Bulfin was forced to resign over 'tortuous' criticism, Mescall claims

Westmeath County Committee chairman Frank Mescall has said that the negativity among hurling people in the county and their lack of support for former senior hurling manager Seoirse Bulfin forced him to resign after one season in charge.

The chairman said the Limerick man is the latest to feel the wrath of angry hurling folk, and strong criticism left him with no choice but to walk away following this year’s Joe McDonagh Cup campaign.

The 15 hurling clubs in the county are to convene to decide the process for appointing a new manager.

Westmeath failed to qualify in the second-tier championship and recorded two wins over Down and Kerry, but it was the level of criticism directed at Seoirse Bulfin that forced his hand, the chairman outlined.

Frank Mescall explained he had two or three phone calls with Bulfin prior to Westmeath’s exit from the Joe McDonagh Cup.

“He just couldn't face another year. ‘It was tortuous’ was how he described it," Mescall stated, adding that Bulfin said the criticism took a toll on his family. "He voiced that. He felt that he hadn’t, from day one, the support of the clubs, or of management, which is sad,” remarked the chairman.

Castlepollard delegate Johnny Rabbitt suggested he shouldn’t have been appointed, as there was opposition expressed at the meeting by both Castlepollard and Lough Lene Gaels.

In response, Mr Mescall said: “They did, and that’s on record, and now they will say they were right, and the appointment was wrong. That’s one way to look at it; maybe it’s right - I don’t know. Hindsight is brilliant. If we all had it, we’d be geniuses. But that attitude prevailed throughout the whole year. He never got a fair crack of the whip.

“They forgot he was coach to an All-Ireland winning team, that he was perfectly acceptable in Wexford, Waterford and Clare, which probably have a better standard of hurling than we have, and he would be dealing with more top-class players than we have at our disposal. He was okay there, but not in our county.

“He got off to a very bad start. A lesser man would have said, ‘goodnight’, and stayed in Bruff,” Mescall continued.

The chairman highlighted how people had difficulties with other managers also, and this is now the fourth senior hurling manager of his tenure, which he described as "quite incredible".

“Will the next manager be good enough? Or is there another problem, maybe a deeper problem,” he remarked.

Johnny Rabbitt felt the hurling board should have been more involved, but it was explained that there is no longer a hurling board, but a hurling committee. Hurling people were on the selection committee, and hurling clubs were represented.

After some discussion, it was agreed that Frank Mescall will meet with the 15 hurling clubs to decide a way forward, but ultimately the matter will have to come before the County Committee at a later date for approval. Cullion delegate Dermot Broughan supported the move.

The meeting between representatives of the hurling clubs and the chairman is to take place next week.