2022 MARKS JACK Cooney’s 22nd year of involvement with the Westmeath senior footballers.
He made his debut as a 17-year-old and lined out with the county for 12 years. He spent six years coaching the side under Paidí Ó Sé, Tomás Ó Flaharta and Luke Dempsey, while he’s been manager for the last four campaigns.
“It’s been good craic,” he says. “I could tell you a few stories.”
From some tough days during his playing career, he witnessed plenty of good ones too, with the Leinster SFC victory of 2004 a particular stand-out.
“We were struggling. We had some tough years.
“Back that time we worked very hard for a good day, very hard. I’ll never forget those days and it pushes you on try and make it consistently better now.
“Then to see Garada escorts bringing a team up the motorway to Croke Park in the early 2000s. Playing Meath and cars literally bumper to bumper the whole way up. I never thought I’d see the day.
“I was blessed to be in with Paidí and Tomás and Paddy Collins and that team of 2004. That was magical so I have kind of seen both sides of it. At the moment Westmeath is very important to me.
“I’m very passionate about Westmeath that’s the grip it has on me and I’m privileged to be in a position to do something about it for the future. I have been involved with great players, managers and characters and have built up a really good stock pile of stores and craic and situations.”
Even during his most difficult days as a player, the enjoyment factor was always there.
“Through all of that I didn’t think if them as tough days because I was stuck in the middle of them but I made great friends, great laughs and experience and that’s what’s stands out to me.
“All the training and slagging was worth it with the players even thought we weren’t winning anything. And they guys started winning and it started to turn but the important thing is not to lose the craic and the enjoyment factor. Ask any player and its very high on their priority list and if its not there I’d have to question are we doing the right thing?”
The inter-county game has undergone signdaicaiton transformation since those days, yet Cooney feels it remains “a very important ingredient.”
“I try to make it enjoyable for them,” he says. “I would hope players are enjoying it.”
Westmeath are bidding to become the inaugural winners of the Tailteann Cup. They face neighbours Offaly in Sunday’s semi-final, following wins over Laois and Carlow in the competition so far.
In the Croke Park dressing rooms after their Leinster exit to Kildare, Cooney told his players they’d be taking the competition seriously.
“It is very difficult to talk about the Tailteann Cup when you are playing in Leinster championship. We needed to address it straight away. That is what we decided to do. We didn’t allow a void develop and if we did allow a void to develop within four days, we don’t know where we would be – but the fact we addressed straight after Kildare game was positive.
“We knew that this was an opportunity for us.
“Let’s just go at this and see where it takes us. We gave the guys Tuesday off and we were back training on the Thursday with a full turnout. I think the players have really embraced it.
“And the fact that everyone turned up on the Thursday showed everyone was committed to it.
“What this has done has given us a real good opportunity to spend more time with each other.
“The best way to develop players is on the training pitch. And we have an extension of three to four weeks at the moment, something that we didn’t have for the last two years. And I see that as a huge benefit.
“It would mean the world to me (to win it) but it would also mean the world to young Westmeath supporters because for them to drive back down from Croke Park with a positive experience and one they will hopefully remember.”
Cooney can see plenty of positives about the new second-tier competition.
“Tailteann Cup is a really, really good alternative for us. And the great thing about whatever teams wins this weekend, they will have three weeks to the end of their season.
“You can work towards the end of your season, you know when the end of your season is going to be. Not that doesn’t happen too often, unless you are in an All-Ireland final. So that is going to bring a real good incentive as well, and a real good positivity for whoever is in the final.
“I certainly wouldn’t undervalue a Tailteann All-Star and I can tell you that Westmeath lads would love to get one. It would be fantastic for them. To get another day out in Croke Park is a great experience for players.
“We had a number of players against Kildare who had never togged out in Croke Park and if they win this weekend, they will have another opportunity to get back there again.”
