BREAKING: Jack Cooney steps down as Westmeath senior football manager
Westmeath GAA’s county committee is in the hunt for a new senior football manager, with the shock news that Jack Cooney is to step down from the role with immediate effect.
The Coralstown/Kinnegad clubman, who steered the Lake County to the inaugural Tailteann Cup last month, is to take up a full-time role in Croke Park as a National Player Development Lead.
Cooney is credited with developing a very settled Westmeath side since taking the helm of the football setup in 2018. Under his charge, the Maroons won an O’Byrne Cup in 2019 and the Tailteann Cup win this summer was his second piece of silverware as manager. Cooney and his charges were also unlucky not to reach a Leinster final last year.
A member of Páidí Ó Sé’s backroom team when Westmeath enjoyed Leinster SFC success in 2004, Cooney has also worked with Donegal as a selector, and at club level has managed Rhode (Offaly), Newbridge (Kildare) and his home club Coralstown/Kinnegad. He was also a tremendous servant to Westmeath as a player (1988-2000).
Last September, he was ratified as Westmeath manager for a further two years, but his appointment means he will not see out the remainder of this term.
“The player development area is one in which I have invested a lot of time academically in the past few years, and this is an opportunity for me to work in the area in a full time capacity,” Cooney said in a statement released this afternoon.
“I have had an extremely enjoyable spell involved in inter-county football, commencing as a selector with Westmeath almost twenty years ago, the highlight of that period being the annexing of the first-ever Leinster title, under the leadership of the great Páidí Ó Sé.
“In more recent years I was involved with Rory Gallagher in Donegal, and during these periods I learned a lot of what it takes to be successful at the top level.
“Since becoming manager of my native county, I have worked with a fantastic bunch of players, whose commitment to playing and preparation at this level is second-to-none; they certainly deserved the success they achieved this year when we overcame Cavan in the first-ever Tailteann Cup final.
“I would like to thank each one of them for their support to me. I have also worked with a wonderful group of coaches and selectors, and I thank them for their support. We have a wonderful backroom team, all of whom are totally committed to Westmeath football, and I thank them for their hard work and dedication.
“We have a wonderful band of loyal supporters, and I will never forget the Croke Park support this year, and the reception we received from thousands of people in the streets of Mullingar when we brought the Tailteann Cup home.
“The support of the clubs of the county, and, of course, the officers of the county and football board, under the leadership of Frank Mescall and Billy Foley, has been outstanding during my tenure; without this great support I would not haver been able to carry out my role.
“And finally, a thank you to my wife, Elaine, and our family, for their unwavering support to me during this period.”
Westmeath GAA Chairman Frank Mescall said: “We are extremely disappointed to lose Jack Cooney as county team manager but are very proud of the fact that he is taking up this prestigious role for the GAA at national level.
“Jack’s commitment to Westmeath football has been magnificent throughout his career, from the time he wore the maroon himself, through his period as a selector in the early-noughties, and his time as senior team manager for the past four years, culminating in our annexing of the Tailteann Cup this year.
“On behalf of all Westmeath Gaels, I say míle buíochas, Jack, and wish you the very best of good fortune in your new role. We have no doubt that given his commitment to Westmeath, that Jack’s experience and knowledge will not be lost to us in the county, and we look forward to seeing him undertaking different roles in the future.
“I confirm that the process to find a successor to Jack will commence immediately.”