Westmeath boss to meet players as plans for new season begin

New Westmeath football manager, Brendan Hackett will meet over 100 players this week as he gets preparations underway for next season. As outlined a number of weeks ago the clubs were asked to nominate a selection committee to assist the manager in selecting a panel of players. The selection committee was chaired by Paddy Collins and consisted of Pierce Corroon ( Mullingar Shamrocks), Johnny Murray (The Downs), Damien Gavin (St Mary's), Paddy McCormack (Bunbrosna), Pat Fox (Moate), Tom Keenan (Tang), Paddy Cole (Ballinagore), Jody Malynn (Caulry) and Eugene Dolan (St Paul's). The committee met a couple of times in recent weeks with the manager and an extensive panel of players was drawn up. The players have been invited to meet with Hackett and his backroom team this week and there will be a series of games for the panel at the weekend. It is an interesting development from the clubs perspective. Not only did they draw up the selection committee but also club secretaries contacted the players from their own clubs with the news of their selection. Clubs were also given the option to nominate any players they felt were missed out from the selection process. Brendan Hackett met with representatives from all the clubs in the county recently at which he outlined his plans for the development of football in the county. One of his stated aims was to set up a transparent system of selecting players for the county and this was met with widespread approval from the clubs. So the first steps have been taken for the new season. In addition to the games this weekend the players will undergo a series of fitness tests the following week. The players will then undertake individual fitness programs for the closed season of November and December. SENIOR PLAYERS The list of senior players nominated is: Dermot McManus, John Connellan, Alan Gaughan, Paul Bannon, Damien Kelly (all Athlone); Simon Moorehead, Aidan Finnan, Noel Kiernan, Peter Tormey, Fintan Finnan, Padraig Walsh, Andrew Whitney (all Bunbrosna); Derek Heavin, Tommy Warburton, Ken Larkin Brendan Kelly, Paul Kelly (all Castledaly); Stephen Bracken, Jason Lynch, Mark Gorman, David Kilmartin, Ronan Foley, Enda Leonard (all Coralstown/Kinnegad); Dessie Dolan, Gary Dolan, Doran Harte, Paul Dillon, Sean O'Donoghue, Padraig Rattigan, Paddy Mulvihill John Gaffey, Cathal Mullin, David O'Shaughnessy (all Garrycastle); Conor Jordan, Francis Boyle, Paul Greville, Brian Smyth, Padraig Leavy, Anthony Doyle, Alan Doyle, Rory O'Reilly (all Killucan); Eoin Farrell (Maryland); Anthony Clinton, Donal O'Donoghue, Kieran Gavin, Aaron Purcell, Micheál Curley, Davy Miller, Cian O'Leary, Fiachra Spellman (all Mullingar Shamrocks); Paddy Dowdall, Stephen Gallagher, Ciaran Lynam, Gary Glennon, Paul Martin, John Ahearn, Conrad Reilly (all St Loman's); Joe Clarke, Alan Mangan, Ronan Whelan (all St Malachy's); John Smyth, Luke Folan, Jack Hogan, James Conroy, Mark Dalton, Greg Crowley (all The Downs); Denis Glennon, Martin Flanagan, Barry Murphy, Keith Scally, Philip Sheridan, David Glennon, Tommy Newman (all Tyrrellspass); Dwayne Maher, Andrew Heduvan, Willie Murtagh (all Ballynacargy); Eoin Miller, David Deegan, Michael Ennis (all Ballinagore); Eanna Doolin, Niall Killcoyne, Dan McDermott, Ronan Doolin, Willie Coyne (all Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall); Fergus Scally, Mick Fox, Alan Fennell (all Kilbeggan); Alan Claffey (Moate All Whites); Robbie Kenny, Damien Healy (both St Mary's); Alan Hickey, David Duffy, Mickey Boyle (all Shandonagh); Gary Connaughton, Fergal Wilson, Conor Elliott, Jeffrey Farrell (all Tubberclair); Niall Bannon, Robert English (both Tang); Damien Dolan, Gary Flanagan (both Caulry); Stephen Somers (Milltown); Philip Gilsenan, Paul Gilsenan (both St Paul's); Andrew McCormack, Declan Nannery (both St Joseph's). UNDER-21 PLAYERS The list of Under-21 players nominated is: John Egan, John Stapleton (both Athlone); Kevin Mitchell (Bunbrosna); Liam Fitzpatrick, Brendan Kelly, Alan Stone (all Castledaly); Cian Flynn, Ronan Doyle, Alan Giles, Wayne Fox (all Coralstown/Kinnegad); Mark McCallon, James Dolan, Aidan Browne, Shane Mulvihill (all Garrycastle); Kieran Martin, Callum McCormack (both Maryland); Darragh Daly, Adam Corroon, Simon Quinn, Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks); Sean Murphy, Paul Sharry, Conor Lynam (all St Loman's); Declan Lynam, Shane Power (both The Downs); Ger Egan, Darren Quinn (both Tyrrellspass); Timmy Mescall, Griffin Kearney, Kieran Sheridan (all Ballynacargy); John Gilligan (Ballymore); Thomas McDaniel, James Durkan (both Ballinagore); David Keenan (Killbeggan); Eoin Dalton, Mark Ennis (both Moate All Whites); Shane Tone, David Tone, David Malynn (all Rosemount); Eoin Gorman, Ger Keegan (all St Mary's); Tommy Barry, John Hughes (both Shandonagh); Ian Coffey, Mark Fitzgibbon, Simon Lawless (all Tubberclair); Aidan Burke, Kieran Durkan (both Tang) Mark Gorman, Fintan Reilly, Noel O'Reilly (all Milltownpass); Alan Fitzpatrick, Kevin Maguire, Robert Kenny, Ben Moran, Joe McMahon, Declan Donohoe (all Caulry); Joe Kenny (Milltown); John Fitzpatrick (St Paul's).