Browne glad to take another step towards ultimate aim
“I talk all the time about the seven steps to winning an All-Ireland. Today was step five, and we’ve got to step six. I know that sounds incredibly boring, like management-speak or coach-speak, but that’s what we’re doing.”
That was the initial reaction of Frank Browne, manager of the Westmeath ladies’ football team, after his charges reached the All-Ireland intermediate semi-finals with a win over Wexford at TEG Cusack Park on Sunday.
“We always knew that Wexford would be hard to shake off,” said Browne, himself a native of the Model County. “We have a long, chequered history with Wexford. We beat them twice this year but last year they had us, and the year before that. We knew they were going to bring something different, and that they are proud and strong.
“They got ahead of us with the wind [in the first half]. They got six points up and we came down and got a goal then, only going in a point down at half-time. It was really ‘game on’ from then.
“We got a goal straight after half-time and from there, I wouldn’t say we quite moved into game management mode but to keeping the scoreboard ticking over and giving nothing away at the back. I thought we did really well.”
That goal from Katie Kilmurray settled Westmeath down and Browne had a lot of praise for the young St Loman’s, Mullingar starlet and a number of her teammates.
“We expect so much out of Katie Kilmurray but we forget that she’s still minor. She hasn’t even done her Leaving Cert,” said the Mayo-based bainisteoir.
“We see it in the men’s game with Kobe [McDonald]. Kobe has done his Leaving Cert but Katie hasn’t even done that yet. She’s just a special talent, and she’s going to lead, no more than Aoife Keegan, Pip Ruane and Lara McCartan. All of those girls are still less than 20 years old and they’re going to wear that Westmeath jersey for the next nine or ten years.
“I thought Anna [Jones] was immense today too, not just going forward but going backwards. She won a couple of kickouts in the mid-section of the second half. She managed the game and settled the ship.
“Sarah Dillon was exceptional as well in the second half. Just when we needed a bit of cuteness, she punched the ball over the bar and kept the scoreboard rolling.
“Aoife [Temple] had a great penalty save. It was excellent but there was one ball, maybe with ten minutes to go, where she batted it out to the side. She won the foot race out to win it as well. Normally, when a goalkeeper bats it out to the side they’ll say, ‘Now corner back, you do your job, I’ve done my bit.’ But she was out, she was up and she was fast, and that’s a testament to the work she’s doing. I’m delighted for her.
“We’re carrying four goalkeepers, with Amy Donlon, Ellen Tate and Aisling English as well, and they’re pushing each other on. It also helps that the two coaches are both All-Ireland-winning goalkeepers and All Stars.”
Browne admitted that Vicky Carr’s injury early in Sunday’s game was a cruel hammer-blow and he remained unsure as to the nature of the midfielder’s injury.
“Losing Vicky early on was tough because she’s the heart and soul of what we do. She is a huge loss,” he remarked. “But I have to say Aoife Keegan came on and was absolutely immense. That’s the beauty of having players.
“There was a lot of hurt in the dressing room during the week when we were picking a team because you have 15 people who are delighted and 15 others who think you’re probably not the nicest person in the world because you didn’t pick them. But that shows strength. Like Alex Ferguson said, teams win games, but panels will win you championships.”
Westmeath face neighbours Roscommon in the semi-finals on Sunday, July 12, with the prize a place against either Fermanagh or Down in the All-Ireland final. With the full-time whistle barely blown on Sunday, Browne was already planning for the road ahead.
“The plan is to look at Vicky’s injury. That’s the first thing. Tomorrow we’ll do recovery and on Tuesday we’ll get the wheelbarrow and shovels out, the overalls on and get back to work,” he explained.
“I saw Roscommon in the flesh two weeks ago, beating Down. From what I gather, they had a good win over Leitrim today.
“Finbar [Egan] is manager. He has four All-Ireland medals under his belt now, so he will be wily. He’ll have his homework and his prep done. It won’t be easy and they’ll be hoping to catch us in the long grass. But I’m wily enough myself!
“It’ll be a neutral venue in two weeks’ time, with the final in Croke Park on the August bank holiday weekend. I know this is going to sound terribly cocky and arrogant, but that’s where we want to get to. We want to win the All-Ireland.
“Is that giving fodder to the other teams? Well, sure, but they want to win the All-Ireland too. We’re not here just for the craic and the Tesco vouchers. We’re here to try and win an All-Ireland,” he concluded.