Former Galway star set for role in Westmeath management team

Shane O’Brien is set to be ratified as Westmeath's new senior hurling manager at the county board meeting tomorrow night (Monday).

And former Galway dual star Alan Kerins is set to be part of the management team in a coaching and performance role.

The committee appointed by the county board to recommend Joe Quaid’s replacement will be putting Dubliner O'Brien forward for the approval of delegates.

The Cuala man, who was part of Quaid’s backroom team last year, is understood to have become a hugely popular figure among the players en route to their Division 2A league successes in 2019.

“Westmeath GAA, pending his appointment, are delighted to have Shane O’Brien as the new Westmeath senior hurling manager,” a county board statement said.

“This appointment is hugely exciting as a highly experienced and skilled backroom team is also in place."

Paudie O’Neill is to take up a role as director of coaching. The Tipperary man is vastly experienced having worked as a coach under Eamon O’Shea in Tipperary. O’Neill has also managed various Dublin underage teams and Ballyboden senior hurlers for a number of years.

The backroom team also sees former Galway dual star Alan Kerins take up a coaching and performance role.  Kerins coached Gort to a Galway senior hurling final and has won various titles when coaching his club, Clarinbridge.

Kerins has the distinct achievement of having won All-Ireland club titles in both codes - in football with Salthill-Knocknacarra in 2006 and with Clarinbridge in hurling (2011).

He won All-Ireland minor (1994) and U21 (1996) hurling medals with Galway. Though better known as a hurler, Kerins won an All-Ireland football medal with Galway in 2001 under the stewardship of John O'Mahony.

Kerins is also well known and hugely respected for his humanitarian work, helping to raise a huge amount of money for charitable causes. 

Former Westmeath star Brendan Murtagh (Clonkill) will once again be a selector, having served in last season’s management team. O’Brien plans to add two more coach/selectors in the coming weeks, one of which will be from Westmeath.

O’Brien has had numerous coaching roles, including one with Kildare in 2018, in which he won the Christy Ring Cup under Joe Quaid. He played a prominent coaching role with Dublin’s U21 hurlers in 2011, winning a Leinster title and contesting the All-Ireland final the same year.

He has also managed Dublin senior camogie team and, more recently, he has managed the Trinity College Dublin hurling team, making major progress from winning the Ryan Cup to being contenders in the Fitzgibbon Cup. O’Brien was also joint manager of Oulart the Ballagh of Wexford in 2017.

Westmeath GAA chairman Billy Foley is hopeful O’Brien will get the backing of Westmeath clubs.

“I believe we have found a super candidate in Shane but the decision will ultimately be made by the clubs at the next county board meeting,” said Foley. 

Monday's meeting takes place in TEG Cusack Park at 8.30pm, and club delegates will have the opportunity to give their views on proposed changes to the All-Ireland SFC and the possible introduction of a Tier 2 championship.