Winning is a good habit says Loughlin

Luke Loughlin was keen to strike a note of perspective after his dramatic late two-pointer sealed O’Byrne Cup success for Westmeath against Kildare in Newbridge, insisting the victory, while welcome, was not one to get carried away with.

“It’s good to get the win, I suppose, but we’re not getting too carried away,” said the Westmeath forward. “It is what it is; it’s January, and there’s nothing of too much importance won in January. But it is great to be winning games, especially compared to last year, and to see a few new lads on the panel getting game time.”

Loughlin’s decisive score came at the end of a contest that appeared to have slipped from Westmeath’s grasp. They trailed by four points at half-time and were eight adrift deep into the second half, yet belief never wavered within the group. According to Loughlin, that resilience is being driven by new manager Mark McHugh, whose influence is already evident.

“We’ve always had great belief, and Mark has been brilliant for that,” he said. “He’s really instilled it. We’ve done some very hard training over the last few months and there was no way we were going to give up. If you’re in this game and you give in, you’ll be found out straight away.”

Westmeath also benefited from the wind in the second half and, while Loughlin admitted their first-half display fell below expectations, he felt the work done on the training pitch ensured there would be no collapse.

“We hadn’t played particularly well in the first half, but with the amount of training we’ve done, there’s no quitting,” he said.

“Even last year, when we lost a lot of games, there were matches where we were 12 or 13 points down and still in them. With the new rules, games can swing quickly. Two-pointers are huge, and a goal - even though it’s only an extra point - gives you massive momentum. It lifts everything, your awareness, your energy, especially for kick-outs.”

A central figure in Westmeath’s revival was captain Ronan Wallace, whose influence was not lost on Loughlin.

“Wally is Wally; day in, day out,” he said. “He’s unbelievable, both as a leader and a player. There were times when he put us on his back and dragged us through it. That’s what he brings every day. Now it’s about how the younger lads: can we get more out of them, because they have talent, we’ve seen that.”

As the clock ticked into the red and the referee glanced at his watch, Loughlin stepped up to take responsibility for the final score, despite having missed a free earlier in the game. It was a moment that demanded composure and conviction.

“I’d always back myself to take that shot,” he said. “I probably should have worked the free (short) earlier, but I’m confident taking long-range frees, especially off the ground. You’re always learning in this game. Even at 30, you think you’ve learned it all, but you haven’t. I was lucky to put it right at the end, and I’m grateful the lads have faith in me to take those shots.”

Loughlin knew immediately it was the final kick and focused solely on execution. “I just made sure to put it dead,” he said. “On another day, I might have been given out to about it, but that’s part of learning; knowing when to take responsibility and when to move it on. It’s about doing the right thing at the right time.”

Despite the celebrations, Loughlin quickly turned his attention to what lies ahead, with Westmeath now setting their sights on the league and on next Sunday's clash with Sligo.

“We’ve really just been focusing on ourselves,” he said. “The O’Byrne Cup crept up quickly, which might be a good thing. We’re crying out for a big league campaign. We’re a very talented group and getting a few wins makes everything more enjoyable.”

The contrast with last season is stark, he admits, particularly in terms of morale. “Winning is a habit, and it’s a good one to get into. Last year, we were in this dressing room (after losing to Kildare in the Leinster championship) and it felt like a bomb had gone off. Now there’s a positive feeling. We’re not carrying the hurt we had this time last year.”

Loughlin also pointed out that Westmeath’s progress has come despite the absence of several key players, including Sam McCartan, whom he described as “maybe our best player”.

“There’s something good building,” he said. “Mark has brought something different, the coaching has been excellent, and the training has been excellent. It’s up to us now to bring that onto the field. It’s very enjoyable, and if you can’t have a laugh along the way, it all becomes too serious. At the moment, it’s a good place to be.”

For Westmeath, January silverware may not define a season, but in Newbridge, it offered tangible proof that belief and momentum are beginning to return.