.

Dessie’s heir apparent, John Heslin tweeted (after news of his retirement emerged): “An honour to play with Des. Learned a lot from the man. Gave everything for Westmeath! All the best, Des.”

This columnist wishes Dessie Dolan and his young family health and happiness for many years to come. Thank you for illuminating so many of our lives for the past decade and a half.