Browne steps down as Westmeath senior ladies football manager
Frank Browne has stepped down as manager of the Westmeath senior ladies football team.
In a statement issued this afternoon (Wednesday), Westmeath LGFA chairperson Geraldine Giles, on behalf of the County Board, acknowledged Browne’s 'significant contribution' to Westmeath ladies football during three years in charge.
Browne led Westmeath to back-to-back Leinster intermediate football championship titles. However, the Lake County came up marginally short at provincial level, losing twice in All-Ireland semi-finals against Tyrone, in 2025, and then Roscommon. Both Tyrone and Roscommon went on to win the All-Ireland title.
“Westmeath Ladies Football acknowledge the huge contribution that Frank Browne brought to the role. Winning two Leinster titles and coming within the tightest of margins of All-Ireland appearances has heightened the profile of our senior team,” Giles said.
“We thank Frank for the professionalism, vision and commitment he brought to the role. His enthusiasm and belief in what can be achieved is infectious, and we thank him for the work he invested in the role. We wish him and his family all the very best for the future,” she added.
Frank Browne said that the decision to step down “was not taken lightly”.
“When you give three years of your life to something, you build relationships, memories and bonds that go far beyond football, and that is what makes walking away so difficult,” he said.
“I want to sincerely thank the Westmeath County Board for giving me the opportunity and for the support and trust shown to me throughout my time in the role. I also want to thank every member of the management and backroom team who shared the journey with me. The hours, the hard work, the laughs, the difficult days, and the shared ambition created something that I will look back on with great fondness. To the players, thank you for the commitment, honesty and effort over the past three years. It has been a privilege to work with you and to see the sacrifices you made for the Westmeath jersey. I want to wish every one of you the very best for the future and hope you go on to achieve everything you are capable of,” added Browne.
He further thanked the families, friends and clubs of the Westmeath players.
“The commitment required to play inter-county football does not just belong to the players themselves. There are countless hours, journeys, sacrifices and support behind every player who pulls on the jersey, and that contribution should never be underestimated. A very special thanks goes to my own family. They have made their own sacrifices over the past three years, put up with the long evenings and weekends, and supported me through the highs and lows that come with the job. I could not have done it without them, and I will always be grateful for that,” he said.
“One of the things I will take from my time with Westmeath is the importance of belief and culture. But ultimately, that culture has to belong to the players. It is important that you take ownership of it, protect it and drive it forward. The standards, the togetherness and the belief in what Westmeath ladies can become cannot belong to one manager or management team. They have to come from within the group and be carried forward by the players themselves. I hope the foundations are there and that you continue to build on them. I leave the role with enormous pride, but more than anything, with gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity, for the people I met, the friendships I have made, and the memories that will stay with me long after football. I will always be proud to have been Westmeath manager. And ultimately, that is what matters most to me - that when I walk away, we have left the jersey in a better place than we found it,” added the Wexford native.