Athlone GAA appoints new senior manager

Athlone GAA has chosen John Twaddle to take over as the club's new senior football manager. 

Longford native Twaddle is set to succeed Athlone GAA insider Eoin Jordan, who has taken time out to travel abroad.

Confirming the appointment of John Twaddle, Athlone GAA said: "John is an ambitious young manager and coach with an impressive football CV. We are delighted he has chosen his next role will be with us at Páirc Chiaráin, working with our talented squad of players, and building on the excellent work done by our previous management team and by the coaches and volunteers of Athlone GAA.

"The Executive of Athlone GAA welcome John to our club – we will do all we can to support your work and we wish you all the very best in this important role," the club added.

Twaddle guided Moate All Whites to Westmeath intermediate championship success in 2020, defeating Tang in the county final. In Moate’s first year back up at senior level (2021), they were very unlucky not to reach the knockout stages, with Twaddle's side losing out on scoring difference. A contentious late penalty allowed Caulry to force a draw when the sides met in the last round of group games.

Interestingly, Moate will be one of the teams Twaddle will come up against with Athlone in next year's championship. Twaddle was joint manager of Clonguish team which reached the Longford SFC semi-finals this year.

Having failed to reach the knockout stages of this year's Westmeath SFC, Athlone will operate in Section B of the 2026 championship.

Athlone looked primed to qualify when holding a decent lead against Coralstown/Kinnegad in their last group match played in Moate. But the wind-assisted Kinnegad side produced a stirring comeback, aided by a string of two-pointers, leaving Athlone to reflect on a bitterly disappointing defeat. Jack Cooney's charges went on to reach the final, in which they lost to The Downs last month.

Having drawn with 2024 champions St Loman's, Mullingar in their opening game, Athlone then defeated Mullingar Shamrocks. But a defeat to Tyrrellspass proved a costly setback for the Shannonsiders and, ultimately, the aforementioned loss to Coralstown/Kinnegad meant elimination.

As well as Athlone, the other teams in Section B of next year's Westmeath SFC are Tang, Moate, Tyrrellspass, Killucan and recently crowned intermediate champions Tubberclair. It's a group which will entail several local derbies and interesting fixtures.

Athlone still head the roll of honour for Westmeath senior football titles, but the men in light blue and white haven't lifted the Flanagan Cup since 1998, and their last final appearance was in 2003, when losing out to The Downs in a replay.